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Flash and CGI (Common Gateway Interface)

  • Jul 30, 2001
Flash is a powerful tool for the Web, but just like all things, it has its limitations. This is where we need to lean on other applications to help us out. When you are done reading this article, you will be able to create a simple form in Flash that will allow visitors to your site to send you email without leaving your site.

This article is for the advanced Flash user who is looking to get a little more mileage out of Flash by combining it with another Web application. This person should be a Web developer with experience in Flash and HTML; a little CGI experience will help, but is not totally necessary. This developer should also have his or her sites hosted on a UNIX server so that the CGI script can be tested.

Flash is a powerful tool for the Web, but just like all things, it has its limitations. This is where we need to lean on other applications to help us out. When you are done reading this article, you will be able to create a simple form in Flash that will allow visitors to your site to send you email without leaving your site.

Introduction

I have broken this example down into four stages. The first stage covers the setup of the Flash movie from sizing to graphics. The second stage covers the ActionScripting that you will need to use to send the information from the form fields in Flash to the CGI script. The third stage covers the CGI script and what it does. The fourth stage wraps up the project and explains how to troubleshoot and post all the files so that they work correctly.

I have posted all of these files on my Web site so you can download them to follow along or check against yours. Click here to download the source files.

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Last Update: November 17, 2020