Caveat: I have no direct experience with Ruby, Plesk, or FastCGI. I do think that by verifying that your example RoR app works via Apache and then observing that the other database RoR app does not, you've isolated the problem to the latter application! "Premature end of script headers" is what I've seen whenever a PERL CGI crashes or generates an error condition that doesn't let it output anything (such as a syntax error). At that point, I try running the CGI directly from the command line to partially simulate what Apache tries to execute, e.g.: perl whateverproblem.cgi -- but this is not always identical to what Apache encounters, it's just another step for troubleshooting. I have no idea if you could do the same for Ruby and your app. Hope this helps, --Mark Mark Lavi, Enterprise Web Management Team @ SGI mailto:mlavi@xxxxxxx || phone:+1-650-933-7707 -----Original Message----- From: Dragon [mailto:dragon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 3:12 PM To: users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: FastCGI problem Hello all, I am attempting to help a non-profit organization setup a new server and migrate over their old stuff. One of the things they want to use is a database application using Ruby on Rails. This system is an up to date FC4 distribution running Plesk 8.1 control panel, instead of the "standard" FastCGI module, they use one called mod_fcgid that is supposed to play better with Plesk. Plesk also says that enabling RoR is a simple matter of enabling FastCGI support, all I can say to that is it isn't as simple as they say. Just do a Google on "Plesk Ruby Rails" and you will see how much trouble people have gone through trying to get this to work in that environment (but I digress...) I have been having a hell of a time attempting to get this to work and have come down to the point where I believe I have diagnosed the problem to be that both mod_fcgid and mod_cgi choke and exit giving an error that says "Premature end of script headers" I have verified that Ruby and Rails are working using the test browser they provide, the application functions fine when I do that. When attempting to use Apache to serve the application via either FastCGI or regular CGI, it simply will not work. This is not only true of this Ruby-based application but also for any script or program I attempt to execute via FastCGI or regular CGI (Perl, binary, shell script, etc.). I do get errors in my httpd error log when using FastCGI but I have no idea what they are really telling me. The underlying cause of the error is not given in the errors. Here is what I typically get when I try to access the script: [Thu Mar 15 14:43:20 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: server /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29959) started [Thu Mar 15 14:43:21 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: server /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29960) started [Thu Mar 15 14:43:22 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: server /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29963) started [Thu Mar 15 14:43:25 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: process /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29963) exit(communication error), terminated by calling exit(), return code: 120 [Thu Mar 15 14:43:25 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: process /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29960) exit(server exited), terminated by calling exit(), return code: 120 [Thu Mar 15 14:43:25 2007] [notice] mod_fcgid: process /var/www/vhosts/example.org/httpdocs/fighter/public/dispatch.fcgi(29959) exit(server exited), terminated by calling exit(), return code: 120 If I use regular CGI, all I get is the premature end of script headers error without any further information. I am at a loss on how to proceed from here. If anyone can help me figure out how to configure this system to get CGI and FastCGI working, I would greatly appreciate it. I have been working on this for nearly a week and it is making me crazy. Dragon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Venimus, Saltavimus, Bibimus (et naribus canium capti sumus) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ --------------------------------------------------------------------- The official User-To-User support forum of the Apache HTTP Server Project. See <URL:http://httpd.apache.org/userslist.html> for more info. To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx " from the digest: users-digest-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx --------------------------------------------------------------------- The official User-To-User support forum of the Apache HTTP Server Project. See <URL:http://httpd.apache.org/userslist.html> for more info. To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx " from the digest: users-digest-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx