Frequently Asked Questions

Basic Q&A

Using the Server

Troubleshooting

Other Features

What is NCSA httpd?

 NCSA httpd is a program to serve information, much in the same way that NCSA Mosaic is a program to browse information in the World Wide Web.

httpd stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Daemon. HTTP is a protocol with the lightness and speed necessary for a distributed collaborative hypermedia information system.

How do I install NCSA httpd?

Read documentation on NCSA httpd Installation.

What is CGI?

CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface. You can read an introduction and an overview.

How do I create and process forms?

 First, read a tutorial on creating forms. Then, in order to handle the output from your forms, read how CGI supports forms.

How do I setup a clickable imagemap?

Read the documentation on the imagemap script and a tutorial on graphical information maps.

How do I manage user for authentication?

Read the documentation on managing users and a tutorial on user authentication.

How can I perform keyword searches?

You can use WAIS as a back-end search engine. Herein, a tutorial on WAIS and HTTP integration.

How do I set up server-side includes?

You can use server-side includes, to provide data to clients on-the-fly. For example, the current date or the size or last modification date for a file. Check out a tutorial on server-side includes.

What else can I do?

Read the complete documentation on server administration and some provided step-by-step tutorials.

My logfiles are not updated anymore...

 This is probably because you moved them or erased them without restarting a standalone daemon. For more information, read the Logfile Management documentation.

Can I have hidden variables in forms?

 Actually this is handled by the browser (e.g. NCSA Mosaic). In any case, there is an example with hidden variables in the documentation.

Can I have multiple submit buttons?

This is also handled by your browser. NCSA Mosaic for X (v2.5 soon to be released) will have support for multiple submit buttons. See an example to learn how to use them.

What is PGP/PEM encryption?

PGP and PEM are programs to allow you and a second party to communicate in a way which does not allow third parties to read your messages. For more information, there is a PGP/PEM FAQ.

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