Project Detail

Perl/shell expert needed  

Perl/shell expert needed is project number 161165
posted at Freelancer.com. Click here to post your own project.

 

| More Free Trial For New Buyers
 

Status:

Selected Providers: geniegate

Budget: max $350

Created: 07/21/2007 at 16:31 EDT

Bid Count: 4

Average Bid:
$ 323

07/22/2007 at 16:31 EDT

Project Creator: misgnomer
Employer Rating: 10/1010/1010/1010/1010/1010/1010/1010/1010/1010/10 (3 reviews)

Bid On This Project
 

Description

My forum uses a combination of custom written shell and Perl scripts that were authored in 2002. Unfortunately, the site relies on flat text files to store data as opposed to an actual relational database. The author of the scripts abandoned the project several years ago, and so regular maintenance has been difficult.

The scripts have worked, for the most part, until last year when the server OS (FreeBSD) was upgraded to the latest version. Unfortunately, the method for backing up the data used by the hosting provider's tech support didn't preserve file permissions. Since then, the search facility has been completely broken and the stats writing/logging/processing has been a shambles. A shell script responsible for creating and tidying these stats files is producing enormous log and txt files which cannot be processed at regular intervals, resulting in a webserver hang. I've removed permissions on one particular file and that has prevented further webserver hangs, but the referrer toplist, which depends on the stats, is no longer functional.

The critical tasks that need to be performed immediately are to restore the search facility to working order, and more importantly, reign-in the scripts responsible for stats processing and get the referrer toplist working again. As for less urgent tasks, the shell scripts and extensive Perl code need updating and optimizing to improve speed, efficiency, and security.

Please be courteous and do not submit a bid unless you are prepared to accept the offer right away and begin work very soon. This is an urgent project, and I do not have the luxury of waiting hours and hours for a response after selecting a winning bid. Should your bid be selected, and you do not accept the offer within the hour, the project will be reopened to bidding again. Thanks in advance for your understanding and cooperation!

Separately, once the above has been accomplished, a discussion about the feasibility and practicality of addressing the data stored in flat files can begin. It would be great if the data stored in the flat text files could be remodeled and converted to an MySQL database. This would require a great deal of changes to the original code, and may lead to retaining your services for another more long-term project.

Messages Posted:0 View project clarification board Post message on project clarification board

Bid On This Project
 

If you are the project creator or one of the bidders Log In for more options

 

350

1 day

07-21-2007 18:27 EDT

I can easily do this for you. Can you please send me more information via the PMB about what exactly it is you need?

help

 

300

2 days

07-21-2007 19:41 EDT

I'm a scripting/shell expert and would be happy to help you work through these permissions/searching issues and once that's in good order, perhaps help you develop a strategy for transitioning to a relational database.

help

 

350

3 days

07-21-2007 18:02 EDT

Check PM, please.

help

 

290

3 days

07-21-2007 20:15 EDT

Will start soon, 3 days is a conservative estimate. (could be a lot faster, but I can't tell w/out looking)

help


    Bid on this Project