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Web Integration

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In this module, we will explore how to integrate MUMPS with web technologies. This includes creating web interfaces, handling HTTP requests, and generating dynamic web content. By the end of this module, you will be able to build web applications that interact with MUMPS databases and logic.

Key Concepts

  1. Web Servers and MUMPS: Understanding how MUMPS can interact with web servers.
  2. HTTP Protocol: Basics of HTTP requests and responses.
  3. CGI (Common Gateway Interface): Using CGI scripts to interface MUMPS with web servers.
  4. Generating HTML with MUMPS: Creating dynamic web pages using MUMPS.
  5. Handling Form Data: Processing user input from web forms.

Web Servers and MUMPS

To integrate MUMPS with web technologies, you need a web server that can execute MUMPS scripts. Common web servers include Apache and Nginx. These servers can be configured to run CGI scripts written in MUMPS.

Setting Up a Web Server

  1. Install a Web Server: Install Apache or Nginx on your system.
  2. Configure CGI: Enable CGI scripting in the web server configuration.
  3. Place MUMPS Scripts: Place your MUMPS scripts in the CGI directory of the web server.

HTTP Protocol

The HTTP protocol is the foundation of data communication on the web. It defines how requests and responses are formatted and transmitted.

Basic HTTP Request

An HTTP request consists of:

  • Request Line: Method (GET, POST), URL, and HTTP version.
  • Headers: Metadata about the request.
  • Body: Data sent with the request (for POST requests).

Basic HTTP Response

An HTTP response consists of:

  • Status Line: HTTP version, status code, and status message.
  • Headers: Metadata about the response.
  • Body: The content of the response (HTML, JSON, etc.).

CGI (Common Gateway Interface)

CGI is a standard protocol for web servers to execute programs that generate web content dynamically. MUMPS can be used to write CGI scripts.

Example CGI Script in MUMPS

main
    ; Output HTTP headers
    write "Content-Type: text/html",!
    write "Status: 200 OK",!
    write "",!
    
    ; Output HTML content
    write "<html><head><title>Hello MUMPS</title></head>",!
    write "<body><h1>Hello, World from MUMPS!</h1></body>",!
    write "</html>",!
    quit

Explanation

  • Headers: The script first writes the HTTP headers, including the content type and status.
  • HTML Content: The script then writes the HTML content to be displayed in the browser.

Generating HTML with MUMPS

MUMPS can generate dynamic HTML content based on data from the database or user input.

Example: Dynamic HTML Generation

main
    ; Output HTTP headers
    write "Content-Type: text/html",!
    write "Status: 200 OK",!
    write "",!
    
    ; Generate dynamic content
    new name
    set name="John Doe"
    
    write "<html><head><title>Dynamic Page</title></head>",!
    write "<body><h1>Welcome, ",name,"!</h1></body>",!
    write "</html>",!
    quit

Explanation

  • Dynamic Content: The script sets a variable name and includes it in the HTML output.

Handling Form Data

Web forms allow users to submit data to the server. MUMPS can process this data using CGI.

Example: Handling Form Submission

HTML Form:

<form action="/cgi-bin/formhandler.m" method="post">
    Name: <input type="text" name="name">
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

MUMPS Script (formhandler.m):

main
    ; Read input data
    new input
    read input
    
    ; Parse input data
    new name
    set name=$piece(input,"=",2)
    
    ; Output HTTP headers
    write "Content-Type: text/html",!
    write "Status: 200 OK",!
    write "",!
    
    ; Output response
    write "<html><head><title>Form Response</title></head>",!
    write "<body><h1>Hello, ",name,"!</h1></body>",!
    write "</html>",!
    quit

Explanation

  • Reading Input: The script reads the input data from the form.
  • Parsing Data: The script parses the input data to extract the value of the name field.
  • Generating Response: The script generates an HTML response that includes the submitted name.

Practical Exercise

Exercise: Create a Simple Web Application

  1. Objective: Create a web application that takes a user's name and age and displays a personalized greeting.
  2. Steps:
    • Create an HTML form to collect the user's name and age.
    • Write a MUMPS CGI script to process the form data and generate a personalized greeting.
  3. Solution:

HTML Form:

<form action="/cgi-bin/greet.m" method="post">
    Name: <input type="text" name="name"><br>
    Age: <input type="text" name="age"><br>
    <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

MUMPS Script (greet.m):

main
    ; Read input data
    new input
    read input
    
    ; Parse input data
    new name, age
    set name=$piece($piece(input,"&",1),"=",2)
    set age=$piece($piece(input,"&",2),"=",2)
    
    ; Output HTTP headers
    write "Content-Type: text/html",!
    write "Status: 200 OK",!
    write "",!
    
    ; Output response
    write "<html><head><title>Greeting</title></head>",!
    write "<body><h1>Hello, ",name,"!</h1>",!
    write "<p>You are ",age," years old.</p></body>",!
    write "</html>",!
    quit

Explanation

  • Form: The HTML form collects the user's name and age.
  • Script: The MUMPS script reads and parses the form data, then generates a personalized greeting.

Conclusion

In this module, you learned how to integrate MUMPS with web technologies. You explored setting up a web server, handling HTTP requests, using CGI scripts, generating dynamic HTML, and processing form data. These skills enable you to build web applications that interact with MUMPS databases and logic, providing a powerful way to create dynamic and interactive web content.

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