Master Pre-Installation Tester

Many CGI programs use Perl modules to do what they do.

A Perl module is a set of Perl code designed to do a specific function well. Modules for many different functions are readily available, so programmers use them. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

However, some web hosting service providers don't install all the popular modules. For example, uses the LWP::Simple module to retrieve web pages. Almost every request for assistance related to those two programs (which requests, admittedly, are few in number) is because of a missing LWP::Simple module.

Probably less then 5% of professional business hosting company's internet servers are missing the LWP::Simple module. But even that small percentage effects our technical support.

That's why Master Pre-Installation Tester was written -- so you can test your own server to see if any required modules are installed *before* you install the program that uses those modules.

Master Pre-Installation Tester can eliminate a lot of frustration.

While I was at it, I thought I might as well add some other features. So, besides testing for specific popular modules, Master Pre-Installation Tester also optionally:

• Lists all the environment variables it is aware of (good if you need to know the server directory path to your public directory, for example).

• Reports the version number of the Perl you are using.

• Lets you know the full path to your current server directory.

• Tries to find sendmail for you.

• Lists the directories Perl searches when looking for modules that scripts ask for.

• Let's you specify other modules to look for.

Get Master Pre-Installation Tester and install it on your server. It's free to download and use. And it does not, itself, require any special modules.

Then, whenever you become interested in a CGI program, you can run Master Pre-Installation Tester and see whether or not your server meets its requirements.

Will Bontrager