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Where is Web Server configuration stored?
fredd
#1 Posted : Sunday, May 27, 2007 7:14:01 AM(UTC)
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Usually, Cassini saves application path, port and virtual directory in the Registry. This allows us to install applications and modify the registry and to use placeholder variables for the installation path.

So far, I can't find where UltiDev stores the settings. It should be in the Registry since that's the required way to do it, but I can't find them. I need to be able to manipulate those settings via code.

Where are the settings stored?

Thanks,
Fred
Ultidev Team
#2 Posted : Sunday, May 27, 2007 4:08:56 PM(UTC)
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Fred,

When you register your appliction with UltiDev Cassini, you can do it in one of three ways:
- Pass it as parameters to Custom .NET Installer Class,
- Use UltiDev Cassini API,
- Pass it as command line parameters to Cassini EXE with /register key,

We do not recommend changing Cassini metabase file directly.

Best regards,
UltiDev Team.
Please donate at http://www.ultidev.com/products/Donate.aspx to help us improve our products.
fredd
#3 Posted : Monday, May 28, 2007 1:36:36 PM(UTC)
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Unfortunately, that's not realistic for us. Trying to run a command line registration during Installshield installation has lots of problems. Therefore, we have to directly modify whereever you store the settings. We have to preset the server's settings during the installation process. Normally, we do it via Cassini's use of the Registry, which is what you should be using, if you are to be compliant.

If you are not storing in the Registry, then can you please direct me to those settings and help me set them via code?

Thanks,
Fred
Ultidev Team
#4 Posted : Monday, May 28, 2007 6:35:14 PM(UTC)
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Fred,

Cassini metabase file path usually is
- On Vista "C:\ProgramData\UltiDev\Cassini\CassiniMetabase.xml"
- On other Windows versions "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\UltiDev\Cassini"

Could you please explain what you mean by "Normally, we do it via Cassini's use of the Registry"? We are not aware of any flavor of Cassini using regtry or even having a functionality of registering applications.

Regards,
UltiDeb Team.
Please donate at http://www.ultidev.com/products/Donate.aspx to help us improve our products.
fredd
#5 Posted : Wednesday, June 6, 2007 12:06:45 PM(UTC)
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Sorry, I misspoke a bit. What I'm referring to is the first major variant of Cassini - Cassini as a Service: Bart De Smet [MVP] - 2004: www.bartdesmet.net. He correctly uses the Registry for storing param values.

You say: "functionality of registering applications". I assume you mean, in your case, registering the app as a service. This is trivial and easily done as part of the compile process, as you know. Bert's solution provides it.

It is not correct to be using a file (in your case, the XML file) to store param values. That went out when Windows introduced the Registry (I think back in 1995), so as to avoid the kind of problems we are encountering with your product; ie.,

1. Not knowing where values are stored,
2. Not being able to change the values or add new ones.

In the old days, there were .ini files scattered all over hard drives with param values for different products. That's exactly what you are doing with your method of storing data. The idea of the Registry is to avoid that.. The Registry easily accommodates multiple keys such as is required by your product.

Also, it is not Windows-compliant to not allow users to designate the destination for installation programs.

Look at a typical installation when using your product in a customer-based environment: The installation program should be able to launch CassiniExplorerSetup.msi and CassiniServer1Setup.msi into a folder of choice, and should then be able to register a default set of params in the Registry.

It's ridiculous to expect a customer (end-user) to open Cassini and go through the process of entering all these params, particularly when your interface isn't friendly (it doesn't allow browsing to the folders). It's also ridiculous to expect an end-user to know what the default page is.

End-users want to use the application that they purchased. That application may use your Cassini server, but the customer neither needs to know that, nor should have to struggle through entering settings.

And it's not good enough to suggest some kind of command-line solution. That is often not supported by installation programs.

You need to do what Windows expects you to do: use the Registry to store the values.

Regards,
Fred

Ultidev Team
#6 Posted : Wednesday, June 6, 2007 1:10:14 PM(UTC)
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Fred,

- RE: using config files vs. registry:
IIS uses XML file (metabase) to store application settings, just like we do; .NET windows (WinForms) applications use app.config files. We don't think registry is any better than config files, or make these applications less Windows-compliant.

- RE: allowing change destination folder for Cassini:
It's common for services and API components not to allow users choose the destination path. Case in point: IIS (the service) and .NET Framework (the API). Neither or those let users choose target folder when being installed. What is the use case that would make installation of Cassini into its current location impossible?

- RE: command line parameters for supplying application registration settings is not good enough:
Why exactly? What tool are you using to author your installer? We have multiple success stories with people using command line option with InstallShield, for example.

Regards,
UltiDev Team.
Please donate at http://www.ultidev.com/products/Donate.aspx to help us improve our products.
fredd
#7 Posted : Friday, June 8, 2007 9:24:14 AM(UTC)
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What you are citing are fundamental operating system configurations, not 3rd party products. I will grant that you may need to specify the folder for services purposes, but it's still not compliant. Many services use the Registry for param value storage.

The really interesting thing you say is this:

"We have multiple success stories with people using command line option with InstallShield, for example."

Yet I've never found one successful use of Installshield (we use Installshield 11) that can fire the necessary registration. If you can provide the method and code I will be forever grateful and will henceforth quit bitching.

Installshield uses custom actions to attempt to fire command line instructions via VBScript, but the requirements for your configuration do not fit.

Can you please give me a specific .VBS example file?

Regards,
Fred
Ultidev Team
#8 Posted : Friday, June 8, 2007 9:48:08 AM(UTC)
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Fred,

Please check this thread and let us know if it helped. Someone apparently was able to register an application using Cassini command line mode with InstallShield 12.

Regards,
UltiDev Team.
Please donate at http://www.ultidev.com/products/Donate.aspx to help us improve our products.
fredd
#9 Posted : Sunday, June 10, 2007 12:21:47 PM(UTC)
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I figured that's the one you'd come up with. It doesn't work and it's not InstallShield 11.

Come on, you say "We have mulitple succes stories".... where are they?
Ultidev Team
#10 Posted : Sunday, June 10, 2007 1:01:48 PM(UTC)
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Fred,

We do not use InstallShield 11 in house, but we will try help you if you could please let us and the community know how exactly you have tried to launch UltiDev Cassini process from your installer, and how exactly failure has manifested itself (error message, hanging, BSOD, installation completed but application not registered, etc.). Any specifics on the steps you took, including code snippets that failed (like these ones) and outcome you've observed vs. what you expected would move your issue closer to resolution.

Regards,
UltiDev Team.
Please donate at http://www.ultidev.com/products/Donate.aspx to help us improve our products.
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