Now that
we have decided on a language for CGI programming, let's look at
some considerations that need to be taken to create effective virtual
documents.
First and most importantly, you need to
understand what kind of information is to be presented. If it is
plain text or HTML, there is no problem. However,
if the data is unreadable by the client, a gateway has to be written
to effectively translate that data.
This leads to another
important matter: The original (or "unreadable") data has to be
organized in such a way that it will be easy for the gateway to
read from and write to the data source. Once you have the gateway
and you can retrieve data, you can present it in numerous ways.
For example, if the data is numerical in nature, you can create
virtual graphs and plots using various utility software. On the
other hand, if the data consists of graphical objects, you can modify
the information using numerous graphic manipulation tools.
In summary, you need to think about what you want to present
and how to prevent it long before the actual process of implementing
CGI programs. This will ensure the creation of effective virtual
documents.
