Hi Michael, In order to perform rapid development of VSP/VSPX pages I suggest you to use file system for development, in this way you may work even with your favorite editor. After development phase is complete on file system you can deploy the application in WebDAV using Web folders or any other WebDAV capable user agent. The Windows WebDAV folders are not accessible via all Windows applications, they are supported natively to my knowledge by MS Office applications, Macromedia Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive. Also the development within WebDAV would require setup of two Virtual Directories (one to edit, another to execute) as WebDAV don't have (edit/read & execute methods, it has just retrieval via GET/POST) .
The following is a basic steps to get VSPX/VSP to work on file system, using Conductor UI : 1) create a physical directory under HTTP ServerRoot can be seen from the INI file, HTTPServer section ServerRoot setting. 2) put the VSPX pages in directory from p.1 3) create Virtual Directory (VD) using Conductor UI : 'WebDAV&HTTP' , 'HTTP Hosts & Directories' The requirement for the VD is to have 'Physical path' set to file system location and "VSP User" set to some user which has SQL permissions to SQL tables and objects used in the active pages in the project. In order to deploy the VSPX based application on WebDAV, you would need to create similar VD , but with physical path have to be a DAV folder keeping the pages and pages must have : - execute bit on & owner to be 'dav' account (this should be used only for deployment) or VD to have 'Override exec permission flag in WebDAV' on. (this option should be used to execute pages, and allow editing via another DAV based VD to same location, see my comments above). As for p.6 : The VSP page is compiled as stored PL procedures, the VSPX page is compiled to a temporary User defined type (page class) and then executed. The pages will be compiled only if there is a change or on 1-st hit after server startup. But this should be transparent to the VSPX/VSP developer as either on WebDAV or in file system the active pages just contains it's source. In addition to the above i would suggest if there are file system calls (such as file_to_string etc.) in development work based in file system, these calls should be isolated in a stored procedures which can be easily located and switched to use corresponding DAV API calls when application is deployed in the WebDAV. I hope this helps. Best Regards, Mitko Michael K. Bergman wrote: > To All, > > I have the interest and intent to use VSPX for meaningful UI > development, perhaps in the process also helping to move the technology > forward. I'm committing to make this attempt because I see a > consistency of vision and elegance within the Virtuoso approach. The > OpenLink team is doing some serious magic. Thank you. > > (While a story for another day, I have spent the last 6-9 months > evaluating alternatives, and I think this is a winning one. I'll likely > write about that elsewhere. Also, I have personally deployed a few LAMP > configs, and what I see so far with the ease of OpenLink installs blows > them out of the water. :) ) > > But, I'm having some major problems. Some portions are related to > Windows, other portions are related to the newness of the VSPX code > base. WebDAV and virtual files seem to be common to these issues. I > chalk all of this up to youth and growing pains. > > Both Kingsley and Fred have tried to help me so far, but not yet > successfully. My environment and objectives differ (Windows, for one), > plus frankly I'm really not any good as a developer or hacker. > > Here's what I want to do: I want to be able to make immediate and > iterative changes in an editor to the VSPX files and then see the > resulting UI (and other) changes, with a minimum of clicks and steps. > When done best, UI development is a fast, contact sport. > > Unfortunately, I can't even get to first twitch. > > I can see there is a major mindset difference behind WebDAV with virtual > directories and stored PL, all of which is new to me. I also have > virtually no background in SQL and (for earlier professional and what I > thought then to be competitive reasons) have generally disdained much of > the relational model. > > But I'm beyond that now, and just want to be practical. So, OK, enough > mewing. > > Here is what I've tried and my major questions: > > 1. The Windows Network install of WebDAV works fine and is helpful for > viewing. But --> > > 2. I can't map drives, and can not get any of my editors (numerous > Eclipse-based, GWD, Aptana) to see WebDAV. MS Office will see it, but > that is worthless. I don't have Textmate or Dreamweaver > > 3. I could not get Subversion or any other approach to recognize the > WebDAV. Port assignments an issue? Authorization? > > 4. If the apps won't recognize the WebDAV, perhaps mapping to a drive > was the answer. I tried WebDrive (hated the install, $$ and by the > throat) and NetDrive (froze my system and license questionable); found > some discussion about making direct changes to MS DLLs, but I draw the > line when it gets that dark > > 5. Tried to copy WebDAV vspx files with -x bit changes to other > locations. While I could get standard HTML and JS source display, I > still have not been able to get a file with viewable VSPX out of the > WebDAV virtual system > > So after a few days of concerted effort, I still have *not* been able to > edit a VSPX file and see its resulting change in the UI. > > But, even if I could, and I have *not*, the way things are laid out > still looks pretty difficult for meaningful UI development: > > 6. I think I understand that VSPX is stored as a PL and then processed > and rendered from the database dynamically. Correct? But that makes > the question of the virtual directory really difficult; how the heck and > with what tools can I deal with these files as if they were on the file > system? > > 7. The linkage and role with the CSS and final presentation details is > still opaque to me, and > > 8. As presently designed, commits back and forth between editable code > and rendered code is way, way too complicated. If this system is to get > market acceptance, this challenge needs to be overcome. (I actually > think this is a matter only of attention and focus; when I see the edit > icon within the WebDAV portion of Conductor with editing and syntax > highlighting I suspect improving this is within grasp). > > > Chances are, of course, I haven't made the right points or asked the > right questions above. I truly solicit any and all tidbits about how to > make this UI development process easier. I promise, I will use those > tips! :) > > I think I've been somewhat around the block on good and bad software > frameworks. And folks, I think what you have developed in the Virtuoso > environment is remarkable. I'd like to help where I can. > > > Finally, two notes. First, depending, I want to encourage more tools > and infrastructure (code-assist editors, syntax highlighting, perhaps > RAD-type things) to enable VSPX UI development to be competitive. > > Second, I intend to provide simple tutorials for others to use VSPX and > am already keeping detailed notes. Thus, whatever is documented in this > thread will make it into those notes. > > I thank everyone for their help and tips in advance! :) > > Thanks, Mike > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express > Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take > control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. > http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ > _______________________________________________ > Virtuoso-users mailing list > Virtuoso-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/virtuoso-users > -- Mitko Iliev Developer Virtuoso Team OpenLink Software http://www.openlinksw.com/virtuoso Cross Platform Web Services Middleware
