Configuring the Autoresponder

Installation | HTML Setup | FrontPage Setup

Installation

1. Download the autorespond.pl script

download the autorespond.pl script to your computer.

2. Edit the Autorespond.pl script

Use a text editor to edit the Autorespond.pl script. Go to the line that looks like this:

@referrers = ('www.domain.com','domain.com','207.89.11.63');

Replace "domain.com" with your actual domain name in between the first and second sets of quotes. In the third set of quotes, put the IP address we assigned you - check the initial email we sent you with your username and password for it.

Now scroll down to the line that looks like this:

$message = '/home/username/info.txt';

This path defines the location of the text file that is sent by the Autoresponder. The first part could be /home, /home2, /home3 or /home4 - if you do not know what home directory you are in, you should be able to find out by FTP-ing in to your site and looking at your remote directory path.

The second part of the path, "username" should be replaced with your actual username.

The third part of the path should be the name of the text file. You should type the email response you wish to send people into a plain text file, and upload it into your home directory.

For example, let's say that my username is bob, the name of my autoresponder text file is info.txt, and I am in home3. I would configure that line as:

$message = '/home/bob/info.txt';

Save your changes.

3. Upload the Edited Autorespond.pl

You have just configured your Autorespond script, now you must upload it to your site. Upload it either by FTP or FrontPage to your cgi-local directory.

 

4. Set Permissions on Autorespond.pl

Using a UNIX server means that scripts need a manual change in their security configuration that allows them to be executed.

To do this you must log into your account using telnet. If you prefer that we do this for you, just send e-mail to support@zillionbucks.com and request that we change the rights on a cgi script. Include your username, domain name, and name of the script in the message.

The rights on the Autorespond.pl file (as well as most scripts in general) should be 755. From the command line type:

chmod 755 Autorespond.pl

from within your cgi-local directory. This command will change the rights of the file to be executable by everyone -- this is most likely the reason that your script may not work correctly!

HTML Configuration

1. Form Action Tag

If you have already created your form, your page has a Form Action tag. Change it to look like this:

<FORM action="/cgi-local/Autorespond.pl" method="POST">

2. Input Type=Hidden

There are 3 parameters that are required. Put them in your page code right after the Form Action tag. Subject defines the subject line of the email you will receive when a user submits the form. Recipient is the email address of the person getting the form mail. Redirect is the URL the browser goes to after the user submits the form.

<input type=hidden name="subject" value="Your Subject">
<input type=hidden name="recipient" value="email@my.com">
<input type=hidden name="redirect"value="http://my.com/thank.htm">

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FrontPage Configuration

1. Open the page that contains your form in the Editor.

2. Right click within the form area and choose "Form Properties". Click the radio button next to "Send to other" and choose "Custom ISAPI, NSAPI, CGI, or ASP Script".

3. Click the "Options" button. In the "Action" box, put "/cgi-local/Autorespond.pl". Then click "OK"

4. Click the "Advanced" button in the Form Properties dialog box. You will have to Add 3 hidden fields here: recipient, redirect and subject. Recipient is the email address of the person getting the form mail. Redirect is the URL the browser goes to after the user submits the form. Subject defines the subject line of the email you will receive when a user submits the form.

5. Click OK to the Advanced Form Properties dialog box, then click OK again to the Form Properties dialog box. Save your work and exit.