This document discusses using the Ring programming language to build web applications through CGI and provides examples of using the Web Library to create simple CGI programs. It covers configuring Apache to support Ring CGI files, a basic "Hello World" CGI program, and an example that builds a web form to accept user input via HTTP GET and displays the submitted values. The Web Library is introduced as a way to quickly generate HTML and handle HTTP requests in Ring.

1. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
• SyntaxIsKeywordStrings(aPara,nCount)
• SyntaxIsKeywordExpression(aPara)
• SyntaxIsKeywordExpressionExpression(aPara)
• SyntaxIsKeywordExpressions(aPara,nCount)
• SyntaxIsCommand(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandNumber(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandNumberNumber(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandNumbers(aPara,nCount)
• SyntaxIsCommandString(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandStringString(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandStrings(aPara,nCount)
• SyntaxIsCommandExpression(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandExpressionExpression(aPara)
• SyntaxIsCommandExpressions(aPara,nCount)
File: mylanguage.ring
load "stdlib.ring"
load "naturallib.ring"
MyLanguage = New NaturalLanguage {
SetLanguageName(:MyLanguage)
setCommandsPath(CurrentDir()+"/../command")
SetPackageName("MyLanguage.Natural")
UseCommand(:Hello)
UseCommand(:Count)
UseCommand(:Print)
UseCommand(:IWantWindow)
UseCommand(:WindowTitleIs)
UseCommand(:IWantButton)
}
Example (1)
In the next example we will define the Print command.
We will use the SyntaxIsKeywordExpression() Method.
We pass list (as Hash) to the method. We determine the package name, the keyword and the function that will be
executed.
Inside this function we uses the Expr(nExprNumber) function to get the expression value that the user will write after
the keyword.
File: print.ring
DefineNaturalCommand.SyntaxIsKeywordExpression([
:Package = "MyLanguage.Natural",
:Keyword = :print,
:Function = func {
See Expr(1)
}
])
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2. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
Usage:
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage.RunString('
print "Hello, World!"
')
Output:
Hello, World!
Example (2)
File: iwantwindow.ring
DefineNaturalCommand.SyntaxIsCommand([
:Package = "MyLanguage.Natural",
:Command = "i want window",
:Function = func {
See "Command: I want window" + nl
}
])
Usage:
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage.RunString('
i want window
')
Output:
Command: I want window
Example (3)
File: windowtitleis.ring
DefineNaturalCommand.SyntaxIsCommandString([
:Package = "MyLanguage.Natural",
:Command = "window title is",
:Function = func {
See "Command: Window title is " + Expr(1) + nl
}
])
Usage:
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage.RunString('
I want window and the window title is "Hello World"
')
Output:
Command: I want window
Command: Window title is Hello World
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3. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
47.3 Natural Library - Operators
In the next example we uses the Count command without using operators
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage.RunString("
Hello
Count 1 5
Count 5 1
")
We can add more description
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage.RunString("
Hello, Please Count from 1 to 5 then count from 5 to 1
")
Also we can use operators like “(” and ”)” around the instruction
load "mylanguage.ring"
MyLanguage {
SetOperators("()")
RunString("
Here we will play and will try something
that looks like Lisp Syntax
(count (count 1 5) (count 20 15))
Just for fun!
")
}
47.4 Defining commands using classes
This section is related to the implementation details.
When we define new command, Each command is defined by the Natural Library as a class.
We have the choice to define commands using the simple interface provided by the DefineNaturalCommand object or
by defining new class as in the next examples.
If we used DefineNaturalCommand (More Simple), The class will be defined during the runtime.
File: hello.ring
Package MyLanguage.Natural
class Hello
func AddAttributes_Hello
AddAttribute(self,:hello)
func GetHello
See "Hello, Sir!" + nl + nl
File: count.ring
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4. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
Package MyLanguage.Natural
class Count
func Getcount
StartCommand()
CommandData()[:name] = :Count
CommandData()[:nExpr] = 0
CommandData()[:aExpr] = []
func BraceExprEval_Count nValue
if isCommand() and CommandData()[:name] = :Count {
if isNumber(nValue) {
CommandData()[:nExpr]++
CommandData()[:aExpr] + nValue
if CommandData()[:nExpr] = 2 {
Count_Execute()
}
}
}
func AddAttributes_Count
AddAttribute(self,:count)
func Count_Execute
if not isattribute(self,:count_times) {
AddAttribute(self,:count_times)
Count_Times = 0
}
if Expr(1) > Expr(2) {
nStep = -1
else
nStep = 1
}
if Count_Times = 0 {
see nl+"The Numbers!" + nl
Count_Times++
else
see nl + "I will count Again!" +nl
}
for x = Expr(1) to Expr(2) step nStep {
see nl+x+nl
}
CommandReturn(fabs(Expr(1)-Expr(2))+1)
47.4. Defining commands using classes 386

5. CHAPTER
FORTYEIGHT
WEB DEVELOPMENT (CGI LIBRARY)
In this chapter we will learn about developing Web applications using a CGI Library written in the Ring language.
48.1 Configure the Apache web server
We can use Ring with any web server that support CGI. In this section we will learn about using Ring with the Apache
HTTP Server.
You can download Apache from : http://httpd.apache.org/
Or you can get it included with other projects like
XAMPP : https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html
Install then open the file:
xamppapacheconfhttpd.conf
search for
<Directory />
Then after it add
Options FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI
So we have
<Directory />
Options FollowSymLinks +ExecCGI
Search for the next line and be sure that it’s not commented
LoadModule cgi_module modules/mod_cgi.so
Search for : AddHandler cgi-script
Then add ”.ring” to the supported cgi extensions
Example
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .ring
Example
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi .pl .asp .ring
387

6. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
Run/Start the server
Create your web applications in a directory supported by the web server.
Example:
Apache2.2htdocsmywebapplicationfolder
Example:
xampphtdocsmywebapplicationfolder
Inside the source code file (*.ring), Add this line
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
Note: Change the previous line based on the path to ring.exe in your machine
48.2 Ring CGI Hello World Program
The next program is the Hello World program
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
See "content-type : text/html" +nl+nl+
"Hello World!" + nl
48.3 Hello World Program using the Web Library
We can use the web library to write CGI Web applications quickly
Example (1) :
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
Load "weblib.ring"
Import System.Web
New Page
{
Text("Hello World!")
}
Example (2) :
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
Load "weblib.ring"
Import System.Web
WebPage()
{
Text("Hello World!")
}
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7. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
Tip: the difference between ex. 1 and ex. 2 is using WebPage() function to return the page object instead of creating
the object using new statement.
48.4 Web Library Features
The next features are provided by the Web library to quickly create web applications.
• Generate HTML pages using functions
• Generate HTML pages using objects
• HTTP Get
• HTTP Post
• Files Upload
• URL Encode
• Templates
• CRUD MVC Sample
• Users Logic & Registration Sample
48.5 HTTP Get Example
The Page User Interface
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
Load "weblib.ring"
Import System.Web
New Page
{
Title = "Test HTTP Get"
divstart([ :style = StyleSizeFull() ] )
boxstart()
text( "Test HTTP GET" )
newline()
boxend()
divstart([ :style = Styledivcenter("600px","550px") +
StyleGradient(21) ])
divstart([:style = stylefloatleft() + stylesize("100px","100%") +
stylecolor("black") + stylegradient(58)])
formstart("ex5.ring")
tablestart([ :style = stylesize("65%","90%") +
stylemarginleft("35%") +
stylemargintop("30%") ])
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Name : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
cTextboxStyle = StyleMarginLeft("5%") +
StyleWidth("250px") +
StyleColor("black") +
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8. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
StyleBackColor("white")
textbox([ :name = "Name", :style = cTextboxStyle ] )
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Address : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
textbox([ :name = "Address", :style = cTextboxStyle] )
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Phone : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
textbox([ :name = "Phone", :style = cTextboxStyle ])
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Age : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
textbox([ :name = "Age", :style = cTextboxStyle ])
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "City: " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
listbox([ :name = "City", :items = ["Cairo","Riyadh","Jeddah"],
:style = stylemarginleft("5%") + stylewidth("400px") ] )
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Country : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
combobox([ :name = "Country",
:items = ["Egypt","Saudi Arabia","USA"],
:style = stylemarginleft("5%") +
stylewidth("400px")+
stylecolor("black")+
stylebackcolor("white")+
stylefontsize("14px") ])
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
text ( "Note : " )
cellend()
cellstart([])
editbox([ :name = "Notes",
:style = stylemarginleft("5%") +
48.5. HTTP Get Example 390

9. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
stylesize("400px","100px")+
stylecolor("black")+
stylebackcolor("white") ,
:value = "write comments here..." ] )
cellend()
rowend()
rowstart([])
cellstart([])
cellend()
cellstart([])
submit([ :value = "Send" , :Style = stylemarginleft("5%") ])
cellend()
rowend()
tableend()
formend()
divend()
divend()
divend()
}
Screen Shot:
48.5. HTTP Get Example 391

10. Ring Documentation, Release 1.6
The Response
#!c:ringbinring.exe -cgi
Load "weblib.ring"
Import System.Web
New Page
{
divstart([ :style = styledivcenter("800px","500px") ])
boxstart()
text ( "HTTP GET Response" ) newline()
boxend()
divstart([ :style = stylefloatleft()+stylewidth("10%")+
48.5. HTTP Get Example 392