Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I FTP my files to the server? (all accounts)
  • How do I use Telnet or Shell Access to work with my files? (all accounts)
  • How do I configure my mail client to access the mail server? (all accounts)
  • How do I set up mail aliases and autoresponders? (all accounts)
  • How do I configure my counter CGI script to work? (all accounts)
  • How do I configure my Local Search CGI script to work? (all accounts)
  • How do I use the cgiemail script? (all accounts)
  • I need to know where certain files are for my cgi scripts. Where could they possibly be? (all accounts)
  • How do I use the Real Audio Server? (available to Ultra, and Ultimate accounts)
  • How do I use the Secure Server? (available to Gold, Ultra, and Ultimate accounts)
  • How do I password protect a file or directory? (Silver, Gold, Ultra and Ultimate accounts)
  • How do I use the Mini Sql server v1 (Silver, Gold, Ultra and Ultimate accounts)
  • How do I use the Mini Sql server v2 (Silver, Gold, Ultra and Ultimate accounts)
  • How do I view the stats for my site? (all accounts)

    How do I FTP files to the server?
    To FTP to the server you will need a FTP program. There are many available on the web. Two that are popular are CuteFTP and WS_FTP. There are three things you must know in configuring your FTP program. The first thing you need is your host address . This is your IP number which you have been assigned or your domain name if it is already registered. Next you need your user name or user ID, this is sent to you by the tech department on setting up your account. It usually starts with either a w or f. The last thing you need is your password which you picked upon signing up for services. Leave the rest of the fields blank or at the default settings.

    Once you are logged into the server you will be in your Root directory. Just name your first pag e index.html or home.html and you should be able to view your page through a browser. You can create your own directory structure from there.

    How do I use Telnet or Shell Access to work with my files?
    Telnet gives you a text based interface into the server. You can use this to move or copy files. You can write and edit files and programs and perform many other functions. Your FTP username and password are required to log in. There are many teln et clients available on the net. Windows 95 comes with a telnet program that you can access from the start, run command by typing telnet (your IP number) from the run dialogue box. When prompted for login, type your username and then password. Since al l of our servers run the Solaris OS, most standard Unix commands will work just fine. Here is a short list of some of the most common:

    ls List contents of a directory.

    For each file that is a directory, ls lists the contents of the directory; for each file that is an ordinary file, ls repeats its name and any other information requested. The output is sorted alphabetically by default. When no argument is given, the current directory is listed. When several arguments are given, the arguments are first sorted appropriately, but file arguments appear before directories and their contents.

    Usage:
    ls -l
    -lists files in long format, giving file permissions, size, owner, group and other info
    ls -a
    -lists hidden files along with other files

    cd Change working directory.

    The cd utility will change the working directory of the current shell execution environment. When invoked with no operands, and the HOME environment variable is set to a non-empty value, the directory named in the HOME environment variable will become the new working directory.

    Usage:
    cd [dir]
    -changes current working directory to dir
    cd
    -changes current working directory to your home directory

    pico

    Pico is a unix text editor that is excellent for making changes to files on line. It is invoked by typing pico [file name] from the command prompt. You can write and save your changes right on line without uploading and downloading your files.

    The Unix environment is a rich one to perform many tasks on line. Our servers are packed with most programs you will need to perform a multitude of tasks. A short review of Unix commands available at many locations on the net will allow you to harn ess this power for your site. Also typing "help" at any command prompt will bring up a help menu.

    How do I log on with my mail client into the mail servers?
    To log into our mail servers requires that you configure your mail program for our servers. With all of the good mail programs available today it is impossible to have exact instructions to each one. However, in general they all ask for some common info rmation.

    Pophost or Popserver
    Pophost or popserver refers to the name of the pophost on our network. You are given your pophost information along with your pop account information when you signup. For example "pophost5.tricreations.com".

    SMTP server

    SMTP is the outgoing mail server. For this you should enter the smtp host you were assigned at signup. For example "smtp5.tricreations.com".

    Mail box name or user name

    Each mail program seems to call this something else or requires different information. You should try first using your the first part of your mailbox name. Meaning before the "@" symbol. Other programs require your complete mail address and some ot hers will ask for the username we assigned you with either the rest of your domain name or not. The only way to find out if you don't know is to try. If after trying all possibilities you still cannot get it to work contact tech for help. Be sure to tell them what mail program you are using.

    Password

    For this just put in the password you picked when you signed up for service.

    How do I set up aliases and autoresponders?
    To set up new email aliases and autoresponders, go to http://yourdomain.com/site-admin/. If you have been assigned an administrative username and password for your site, enter them here. If not, contact tech@tricreat ions.com to request one.

    How do I use the counter CGI script?
    Your Tri Star account comes with many stock CGI scripts. In general the stock scripts we give you have been tested and are fairly easy to get running on your site. On most of our accounts you also have the option of running your own custom scripts. We do support the stock scripts we supply you with but cannot be responsible for your own custom scripts. We will attempt to help you with any script you are having trouble with. Just email tech@tricreations.com with questions.

    One of the most common CGI scripts is for a hit counter on your page.

    Counter Counter
    Setting up the Counter:
    1

    Change to the directory "counters"
    1

    Create a file with a unique name like index.txt containing a number to start counting from...
    This can be done with a command like: echo 1 > index.txt Or you can upload such a file to that directory.

    1

    You can then make a reference in the html file referencing the counter image like:

    < img src="./cgi-bin/Counter/counter.cgi?page=index">

    How do I install a local search engine?
    The simple search script was written to allow you to set up a search of your site, so that the visitors of your site could enter keywords and find all documents matching those keywords.

    In the directory: ./cgi-bin/Search/
    you will find the following files:
    • README - Useful installation instructions.
    • search.pl - The Perl script which does the searching.
    • search.html - A sample HTML Search Page.
    Installation:
    1. Modify search.pl

      $basedir = ''; This is the base directory to the files you will want to search. If you have all of your files in /web1/home1/w00000 and you want to search files that are in /web1/home1/w00000/work and /web1/home1/w00000/fun, then you would set your base directory at /web1/home1/w00000/. The $basedir variable just saves you the time of having to type out the basedir over and over again for every file you want to include.

      $baseurl = ''; This is very similar to the basedir variable except that it will be used as a base reference to the files you want to search in terms of the web. For the example if your domain is helloworld.com, your baseurl would probably be something like: http://helloworld.com/ . so that when the searched files are appended to this baseurl, they form a complete url to his files to place in the results.

      @files = (); This is an array that includes all of the files you want to search. The directory paths and filenames should be in reference to $basedir. Wild cards are allowed in this array, so if you wanted to search all html files in fun/ and work/, you would set your @files array up as: @files = ('fun/*.html','work/*.html'); You can also search whole directories at one time, like: @files = ('fun/','work/'); This would search all text files located in these directories. Putting exact filenames will search only that filename.

      $title = ""; This variable is used to display the title of your page in the search results and used to link back to your main page. For example if your domain is helloworld.com you might want to set the $title to be 'Hello World'.

      $title_url = ''; This is the url that would link to the page $title. Example: $title_url='http://helloworld.com/';

      $search_url = ''; This is the url to the search.html page you set up, so that it can be referenced from in the results page if users want to make another search. Example: $search_url = 'http://helloworld.com/mysearch.html';

    2. Change the permissions on the search.pl script by running: chmod 755 search.pl

    3. Modify search.html

      This page needs only a little changing. You will probably want to change the title and header of this page to match your site, and you may want to change the background and other features of it to make it fit into your site better.

      The main thing you will need to change is the action="" of your script from the fake url, to the url of your search.pl script. Once you have changed this, and have implemented the changes listed above in search.pl, the search program should work. Example: action="http://helloworld.com/cgi-bin/Search/search.pl"

    4. search.html should be chmoded 744 so that it is readable by everyone.
    For more information on this script please consult README file at ./cgi-bin/Search/README off your home directory.

    I need to know where certain files are for my cgi programs. Where could they possibly be?
  • Sendmail Program
    		• /usr/lib/sendmail
  • Perl Interpreter
    		• /usr/local/lib/perl
  • Date Program
    		• /usr/bin/date
  • Crypt Utility
    		• /usr/bin/crypt
  • C Compiler
    		• /usr/local/bin/gcc *
  • C++ Compiler
    		• /usr/local/bin/g++ *
    * These files are in your path from your shell account and do not require a full path to use.

    How do I use the Real Audio Server?
    To use the real audio server, place real audio files in your "ra". This directory is in your home directory. For example "jovovich.ra". To reference this file from an html document, you must first create a ".ram" file, for example "jovovich.ram".

    pnm://williams.tricreations.com/[your account id]/[realaudio file]

    For example:

    pnm://williams.tricreations.com/tr002032/jovovich.ra

    Finally you can reference the ".ram" file from your html document. For example:

    <a href="jovovich.ram">Jovovich & Me</a>

    How do I use the Secure Server?
    There is an ssl directory located in your home directory. Place all html, script, and graphics files required in this directory. The full URL for the secure server for your account would be: https://secure2.tricreations.com/[your account id]/ For Example: https://secure.tricreations.com/tr003023/secure.html

    How do I use htaccess to password protect files and directories?
    To utilize htaccess dynamic password protection on a directory:

    1) Create a passwd file. You can create a passwd file with the "htpasswd" utility on the server.

    To create a new password file run: htpasswd -c [filename] [user]
    For example: htpasswd -c .htpasswd hingis

    You will then be prompted for a password for the user.

    To add a new user to an existing password file, run the command: htpasswd [passwd file] [user]
    For example: htpasswd .htpasswd martina

    Again you will be prompted for a password for "martina".

    2) Create a .htaccess file. You can either create this file locally and ftp the file to the server, or you can edit the file directly on the server using the text editor pico: pico .htaccess

    A standard .htaccess file contains the following:

    AuthUserFile <full path to the password file>
    AuthGroupFile <full path to a group file>
    AuthName <Prompt to be displayed in the pop up window>
    AuthType Basic

    <Limit GET>
    require valid-user
    </Limit>

    For example, if you want to protect a directory "members" in your root directory, place the following .htaccess file in the members directory. Be sure to include the full path including your home directory for the AuthUserFile. This assumes your document directory is located in /web3/home1/www255, and your passwd file is named ".htpasswd" and is located in the members directory.

    AuthUserFile /web2/home1/www255/members/.htpasswd
    AuthGroupFile /dev/null
    AuthName This Area is Restricted to Members Only.
    AuthType Basic

    <Limit GET>
    require valid-user
    </Limit>

    For more information on .htaccess files and using other features visit:

    http://help.netscape.com/kb/server/960513-104.html http://help.netscape.com/kb/server/960513-104.html http://consult.ncsa.uiuc.edu/docs/httpd/Config/access/

    How do I view the stats on my site?
    From your site admin pagem choose "see site statistics". This is a like to your web statistics. The Web statistics package we use is NetTracker, one of the most comprehensive packages available.