how to modify text in html form from python

[Philippe C. Martin]

I feel fairly stupid ... but to my defense in the past 17 years of coding,
i've only spent 3 days looking at web stuff:

I now can understand how "writing" to an existing form field from a cgi
script might not work: how would the browser know ?: unless there is a very
sophisticated scheme there (as those used in image transfer), I assume the
complete page would have to be sent back: so might as well
regenerate/rewrite everything.

Yes ?

I so, I'm back to finding a way for a browser plugin and a server based cgi
script to exchange information.

Any idea welcome... I know I don't want to open another socket/port but
stick to http:80


Regards,

Philippe







Mike Meyer wrote:

> "Philippe C. Martin" <pmartin at snakecard.com> writes:
> 
>> Mike,
>>
>> Here is what I am trying to do:
>>
>> **** WHAT ****
>> -) a client opens his/her browser and click on some button which triggers
>> my plugin
>> -) the plugin starts to communicate with a server on some URL.
>> -) the communication between the server and the client involves a few
>> exchanges: data from client to server, then from server to client,.....
>> -) just for info (I do not think it's relevant to my problem) on each
>> side (server and client) there is a smart card (that's why I need a
>> plugin) and the information exchanged comes from/go to the smart cards
>> -) The smart card on the server side eventually decides whether or not
>> the smart client on the client side is OK and tells so to the cgi script
>> which acts accordingly
>>
>> ***** HOW (if there's a better way let me know please) ******
>> As I have not found any better solution yet, I am trying to do the
>> following (on the server there is an html file and a cgi file)
>>
>> -) the plugging opens the correct url which has a form with a "click"
>> button -) the customer clicks on the button
>> -) the server "puts" some information in a hidden form field (info from
>> local smart card)
>> -) the pluggin fetches the information from the form field and gives it
>> to its local smart card
>> ....... (this a couple of time)
>> -) the cgi script gets the final verdict from the server smart card and
>> acts accordingly.
>>
>> I hope that is clearer.
> 
> Some. To continue clarifying:
> 
> The phrase "cgi script" refers to a server-side script that is run in
> response to the user clicking something on the client. That's what you
> expect it to be, right?
> 
> Do you expect the plugin to display a form? Or to ouput a form that
> the client will display?
> 
> You've got lots of stuff going on here. I count at least five programs
> and three network connections. How much is working, and which parts
> are you trying to do in Python?
> 
>     <mike