1. Student Learning Environment on the World Wide Web l CGI-programming in Perl for the connection of databases over the Internet. l Web authoring using Frontpage 98 l Supervisor 1:Dr. P. Filmore l Supervisor 2:Dr. P. Culverhouse l Author: Bernd Pratschke l Plymouth, 21 April, 1999

2. Web Server Software OS Commands Database Email CGI Script Client Using Web Browser 1. Browser contacts server using HTTP connection over the Internet 5. Web server software sends browser the HTML prepared by the CGI programme 4. CGI script creates HTML page with dynamically obtained data 3. CGI script uses other server hardware resources 2. Web server software executes a CGI script Web Server Hardware CGI programming for the World Wide Web

3. Web Server CGI Script DBD Oracle Module Oracle Database Driver Database (Oracle) DBI Module DBD ODBC Module Access Database Driver Database (Access) Web Browser HTTP Protocol Common Gateway Interface Driver Interface DBD Interface DBI Interface Database Interface Programme Code DBI - The Perl database interface allows users to access multiple database types transparently ability to connect to two different databases within one Perl script database server can be upgraded in the background with no changes to the CGI scripts

4. SECEE Graduates Registration form (name and birthday) Parse registration form Compare with registration text file Create error message Link back to registration form Create Graduate contact form Maintain state Parse Contact form Create e-mail with the information Store information in database Create thank you message Link back to SECEE Graduates site Create error message Link back to Graduates contact form Name and birthday correct ? Input correct ? no yes no yes Submitting data to the Graduates contact database

5. SECEE Graduates Database search form (name, birthday, company, year of graduation, programme of study) Parse database search form Connect to database Search database for entries Create error message Display another search form Link back to SECEE Graduates Display results Display another search form Link back to SECEE Graduates Found entries? no yes Retrieving data from the Graduates contact database