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Open the default.cfg file in your text editor. After the copyright information at the top of the file, you will see

     $db_dir_url = "http://server/cgi-bin/dbman";

Edit the part that is in red above to match the information given to you by your server administrator about the URL of your cgi-bin. I would suggest that you also leave the
dbman part in and create a directory for all of your DBMan files.

If your server is on a Windows (or Mac, I think) system, you'll need to change another thing.

Look for

     $db_use_flock   = 1;

Change the value to 0. (This is only for those whose server is on a Windows or Mac system. If your server is Unix, leave this line as it is.)

Be sure to leave the semicolons -- ; -- at the ends of the lines!

Save default.cfg.

Open db.cgi. The first line of the file is

     #!/usr/local/bin/perl

On most systems, this will be the correct path to Perl. If the above is not the same as the information provided to you by your system administrator, edit the line to match what your admin told you. Be sure to leave the first two characters -- #! -- where they are. And, this one time, do not add a semi-colon to the end of the line.

If you've made any changes in db.cgi, be sure to save the file.

Now it's time to upload the demo to your webspace and check it out.

Log on to your internet service provider and open your ftp program. Navigate to the cgi-bin on your webspace. Create a directory in the cgi-bin called dbman. Open that directory.

Make sure that the the file transfer mode is set to ASCII. Read the documentation for your ftp program to find out how to set the mode to ASCII.

I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of uploading the files in ASCII mode. If even one of the files is uploaded in binary mode, you will get an error when you try to run the script.

Copy all of the DBMan files from your computer to the dbman directory in your cgi-bin.

Now you need to set the permissions. Read the online documentation for your FTP program to find out the procedure to set permissions. The command might be "Change file attributes" (in CuteFTP) or something else. Look around in the documentation until you find it.

Setting the permissions incorrectly is another common error that will cause you problems. If you set them correctly the first time, you probably will not need to set them again for these files, even as you make changes later on.

Set the permissions as follows:

		Own	Grp	Other
auth (directory)	777	rwx	rwx	rwx	Be sure to upload the index.html file that is in the auth directory
auth.pl	644	rw-	r--	r--
db.cgi	755	rwx	r-x	r-x
default.cfg	644	rw-	r--	r--
default.count	666	rw-	rw-	rw-
default.db	666	rw-	rw-	rw-
default.log	666	rw-	rw-	rw-
default.pass	666	rw-	rw-	rw-
html.pl	644	rw-	r--	r--

It might be best to leave your FTP program running while you do the first test, just in case there's a problem.

Now try the demo. In the "Location" window of your browser, enter the URL you entered above as $db_dir_url, plus the name of the script:

http://server/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi

You should see a login form. If you get an "Internal Server Error," the first thing to do is delete the DBMan files and upload them again, checking to be absolutely certain that each of the files is uploaded in ASCII format. You will also have to set permissions for each of the files again. Then try it again. If you get an "Internal Server Error" again, check again to be sure the "path to Perl" is correct in the first line of db.cgi. If you still get an "Internal Server Error," you might want to post it to the Gossamer Threads Forum. Be warned, though, that the first thing you will be told to do is to check that the files were uploaded in ASCII format and to check your path to Perl.

If you see the login form, you have been successful! Sit back for a minute and bask in your success. When you're done basking, continue on.

Log in with username: admin and password: admin

If the username and password don't work, go through the following steps:

1. Erase all entries in the password file (default.pass).
2. Save default.pass.
3. Set $auth_allow_default = 1; (in the default.cfg file)
4. Set @auth_default_permissions = (1,1,1,1,1); (in the default.cfg file)
5. Save default.cfg.
6. Upload default.pass and default.cfg -- in ASCII mode! -- You shouldn't have to set the permissions again.
7. Go to http://server/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default
8. Go to Admin and add your own username and password. Be sure to check all the checkboxes at the bottom of the screen when you add your username.

That should be it! Reset the authentication back to what you want when you are done.

Try out everything in the script. Use the search form to view records, click the "List All" link. Add a record. Modify a record. Delete a record. Add another record. Go into the "Admin" area and add a couple of other user names, but don't give them "admin" permission. Then log out and go back to the login page. Log in as author/author or use one of the user names you added before.

In other words, check out the features of the script so you'll have a better idea of what it can do and how you want it to work. If you get some ideas, be sure to jot them down so you don't forget them later. When you feel you've got a handle on what the script will do, it's time to start making it your own.