Running python cgi scripts that require external cvs under apache

[chris.levis at gmail.com]

All:

I have written a Python webapp under MS IIS 5.0 that does the
following:
	-Does a CVS checkout of a particular bit of xml
	-Gets a list of valid cvs tags for that xml file
	-Based on user input via forms, modifies that xml
	-CVS checkin's that file

To have correct permissions to run the cvs binaries and to write
out the xml to be modified into a temp dir, I ended up having to
have the app run as a valid user account on this Windows box
that was hosting the app (it's just my workstation, with IIS
running).  I.e., instead of IUSR_/IWAM_<compname>, it is running
as domain\someone.  This "solution" worked well enough for me
to develop the cvs transactions, the html, etc.

However, it has been requested that I move this app onto one of
the IS Dept's servers.  They insist that I put it on a solaris
box, which is running Apache.  I have no administrative control
over this box, and I know very little about it, besides the fact
that test scripts (e.g., /cgi-bin/test.py ) work as expected.

However, I'm have a not-unexpected problem with permissions.  When
folks use this page to modify the XML, it fails because:
	1. the "effective-user-id" of the connecting person
           has insufficient rights to run the cvs binaries
           on the box
	2. can't run cvs, so checkouts/rlogs/commits don't happen

I have heard of cgiwrap (http://cgiwrap.unixtools.com), and I'm
going to take a look at that.  I was hoping that others have a
similar experience - with a happy ending - that they can share.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

-cjl