Serving python CGI script with Apache2

Question

I'm trying to call a Python script from a webpage, and apache2 is not actioning the script. The files are:

test.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
print "Content-type: text/html\n\n"
print "<h1>Hello World</h1>"

index.html

<form action="./test.py" method="POST">
 <input type="text" size="70" name="data" value=""><br>
 <input type="submit" value="Submit">
 <input type="reset" value="Reset">
</form>

I've enabled a2enmod cgi and edited apache settings as follows:

/etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
...
<directory "/usr/lib/cgi-bin">
 AllowOverride None
 Options +ExecCGI -MultiViews +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
 Order allow,deny
 Allow from all
 AddHandler cgi-script .py
 Require all granted
</directory>
</VirtualHost>

Webpage files ownerships are:

# ls -lh /var/www/html/
total 16K
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 342 May 30 13:34 index.html
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 88 May 30 14:11 test.py

Running apachectl -M brings up a list with line cgid_module (shared).

When I bring up the page I can see the form, but when I click 'Submit' the browser either prompts to download test.py (FF) or views it (Chrome). Any idea what I'm getting wrong here?

• Torxed: A good way to check if your meta info tag works is to use Ctrl+Shift+J and check the network tab and the returned content-type of your py script. What does chrome say you're getting, text/plain file? I'm guessing you've reloaded the servers configuration?
• geotheory: Screen shots for what you ask in Chrome and FF - imgur.com/a/lGkN5
• Torxed: I'm on the phone so can't write a proper answer yet. Your mime info is wrong, the content-type for your py file is document and there for py script isn't registered as a handler. Have a look at httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/mod/mod_mime.html for now
• Torxed: Also are you sure you placed the file under /usr/lib/cgi-bin? What does apache say in the logs? Just to be clear changing the mime type manually won't make the script execute, just to show you why you're getting document :)
• geotheory: Ah that's it! I needed to point <directory..> to /var/www/html..

Answer 1

As discussed in the comments. This directory configuration looks like a plain copy from an example, and your Web root is probably somewhere else.

<VirtualHost *:80>
 <directory "/var/www/htdocs">
 AllowOverride None Options
 +ExecCGI -MultiViews 
 +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
 Order allow,deny
 Allow from all 
 AddHandler cgi-script .py
 Require all granted
 </directory>
</VirtualHost>

For instance where directory is changed. That's the default path usually, if yours is /var/www/html change accordingly.

I've gotten shit for this earlier but this question might also be better off on serverfault considering this is strictly related to how apache should be configured.

• geotheory: Thanks Torxed. I agree serverfault is ideally better, but I was persuaded by the 3X more apache posts in SO..
• Torxed: @geotheory i was too at first, but I'm trying to get a more frequent user base there so the searches related to server stuff ends up there hehe. Glad it worked out this time tho :) and you're more than welcome!