HTML::Embperl - Embed Perl in Your HTML Documents

Copyright (c) 1997-1999 Gerald Richter / ECOS

You may distribute under the terms of either the GNU General Public 
License or the Artistic License, as specified in the Perl README file.
For use with Apache httpd and mod_perl, see also Apache copyright.

THIS PACKAGE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED 
WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF 
MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.


OVERVIEW


Embperl gives you the power to embed Perl code in your HTML documents.
Using Perl means being able to use a very elaborate programming language,
which is widely used for WWW purposes. You can also use hundreds of Perl
modules which have already been written - including DBI - for database
access to a growing number of database systems.

While this could also be done with other packages, Embperl has several
features especially for HTML: dynamic tables, formfield-processing,
escaping/unescaping and more.

Embperl is a server-side tool, which means it's browser-indpendent.
It can run in various ways: Under mod_perl, as a cgi script, or offline. 

There is also a module for Database access within Embperl, look
at DBIx::Recordset. 


DOCUMENTATION


The following documentation is available within the distribution

Features of Embperl:        perldoc Features.pod
Introduction to Embperl:    perldoc Intro.pod
Installation of Embperl:    perldoc INSTALL.pod
Full documentation:         perldoc Embperl.pod
Frequent Asked Questions:   perldoc Faq.pod
Changes:                    perldoc Changes.pod
Examples:		    eg/x/README
Emacs-Mode:		    emacs/README

All the above and further information can be found at the Embperl website 

    http://perl.apache.org/embperl/

The following documentation is available in GERMAM

Features of Embperl:        perldoc FeaturesD.pod
Introduction to Embperl:    perldoc IntroD.pod
Full documentation:         perldoc EmbperlD.pod

All the above and further information can be found at the german Embperl website 

    http://www.ecos.de/embperl/


FEATURES

* Lets you embed Perl code into HTML documents. Perl code is
  evaluated at the server side and the result is sent to the browser.

* Offers various meta-commands for conditional and loop 
  processing of the HTML documents.

* Automatically generates dynamic HTML tables/lists from Perl arrays or
  function calls (e.g. DBI fetch)

* Form data send to your document is placed in a hash

* Automatically inserts data from the form hash into HTML input,
  textarea and select tags

* Understands HTML and URL escaping and unescaping

* Handles per-user and per-module persistent session data for you.
  All you need to do is store and retrieve them to and from
  a special hash.

* Allows you to build your web-site out of components. Frequently used elements
  can be defined once and included in every page.

* Gives you the possibility to build libraries with a set of frequently used 
  Elements or components, and make them available to the whole web-site in the
  same way as Perl modules are - well, modularized.

* Supports debugging of pages by generating a very detailed
  log file and making it accessible via the browser with a single click.

* Generates verbose error pages in which every error can link 
  to the log file. This is ideal for debugging.

* Offers a lot of options for maximum configurability according to your personal tastes and needs.

* Fully integrated into Apache and mod_perl to acheive the best
  performance. Can also run as a CGI-script, offline or called from
  another Perl program.

* The Perl module DBIx::Recordset offers high level, easy to handle
  database access for Embperl.

* If you are concerned about security you can configure Embperl to use
  Safe.pm. This way, your documents can run in a safe namespace which
  can allow or disallow certain Perl opcodes.


COMPATIBILITY

I have tested Embperl successfully

on Linux 2.x with

perl5.004_04
perl5.005_01
apache_1.2.5
apache_1.2.6
apache_1.3.0
apache_1.3.1
apache_1.3.2
apache_1.3.3
apache_1.3.4
apache_1.3.6
apache_1.3.9
apache + mod_ssl
apache_ssl (Ben SSL)
Stronghold 2.2
Stronghold 2.4.1

on Windows NT 4.0 with

perl5.004_04
perl5.005 (only without threads!)
apache_1.3.0
apache_1.3.1
apache_1.3.4
apache_1.3.6
apache_1.3.9

on Windows 95/98 with
perl5.004_02 (binary distribution)
Offline mode
perl5.005_03 + apache_1.3.6 

I know from other people that it works on many other UNIX systems


FEEDBACK and BUG REPORTS

Please let me know if you use or test this module.  Bugs, questions,
suggestions for things you would find useful, etc., are discussed on
the mod_perl mailing list.

>From the mod_perl README:
 
The Apache/Perl mailing list (modperl@apache.org) is available for mod_perl
users and developers to share ideas, solve problems and discuss things related
to mod_perl and the Apache::* (and Embperl) modules. To subscribe to this list, send mail to
majordomo@apache.org with the string "subscribe modperl" in the body. 


There is a hypermail archive for this list available from:
http://outside.organic.com/mail-archives/modperl/

There is an Epigone archive for the mod_perl mailing list at
http://forum.swarthmore.edu/epigone/modperl


COMMERICAL SUPPORT

You can get free support on the mod_perl mailing list (see above).  If
you need commercial support, ecos can provide it for you. We offer:

* Consulting and assitance for you and your programmers

* Planning of your dynamic website

* Creating of parts or a whole website

* Fixing bugs in Embperl (also available for mod_perl)

* Adding new features

You can reach us via http://www.ecos.de or info@ecos.de 


AUTHOR

G. Richter (richter@dev.ecos.de)