create a web service for python application

**kudos** · Jul 31 '09, 10:43 AM

It sound like what you need is a cgi-script. This is luckily quite simple.

here is a template:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/python

import os
import cgi

print "Content-Type: text/plain\n\n"

# your script here...
print "hi how are you!"

Ofcourse there are some details:

1. the file should not have an .py extension, but rather a .cgi extension
2. the file should have the correct properties (i.e. chmod a+x <filename.cgi >)
3. it should be placed in a "cgi-bin" directory (under your www folder)
4. then you would access it like http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/yourpythonfile.cgi

(It sound like you were planning to do this in a unix enviroment)

There are multiple other options, but this one is quite simple.

-kudos

**Frinavale** · Jul 31 '09, 01:48 PM

I'm just going to add a bit to Kudos's answer.

The output that your python script should produce should be HTML since it's going to be displayed in a web browser.

I would recommend keeping a clear separation between your current logic and the HTML or else it can get very messy to read.

Make a function that builds the HTML so that it's easier to understand what's going on.

For example:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/python

import os
import cgi

def getfileoutput():
  # This is where you grab the data from the files

def output(fileoutput = ""):
   #This produces the HTML that is to be sent to the browser
   htmlOutput = '<html>'
   htmlOutput  += '   <head>'
   htmlOutput  += '      <title></title>'
   htmlOutput  += '   </head>'
   htmlOutput  += '   <body>'
   htmlOutput  += '      <div>'
   htmlOutput  +=  fileoutput
   htmlOutput  += '      </div>'
   htmlOutput  += '   </body>'
   htmlOutput += '</html>'
   return htmlOutput

print output(getfileoutput())

**kudos** · Jul 31 '09, 01:58 PM

That is very true! however do not forget this part:

Code:

print "Content-Type: text/plain\n\n"

-kudos

Originally posted by Frinavale

I'm just going to add a bit to Kudos's answer.

The output that your python script should produce should be HTML since it's going to be displayed in a web browser.

I would recommend keeping a clear separation between your current logic and the HTML or else it can get very messy to read.

Make a function that builds the HTML so that it's easier to understand what's going on.

For example:

Code:

#!/usr/bin/python

import os
import cgi

def getfileoutput():
  # This is where you grab the data from the files

def output(fileoutput = ""):
   #This produces the HTML that is to be sent to the browser
   htmlOutput = '<html>'
   htmlOutput  += '   <head>'
   htmlOutput  += '      <title></title>'
   htmlOutput  += '   </head>'
   htmlOutput  += '   <body>'
   htmlOutput  += '      <div>'
   htmlOutput  +=  fileoutput
   htmlOutput  += '      </div>'
   htmlOutput  += '   </body>'
   htmlOutput += '</html>'
   return htmlOutput

print output(getfileoutput())

**susanne** · Aug 1 '09, 12:19 AM

create a web service for python application

Hi kudos and Frinavale,
Thanks a lot for your quick responses!
I did followed the steps as you suggested.

1) I inserted my complete python script in between line numbers 21 and 23 of Frinavale's code in the reply. after that i also inserted the "Content-Type" as Kudos suggested.

2) I renamed the file with .cgi extenstion.

3) I kept the .cgi file under the cgi-bin directory.
( Windows-XP/program files/apache 2.2/cgi-bin)

4) I copied the other files also to the same directory( In.txt, x.dat, y.txt, z.dat)
as the python script needed them.

when i executed the code in internet explorer or mozilla firefox

http://localhost/cgi-bin/hi.cgi

http://localhost:80/cgi-bin/hi.cgi

either I am getting
file not found error
OR
Internal Server Error: The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguratio n and was unable to complete your request.

When I check http://localhost:80 Then the server shows "It Is Working"

I am confused. Did I do some thing wrong with hte code. Or do I need to add anything else.

Please suggest me
Thanks
Susanne

**kudos** · Aug 1 '09, 10:42 AM

Ok, I see there is an apache server on a windows platform. Then you would need to find out how (and if) it is configured for python and cgi. You would also need be sure that the various files (.cgi) and (cgi-bin) directory is have the correct access rights.

However, I have an alternative solution for you, python has a built in webserver!

Code:

from BaseHTTPServer import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer

class myserver(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 def do_GET(self):
  self.send_response(200)
  self.send_header("content-type","text/html")
  self.end_headers()
  self.wfile.write("your output as a html-string here...")
  return
try:
 s = HTTPServer(('',2606),myserver)
 s.serve_forever()
except KeyboardInterrupt:
 s.socket_close()

Now, type http://localhost:2606 in your browser to see the webserver in action

-kudos

Originally posted by susanne

Hi kudos and Frinavale,
Thanks a lot for your quick responses!
I did followed the steps as you suggested.

1) I inserted my complete python script in between line numbers 21 and 23 of Frinavale's code in the reply. after that i also inserted the "Content-Type" as Kudos suggested.

2) I renamed the file with .cgi extenstion.

3) I kept the .cgi file under the cgi-bin directory.
( Windows-XP/program files/apache 2.2/cgi-bin)

4) I copied the other files also to the same directory( In.txt, x.dat, y.txt, z.dat)
as the python script needed them.

when i executed the code in internet explorer or mozilla firefox

http://localhost/cgi-bin/hi.cgi

http://localhost:80/cgi-bin/hi.cgi

either I am getting
file not found error
OR
Internal Server Error: The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguratio n and was unable to complete your request.

When I check http://localhost:80 Then the server shows "It Is Working"

I am confused. Did I do some thing wrong with hte code. Or do I need to add anything else.

Please suggest me
Thanks
Susanne

**susanne** · Aug 1 '09, 02:01 PM

HI kudos, thanks a lot again for your help

I tried configuring apache server to be able to work with cgi as well.
And I tried with the built-in server script you have provided.

The server is running but i can see only
" your output as a html-string here..." in the browser.

I tried even this simple cgi script (hi.cgi) to execute
(http://localhost:2606/hi.cgi )
but i see only the same message as above.

#!/usr/bin/python
import os
import cgi
print "Content-Type: text/plain\n\n"
print "hello!"

**kudos** · Aug 1 '09, 03:48 PM

Hi,
what you should do is the following:

place your program between :

Code:

self.end_headers()
-- your program here ---
return

then use the following to output from your program:

Code:

self.wfile.write("your output as a html-string here...")

I have created a simple example, that does something, and later puts it to the webbrowser

Code:

from BaseHTTPServer import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer

class myserver(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 def do_GET(self):
  self.send_response(200)
  self.send_header("content-type","text/html")
  self.end_headers()
  
  # this code do 'something'
  
  html=""
  for i in range(32):
   html+="<tr>"
   for j in range(32):
    html+="<td bgcolor=\""+hex(int(((j^i) / 64.0)*256))+"\"></td>&nbsp;</td>"
  html+="</tr>" 
  
  # writes all to string called html
  
  html = "<html></body><table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\">" +html+"</table></body></html>" 
  
  # writes to the screen/webclient
  
  self.wfile.write(html)
  return
  
try:
 s = HTTPServer(('',2606),myserver)
 s.serve_forever()
except KeyboardInterrupt:
 s.socket_close()

Please note, this webserver doesn't have the features of a normal webserver, but is more intended to do the following:

1. do some kind of calculations (read files, add numbers etc, etc)
2. display it to a webbrowser (as a webserver)

(PS. to set ut apache for cgi-script, if I remeber correctly you would need to change something called scriptalias)

-kudos

Originally posted by susanne

HI kudos, thanks a lot again for your help

I tried configuring apache server to be able to work with cgi as well.
And I tried with the built-in server script you have provided.

The server is running but i can see only
" your output as a html-string here..." in the browser.

I tried even this simple cgi script (hi.cgi) to execute
(http://localhost:2606/hi.cgi )
but i see only the same message as above.

#!/usr/bin/python
import os
import cgi
print "Content-Type: text/plain\n\n"
print "hello!"

**martinscott** · Aug 3 '09, 07:09 AM

Change bytes in a file stream

I am reading in bytes from a hdd image (dd). I want to look for the header of a JPEG (FFD8 4a 46 49 46) and replace all the bytes before the footer (FFD9) with 0. My questions is: How can I make a change to the original file stream?

**kudos** · Aug 3 '09, 12:53 PM

First, I happen to have done some jpeg work earlier, are you sure that your header is correct? (I thought it was a bit longer) anyway, here is some code to get you started:

Code:

import os
import stat
f = file('yourimage.jpg', 'rb')

pat = [0xFF,0xD8,0xff,0xe0,0x0,0x10,0x4a,0x46,0x49,0x46] # i thought that this was the pattern...
pati = 0

s = os.stat('yourimage')
size = s[stat.ST_SIZE]
for i in range(size):
 v = f.read(1)
 if(pati > len(pat)):
  if(v == pat[pati]):
   pati+=1
  else:
   pati=0
 else:
  if(i < size - 2):
   # write the 0's here or simillar (then you would need to write 'ab' instead above
   pass
f.close()

-kudos

Originally posted by martinscott

I am reading in bytes from a hdd image (dd). I want to look for the header of a JPEG (FFD8 4a 46 49 46) and replace all the bytes before the footer (FFD9) with 0. My questions is: How can I make a change to the original file stream?

**susanne** · Aug 6 '09, 08:10 PM

create a web service for python application

hi Kudos,
I sorted out the problem with my apache server on windows. Finally the apache server is running with test cgi script. But my actual python application( now, cgi application) is still not running. Actually in the original application the input file is passed as an argument in the command line (c:/ python application.py input).
Is it the problem when i run cgi script in the browser without passing the argument??
Thank you.
Susanne

**kudos** · Aug 7 '09, 09:30 AM

Yes, you would need give the script an argument. To do this, there are multiple options, I will show the cgi-variant. This mean that you would give the input as an argument from the webbrowser

For instance, normally you would do something like this:

Code:

c:/ python application.py input

(right?)

what you want to do now is the following, is to type in the following into your webbrowser:

Code:

http://localhost/cgi-bin/application.cgi?myinput=input

To read the input to this webservice (which by the way is myinput=input) you would need to add the following:

Code:

import cgi
form = cgi.FieldStorage()
input = form["myinput"]

Ok?

-kudos

Originally posted by susanne

hi Kudos,
I sorted out the problem with my apache server on windows. Finally the apache server is running with test cgi script. But my actual python application( now, cgi application) is still not running. Actually in the original application the input file is passed as an argument in the command line (c:/ python application.py input).
Is it the problem when i run cgi script in the browser without passing the argument??
Thank you.
Susanne

**susanne** · Aug 11 '09, 01:34 PM

Hi Kudos,
Thanks a lot for all your help so far. I think the problem was with my .cgi file so far. So, I configured the apache so that it directly excuetes my python script(.py) from the brwoser.

http://localhost/cgi-bin/Main.py?myinput=input

however, the input (argument) is not read by the python script when i supplied the input file as shown in URL above. Probably because it is again cgi specific.
I placed this code inside my main python script
*************** ********
import cgi
form = cgi.FieldStorag e()
input = form["myinput"]
*************** **********
any hint pls? thanks

**kudos** · Aug 12 '09, 06:37 AM

The problem is :

Code:

input = form["myinput"]

it should rather be:

Code:

input = form["myinput"].value

-kudos

Originally posted by susanne

Hi Kudos,
Thanks a lot for all your help so far. I think the problem was with my .cgi file so far. So, I configured the apache so that it directly excuetes my python script(.py) from the brwoser.

http://localhost/cgi-bin/Main.py?myinput=input

however, the input (argument) is not read by the python script when i supplied the input file as shown in URL above. Probably because it is again cgi specific.
I placed this code inside my main python script
*************** ********
import cgi
form = cgi.FieldStorag e()
input = form["myinput"]
*************** **********
any hint pls? thanks

create a web service for python application

create a web service for python application

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