EPIC Web Utilities -- COVER Why you should use COVER It reduces the likelihood of encountering the dreaded 500 Server Error. Common mistakes in script implementation are easier to diagnose For a demonstration of this, try cover tests.

COVER home Why you should use COVER Alternatives to COVER Input and Output Restrictions Step-by-step instructions Small examples Big examples 'How-to' description

• It redirects stderr to stdout for the script, so you see any error messages your script causes.
  • You usually can't see the error messages!
• It parses the forms input and passes it to your script as ordinary arguments. ***(future) and envrionment variables ***
  • An existing script can easily be modified to become a forms-responder.
  • Certain shells (such as csh) can't properly read the forms data, or don't have enough string processing capability to deal with it.
  • COVER also quotes or deletes special characters in the arguments, to reduce the likelihood of your script being abused to execute unauthorized commands.
• It handles both GET and POST forms
  • And can also be used via a link (HREF) of a URL with a query string

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If you have any questions about COVER utility please contact: epic@pmel.noaa.gov or Mark Renton (the author).