ConTeXt "live"

ConTeXt "live"

[VnPenguin]

Hi,
I'm trying to build a page "ConTeXt live" on a Apache web server with PHP.
Here is the simple test
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
\enableregime[utf]
\setupencoding[default=t5]

\usetypescript[berry][t5]
\usetypescript[palatino][t5]
\setupbodyfont[palatino,12pt]

\starttext
Hello, world!
\stoptext
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This src file was saved into /tmp folder in which Apache user has full
writing permission.
I use PHP command:

system("cd /tmp; texexec --pdf --silent test.tex");

Here is the log:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 TeXExec 5.4.3 - ConTeXt / PRAGMA ADE 1997-2005

fixing engine variable : pdfetex
            executable : pdfetex
                format : cont-en
             inputfile : toto2
                output : pdftex
             interface : en
          current mode : none
               TeX run : 1

This is pdfeTeX, Version 3.141592-1.30.4-2.2 (Web2C 7.5.5)
 \write18 enabled.
 (/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/web2c/natural.tcx)
entering extended mode
(./toto2.tex

ConTeXt  ver: 2005.11.30  fmt: 2005.12.2  int: english  mes: english

language        : language en is active

system          : cont-new loaded

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/cont-new.tex
systems         : beware: some patches loaded from cont-new.tex
color           : palette rollover is available
)
system          : cont-old loaded

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/cont-old.tex
loading         : Context Old Macros
)
system          : cont-fil loaded

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/cont-fil.tex
loading         : Context File Synonyms
)
system          : cont-sys.rme loaded

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/user/cont-sys.rme
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-exa.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-syn.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-enc.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-dis.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-siz.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-map.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-spe.tex)
(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/type-akb.tex))
bodyfont        : 12pt rm is loaded
language        : patterns nl->texnansi:texnansi->1->2:2 nl->ec:ec->2->2:2 fr->
texnansi:texnansi->3->2:2 fr->ec:ec->4->2:2 de->texnansi:texnansi->5->2:2 de->e
c:ec->6->2:2 it->texnansi:texnansi->7->2:2 it->ec:ec->8->2:2 pt->texnansi:texna
nsi->9->2:2 pt->ec:ec->10->2:2 hr->ec:ec->11->2:2 pl->pl0:pl0->12->2:2 pl->ec:e
c->13->2:2 pl->qx:qx->14->2:2 cz->il2:il2->15->2:2 cz->ec:ec->16->2:2 sk->il2:i
l2->17->2:2 sk->ec:ec->18->2:2 sl->il2:il2->19->2:2 sl->ec:ec->20->2:2 en->ec:e
c->22->2:2 da->ec:ec->23->2:2 sv->ec:ec->24->2:2 af->ec:ec->25->2:2 no->ec:ec->
26->2:2 deo->ec:ec->27->2:2 uk->ec:ec->28->2:2 us->ec:ec->29->2:2 es->ec:ec->30
->2:2 ca->ec:ec->31->2:2 la->ec:ec->32->2:2 ro->ec:ec->33->2:2 tr->ec:ec->34->2
:2 fi->ec:ec->36->2:2 hu->ec:ec->37->2:2 loaded
specials        : tex,postscript,rokicki loaded
system          : toto2.top loaded
(./toto2.top
specials        : loading definition file tpd

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/spec-tpd.tex
specials        : loading definition file fdf

(/usr/local/tetex/share/texmf-local/tex/context/base/spec-fdf.tex)
specials        : fdf loaded
)
specials        : fdf,tpd loaded
)
! I can't write on file `mpgraph.mp'.
\initializeMPgraphicfile ...te \MPgraphicfile .mp
                                                  \immediate \write \scratch...

\initializeMPgraphics ...\initializeMPgraphicfile
                                                  \fi \egroup
 ...e \checknotes \initializeMPgraphics
                                                  \checkpreprocessor
l.1
    \enableregime[utf]
Please type another output file name:
! Emergency stop.
\initializeMPgraphicfile ...te \MPgraphicfile .mp
                                                  \immediate \write \scratch...

\initializeMPgraphics ...\initializeMPgraphicfile
                                                  \fi \egroup
 ...e \checknotes \initializeMPgraphics
                                                  \checkpreprocessor
l.1
    \enableregime[utf]
No pages of output.
Transcript written on toto2.log.

           return code : 256
              run time : 1 seconds

        total run time : 2 seconds
--------------------------- end of log
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In /tmp, I see files test.log, test.tmp, test.tui test-mpgraph.mp. I
don't know where ConTeXt is trying to write the file "mpgraph.mp" ?

Web server is running under apache/apache. I have no root's access in
this server.
I would like to hear from author of http://live.contextgarden.net specially.

Thank you in advance,
Regards,

--
http://vnoss.org
Vietnamese Open Source Software Community

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Hans Hagen]

VnPenguin wrote:

>Hi,
>I'm trying to build a page "ConTeXt live" on a Apache web server with PHP.
>Here is the simple test
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>\enableregime[utf]
>\setupencoding[default=t5]
>
>\usetypescript[berry][t5]
>\usetypescript[palatino][t5]
>\setupbodyfont[palatino,12pt]
>
>\starttext
>Hello, world!
>\stoptext
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>This src file was saved into /tmp folder in which Apache user has full
>writing permission.
>I use PHP command:
>
>system("cd /tmp; texexec --pdf --silent test.tex");
>  
>
it has to do with the tex distribution being configured as too paranoid 
which means no writing

can you try the --notparanoid switch?

Hans

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Patrick Gundlach]

Hi,

I have no idea what is wrong. But you can (remark on Hans' reply) set 

openout_any = p
openin_any = p

in texmf.cnf, that doesn't hurt. 


You should be extremly careful when interfacing TeX to the public. 

Patrick
-- 
ConTeXt wiki and more: http://contextgarden.net

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[VnPenguin]

On 12/2/05, Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl> wrote:
> >
> it has to do with the tex distribution being configured as too paranoid
> which means no writing
>
> can you try the --notparanoid switch?
>

Just added this option to texexec, but it does not help.
The problem is still there.
Thanks


--
http://vnoss.org
Vietnamese Open Source Software Community

Re: Re: ConTeXt "live"

[VnPenguin]

On 2 Dec 2005 15:21:45 +0100, Patrick Gundlach <patrick@gundla.ch> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have no idea what is wrong. But you can (remark on Hans' reply) set
>
> openout_any = p

already defined in texmf.cnf

> openin_any = p
>
> in texmf.cnf, that doesn't hurt.

Changed & tried, but I have the same error.

>
> You should be extremly careful when interfacing TeX to the public.

Thank you,

--
http://vnoss.org
Vietnamese Open Source Software Community

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Patrick Gundlach]

Hello,


> Changed & tried, but I have the same error.

well, this was only some additional remarks. Perhaps you can use
strace to find out why ConTeXt can't write mpgraph.mp?

What does your cont-sys.tex look like? Do you have write18 enabled
(disable it on the public webserver, of course!).



>> You should be extremly careful when interfacing TeX to the public.

with that I mean

* use setrlimt
* disable write18
* use openout=p, openin=p
* hide other user's ConTeXt run by using sessions
* use some kind of jail if possible
* do some checking on user's input

Unless you want to share your webserver with other people ;-)

Patrick
-- 
ConTeXt wiki and more: http://contextgarden.net

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Hans Hagen]

VnPenguin wrote:

>On 12/2/05, Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl> wrote:
>  
>
>>it has to do with the tex distribution being configured as too paranoid
>>which means no writing
>>
>>can you try the --notparanoid switch?
>>
>>    
>>
>
>Just added this option to texexec, but it does not help.
>The problem is still there.
>  
>

i remember sucn problems but forgot what the trick was; you can only 
sort out such things when you have access to the machine; the problem is 
in kpse sitting in between

as patrick says, the problem is that

- with immediate write 18 one can launch any program, the only way out 
of this is when one can only run scripts within the tree, but i don't 
see that happen (hard to get aggreement upon)
- a more clever paranoid mode, where expanded paths are taken into 
account; for instance, if paranoid means that ../blabla or blabla.bla 
are looked at, it may mean that the period results in blocking, while 
actually the expanded path may still be within the tree

actually, in the minimal distribution, such thinsg are taken care of:

% resource paths, can be used in paranoid situations (can be env vars); 
there you find:

TXRESOURCES=rubish
MPRESOURCES=$TXRESOURCES
MFRESOURCES=$MPRESOURCES

% some extra paths for development trees (can be env vars)

CTXDEVTXPATH=rubish
CTXDEVMPPATH=rubish
CTXDEVMFPATH=rubish

TEXINPUTS.context = 
.;{$TXRESOURCES}//;{$CTXDEVTXPATH}//;$TEXMF/{pdftex,pdfetex,etex,xetex,omega,tex}/{context,plain,generic,}//
MPINPUTS          = 
.;{$MFRESOURCES}//;{$CTXDEVMPPATH}//;$TEXMF/metapost/{context,base,}//
MFINPUTS          = 
.;{$MPRESOURCES}//;{$CTXDEVMFPATH}//;$TEXMF/metafont/{context,base,}//;{$TEXMF/fonts,$VARTEXFONTS}/source//

so, one can set the TXRESOURCE path (using texexec) and out of a sudden 
that path (which may lay outside the tree) is acceptable

Hans

Re: Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Hans Hagen]

VnPenguin wrote:

>On 2 Dec 2005 15:21:45 +0100, Patrick Gundlach <patrick@gundla.ch> wrote:
>  
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I have no idea what is wrong. But you can (remark on Hans' reply) set
>>
>>openout_any = p
>>    
>>
>
>already defined in texmf.cnf
>
>  
>
>>openin_any = p
>>
>>in texmf.cnf, that doesn't hurt.
>>    
>>
>
>Changed & tried, but I have the same error.
>  
>
no, that should be 'a' and not 'p' (just for testing first)

Hans

Re: Re: ConTeXt "live"

[VnPenguin]

On 2 Dec 2005 16:17:33 +0100, Patrick Gundlach <patrick@gundla.ch> wrote:
> Hello,
>
>
> > Changed & tried, but I have the same error.
>
> well, this was only some additional remarks. Perhaps you can use
> strace to find out why ConTeXt can't write mpgraph.mp?

In my account, ConTeXt works no prob, I got a perfect PDF.
My problem occurs when I run ConTeXt via web, under Apache's user of course.
How to trace ConTeXt run under web server ?

> What does your cont-sys.tex look like? Do you have write18 enabled
> (disable it on the public webserver, of course!).

No cont-sys.tex file on my ConTeXt installation. I have only
texmf-local/tex/context/base/cont-sys.ori &
texmf-local/tex/context/user/cont-sys.rme and they are original of
distribution (exactly like
http://source.contextgarden.net/tex/context/base/cont-sys.ori and
http://source.contextgarden.net/tex/context/user/cont-sys.rme )

The \write18{} feature was disable on my system.

>
>
> >> You should be extremly careful when interfacing TeX to the public.
>
> with that I mean
>
> * use setrlimt

Could you tell me more about this ? a TeX setting ? Apache setting ?

> * disable write18

done

> * use openout=p, openin=p

done

> * hide other user's ConTeXt run by using sessions

yes

> * use some kind of jail if possible

no, it's not possible in my case

> * do some checking on user's input

Yes, you're right.

> Unless you want to share your webserver with other people ;-)

No problem, but firstly I need a running ConTeXt via web :-)

Thank you so much,
Regards,


--
http://vnoss.org
Vietnamese Open Source Software Community

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Patrick Gundlach]

Hi,

> In my account, ConTeXt works no prob, I got a perfect PDF.
> My problem occurs when I run ConTeXt via web, under Apache's user of course.
> How to trace ConTeXt run under web server ?

I'd guess it is pretty much impossible to trace under a webserver. Can
you install the same environment on a local computer? Then you could
strace any process.

> No cont-sys.tex file on my ConTeXt installation. I have only
> texmf-local/tex/context/base/cont-sys.ori &
> texmf-local/tex/context/user/cont-sys.rme and they are original of
> distribution

As far as I know, cont-sys.ori or ...rme are used as a fallback. And
the diff between the ones in the distribution and the one on
live.contextgarden reveals no significant differences.

>> with that I mean
>>
>> * use setrlimt
>
> Could you tell me more about this ? a TeX setting ? Apache setting ?

Operating Sytem setting. You can use the setrlimit(2) system call to
prevent users from using too many resources, such as disk space or cpu
time or .... See manpage of setrlimit(2). This is why I have written a
c-wrapper that runs texexec, so I can set those limits. 

I'd suggest to try to mimic the setup on a local pc and see if you can
get it to work there. It saves so much trouble, because you can access
every file/setting/...

Perhaps this is a problem with php? Did you try running this via cgi?

Patrick
-- 
ConTeXt wiki and more: http://contextgarden.net

Re: Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Taco Hoekwater]

Patrick Gundlach wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> 
>>In my account, ConTeXt works no prob, I got a perfect PDF.
>>My problem occurs when I run ConTeXt via web, under Apache's user of course.
>>How to trace ConTeXt run under web server ?

Reversing the order will hopefully give a clue on how to proceed:
make ConTeXt create mpgraph.mp first, then the other one. If that
gets you past the error (and into a similar error: test-mpgraph.mp),
then it is probably a  number of open files limit problem. Here is
the relevant macro, with the order already adjusted :

\def\initializeMPgraphics
   {\bgroup
    \ifx\bufferprefix\empty\else
      \let\bufferprefix\empty
      \initializeMPgraphicfile
    \fi
    \egroup
    \initializeMPgraphicfile }

> I'd guess it is pretty much impossible to trace under a webserver. Can
> you install the same environment on a local computer? Then you could
> strace any process.

You can try to add --passon='-kpathsea-debug=4' in the texexec
call. All the kpathsea debug output should end up in your apache
error_log (the number 4 is for fopen/fclose traces).

> Perhaps this is a problem with php? Did you try running this via cgi?

If you are lucky, there may be some hint in your global or local
apache error file.


Good luck,

Taco

Re: Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Christopher Creutzig]

Patrick Gundlach wrote:

> I'd guess it is pretty much impossible to trace under a webserver. Can

 Why's that?  Can't you just run
strace -f -e open -o /tmp/mylog texexec ...
instead of plain texexec?  Sure, multiple runs will mean you only ever
get to see the last log, but on a test system that should be exactly the
one you are looking for.

 Oh, and I'll second Patrick's advice:  Before letting unknown users run
arbitrary programs on your machine (and TeX code provided by the user,
even if it is just their names to be filled into some template, *does*
qualify as “arbitrary programs”), make bloody sure those programs have
no chance of ruining your server.  Double-check the validity of all
inputs, check if you can use a chroot “jail” and use the most paranoid
TeX settings with which your setup/code still works.


regards,
	Christopher

Re: ConTeXt "live"

[Patrick Gundlach]

>> I'd guess it is pretty much impossible to trace under a webserver. Can
>
>  Why's that?  Can't you just run
> strace -f -e open -o /tmp/mylog texexec ...
> instead of plain texexec?  

You're right, of course.

Patrick
-- 
ConTeXt wiki and more: http://contextgarden.net