C++ program with web frontend

Hi everyone,

I've got a problem and do not know how to go about solving it.
If anybody has any ideas, that would be great!!

There is a translator program written in C++ that, when executes, reads in a txt file, and then processes it and outputs a txt file.

What I want to do is design a web front end so that for instance, users could enter txt into a box on a website, and then submit. This would use the C++ program to translate it, and then show up on a webpage for the user to see!

How could I go about doing this?
Would your suggestion also apply for C programs too?

Thanks in advance!
Nik

You mean to translate it into another language?

Yeah!

Its a Latin translator (I havnt developed this prgram, but my project is actaully developing this web interface for it)

well you can easily do this with JAVA.... using jini... But this is on the higher end of Java for which you have to learn a lot of stuff...

You could use php to take the text from the internet and pass it to the C++ program, I'm pretty sure of it anyway, and if your good with C++ PHP looks nearly exactly the same.

I did somthing like this on Linux this last weekend.

Basic outline.

Write a C/C++ "CGI" text based program ie DOS/Linux

It must

1. Read from stin 'web POST methode' untill buffer is emty then
continue with the program.
2. Write result from POST method of web page to a tempory text
file on the server.
3. Call TRANSlator program.
4. Wait for end of process.
5. Read results from output file.
6. Write output with HTML formating to stdout.
7. Exit

Note.
Data comming from the web via the POST methode appears to come in with the StdIn stream to your CGI/exe.

Data comming from the web via URL methode comes in via the programs command line paramaters. ie
http://myserver.some.net/cgi-bin/test.exe?MyText could pass the paramater 'MyTest' to the program.

Post methode appears to be the better methode for large text fields.

I have a demo web page and the source code to demonstrate both methodes of passing data from the web to a exe on the server. Email me if you would like it.

My code was writen on linux, but should compile on other platforms with c/c++

I am learning !! It is working for me, but I have large gaping holes in my C++ knowlage. Result may/can/will change based on OS / Web server / C compiler / Security settings.

Regards
ERIC

Bleh, CGI, havn't we progressed? I say go with PHP. Read in data, store in temp file. Run your program, read output file, send to output, delete files.

ELECTRON :
thanks for the detailed reply, I think I get the idea of what you are describing.

I think the main problem is visualising how I would actually implement this (i.e. code samples, etc..!!)

I am definately interested in looking at the program that you have developed, i just cant email you. Plz send me a private message, and I'll reply givin you my email?!


EFEA :
Thanks for the suggestion... do you know of any similar projects that use PHP to connect with a c/c++ program?? I have tried searchin for something similar to this problem, but didnt have any luck.

I beleive the original C++ program is actually written under linux.

Thanks

you would be better of using visual basic, and make a active x control, if you need to implement the c++ part into it, use the ole control