Fcgi.tcl README

FastCGI interface for Tcl 8.0

Copyright 1998 Tom Poindexter,  all rights reserved
tpoindex@nyx.net

Fcgi.tcl is distributed under a "BSD" style license.  
See the file 'LICENSE.TERMS' for details.


WHERE TO GET IT

  http://www.neosoft.com/tcl/ftparchive/sorted/net/fcgi.tcl-0.4/fcgi.tcl-0.4.tar.gz
  ftp://ftp.neosoft.com/pub/tcl/sorted/net/fcgi.tcl-0.4/fcgi.tcl-0.4.tar.gz

  see http://www.nyx.net/~tpoindex for web info


WHAT IS FCGI.TCL?

Fcgi.tcl is a Tcl interface for the FastCGI protocol.  Fcgi.tcl is designed to
work with Tcl 8.0.  Fcgi.tcl comes in two flavors: 

     -- a Tcl source version which is written in 100% pure Tcl, 
        optionally using the Extended Tcl (TclX) extension for certain 
        types of FastCGI connections.

     -- a Tcl C extension version, which uses library code from the
        FastCGI Developer's kit.

Each flavor provides the same programming interface for application programs.
See the file INSTALL for more information about the two flavors.

FastCGI is a protocol to allow CGI-style programs to be started as a server, 
avoiding the CGI overhead of process creation and program loading.  FastCGI 
servers can be run on the same machine as your web server, or run on different
machines.  For more details on FastCGI, see:
	http://www.fastcgi.com 
	http://fastcgi.idle.com 

The FastCGI developer's kit (www.fastcgi.com) contains interfaces for Tcl 7.4.
Unfortunately, that interface have never been updated for newer versions of 
Tcl.  Fcgi.tcl was written to keep up with the lastest Tcl releases.


REQUIREMENTS:

 Tcl 8.0 
	tcl8.0p2.tar.gz or newer:
	http://sunscript.sun.com
	ftp://ftp.sunlabs.com/pub/tcl

 Extended Tcl 
	tclX8.0.2.tar.gz or newer, is required for 'AppClass' style connections
	when using the 100% Tcl flavor:
	http://www.neosoft.com/tcl/ftparchive/TclX
	ftp://ftp.neosoft.com/pub/tcl/TclX

 FastCGI Developer's kit
	fcgi2.0b2.1.tar.gz or newer,  is required to build the 
	C extension flavor:
	http://fastcgi.idle.com/fcgi2.0b2.1.tar.gz
	http://www.fastcgi.com/applibs/2.0.0/fcgi-devel-kit.tar.Z

 A Web server supporting the FastCGI protocol:  
	Apache 1.2.x or higher, using the mod_fastcgi 2.0.9 module
		http://www.apache.org
		http://www.fastcgi.com
		http://fastcgi.idle.com
		also see 'mod_apache1.2.5.pat'
	NCSA 1.5 /w FastCGI support
		http://hoohoo.ncsa.uiuc.edu
		http://www.fastcgi.com/servers/ncsa/
	Netscape /w FastCGI  support 
		http://home.netscape.com
		http://fastserv.name.net
	Open Market Web Server
		http://www.openmarket.com
	Stronghold Web Server
		http://www.c2.net/
	Bluestone Sapphire/Web Server
		http://www.bluestone.com
	(or any other server that supports FastCGI)


 Highly Recommended:

 cgi.tcl - The fine CGI support package by Don Libes.  I can't say enough
	good things about this package.  If you're writing CGI in Tcl, you
	need this!
	http://expect.nist.gov/cgi.tcl


** Fcgi.tcl has only been tested with:
  Apache 1.2.5 with mod_fastcgi 2.0.9 on Solaris.

Please mail me on using Fcgi.tcl with other servers, and I'll add to this list.


INSTALLATION
See the file INSTALL. 
Quickie version: ./configure --prefix=/same/as/tcl; make install-tcl-src


DOCUMENTATION
See the man page for Fcgi.tcl, and the NOTES file.  Html, text, and Postscript
versions of the man page are in ./doc


KNOWN BUGS
I've only tested Fcgi.tcl in the role of RESPONDER.  Other FastCGI roles
include AUTHORIZER and FILTER.  Please let me know if you use either of
these roles.


MAILING LIST
A mailing list is active for FastCGI issues.  Mail to:

	fastcgi-developers-request@openmarket.com 

	with a single line as the body of the message: "subscribe"
	(without the quotes, of course!)
	


BUG REPORTS, FIXES, COMMENTS, & SUGGESTIONS
Please mail to me at: tpoindex@nyx.net
Please be sure to identify which flavor of fcgi.tcl you are using!  And
any other relevant information such as web server, etc.