script help to update member profiles

[BG]

First, I apologize if this is not the right group to be asking this
question, but I am EXTREMELY new to perl and MySql both and am at a loss for
where to go.

I run a web site that has a member sign up area. The data from the sign-up
form is all stored in a MySql Database (First Name, Last Name, Username,
Password, Email Address, etc). Unfortunately our site does not currently
include an option for members to be able to change their email address or
password without Admin intervention. With the site growing rapidly
completing password/email address change requests is becoming quite tedious.
To make matters worse, my partner that did all the perl scripts was injured
in an accident and will not be available for some time.

Could anyone please offer some assistance in how I can create a form that
will take the current username/password along with the requested change
password and/or email and update the appropriate record/table in the MySql
database.

I know the basic functions that need to be completed would be:

1) Compare entered username and password to database to confirm the user is
authorized to make the change.
2) If it is a match, update password and/or email field with new data from
form and return to specified page.
3) If no match, return user to page with error that username and password
did not match.

Problem is while this is probably a simple task to those familiar with perl,
I am clueless to how to achieve this. While I am trying to learn as time
permits, this is still way beyond me.

Any help is appreciated.

Bryan

 

[James Willmore]

First, I apologize if this is not the right group to be asking this
question, but I am EXTREMELY new to perl and MySql both and am at a
loss for where to go.

perldoc perl at the command line is a good start
If you're using ActiveState Perl on a Windows system, they have all
the documentation in HTML format -and- a little shortcut on ye old
"Start" menu.

Could anyone please offer some assistance in how I can create a form
that will take the current username/password along with the
requested change password and/or email and update the appropriate
record/table in the MySql database.

Read the documentation. Start writing some code. If you get stuck,
post a specific question here.

One thing I can tell you - you'll also need to read over the DBI
documentation, as well as the DBD::mysql documentation. These are
Perl modules and can be found at http://search.cpan.org. You should
also look over the CGI module documentation - although our local troll
will try to convince you otherwise. However, if you are concerned
more about security versus speed, use the CGI module.

Problem is while this is probably a simple task to those familiar
with perl, I am clueless to how to achieve this. While I am trying
to learn as time permits, this is still way beyond me.

Start with the documentation. Always a safe bet. Tell your boss (if
this is for work) to relax -or- to cough up some cash to send you to a
class If it's just for you, relax, take your time, read the
documentation, "Google" this newsgroup, and try writing some code.

HTH

--
Jim

Copyright notice: all code written by the author in this post is
released under the GPL. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt
for more information.

a fortune quote ...
A professor is one who talks in someone else's sleep.

 

[BG]

perldoc perl at the command line is a good start
If you're using ActiveState Perl on a Windows system, they have all
the documentation in HTML format -and- a little shortcut on ye old
"Start" menu.

My website is run on a remote server running under Linux. I am in the
process of putting together a syatem here to load Linux/Perl/MySql etc so
that I can not only learn perl, but also test my scripts before I FTP them
to the live site. While I do currently have ActiveState Perl loaded on my
local WinXP system and I am currently reading through documentation (you
have so kindly pointed out) in an attempt to learn, it is obviously not
going to help come time to write and test some code. And I certainly do not
want to test some of my first code on a live database containing the records
for 3000+ members.

Read the documentation. Start writing some code. If you get stuck,
post a specific question here.

One thing I can tell you - you'll also need to read over the DBI
documentation, as well as the DBD::mysql documentation. These are
Perl modules and can be found at http://search.cpan.org. You should
also look over the CGI module documentation - although our local troll
will try to convince you otherwise. However, if you are concerned
more about security versus speed, use the CGI module.



Start with the documentation. Always a safe bet. Tell your boss (if
this is for work) to relax -or- to cough up some cash to send you to a
class If it's just for you, relax, take your time, read the
documentation, "Google" this newsgroup, and try writing some code.

Generally I did the HTML and my partner took care of the Perl. Due to his
accident (resulting in an unexpected absence from code writing) this left me
with attempting to complete some of the tasks on my own. I have googled the
web, the group and am reading documentation but again, this is one item that
is time critical and because it requires writing data to the database, one I
would prefer not to use as a learning tool.

Thanks anyway for your response.