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# 5.1 POST Requests

Plucker can send `POST` requests to a host, just like an HTML form does. It will store the resulting page in the document. Until a parser can be written to create the requests from an HTML form they must be built by hand. If you have written or would be able to write such a parser, contact plucker-team@rubberchicken.org

`POST` requests take this form:

    "http://harvest.weather.com/cgi-bin/3com/avantgo/palmpilot_city_search.pl" POST="city_destination=46552&action=Go"

This URL will get the weather forecast for New Carlisle, In. (zip code 46552). The entry in home.html would be:

    <A HREF="http://harvest.weather.com/cgi-bin/3com/avantgo/palmpilot_city_search.pl" POST="city_destination=46552&action=Go">Weather</A><P>

Substitute your zip code to get your local forecast.

To obtain a palm friendly map from mapquest.com takes a little doing. First point your browser to www.mapquest.com and follow the directions to get a map of the area of interest. Then click on the Printer-Friendly Map link in the left column.

NOTE: These instructions are for Netscape, IE should be similar
When the full page map appears, right click on the map and select View Image from the menu. After the image (by itself) has loaded add the current link to your bookmarks and exit your browser. Open the bookmark file ( /.netscape/bookmarks.html) in a text editor and find the entry. Mine looked like this:

    <A HREF="http://sitemap.mapquest.com/mqmapgend?MQMapGenRequest=FDR2dmwjDE%3bf72g%26FDT7w%7cqut2hr%24.5y8n9u%24%3a%26%40%24%3a%26z%240u6%240u6%24PK%18%19%3dTPWIK,rn061g%26%3dy0du2n%26%40%24%3a%26%40%24%3a1%40" ADD_DATE="965829347" LAST_VISIT="965829337" LAST_MODIFIED="965829337">GIF image 600x600 pixels</A>

This is actually a `GET` request. Even though Plucker understands `GET` requests, we will change it to `POST`. Copy the line to another file for editing and open that file. Remove everything from `ADD_DATE` to the quote(") before `>GIF`. You can insert plucker options here like `MAXWIDTH=300 MAXHEIGHT=300` (to increase the map size on your palm). You may also change the next part (between the > and <). This will be the link that appears on your Plucker Home Page. Mine now looks like this:

    <A HREF="http://sitemap.mapquest.com/mqmapgend" POST="MQMapGenRequest=FDR2dmwjDE%3bf72g%26FDT7w%7cqut2hr%24.5y8n9u%24%3a%26%40%24%3a%26z%240u6%240u6%24PK%18%19%3dTPWIK,rn061g%26%3dy0du2n%26%40%24%3a%26%40%24%3a1%40" MAXWIDTH=300 MAXHEIGHT=300>New Carlisle Map</A>

Finally, copy the line into your home.html and pluck your map!

NOTE: In the example above the `HREF=` part is actually the name of a program the server will run for you. The `POST=` part contains the parameters for the program.

Next: 5.2 Perl-based Conduit Up: 5. Advanced Topics Previous: 5. Advanced Topics Contents Index