This repository contains the fully completed samples for simple demo application described in the Step By Step guide in the West Wind Web Connection documentation.
- Step by Step: Getting Started
This is the basic walk-through of using Web Connection to get started, create a new project and run a number of data operations using mostly code based logic.
This project's primary purpose is for reference. I recommend you go through the Walk Through explicitly and follow the steps to build the project and examples as you go.
Use this project as reference, to compare code and HTML markup and to pick up some of the larger HTML markup pages without having to type in all that text.
You can also run this project, but in order to do this you'll need to make sure that the project is configured.
To set up this project you'll need to:
- Clone or Download this project
- Fix the Startup Shortcut
- Make sure your Web Server is configured
If you have Git installed the easiest way to get the project is to clone it.
To clone the project into the WebConnectionProjects folder:
cd \WebConnectionProjects
git clone https://github.com/RickStrahl/WebConnection-WebDemo.git WebDemoAlternately you can use the GitHub Download as Zip File button to download the zip file and unpack in this folder:
\WebConnectionProjects\WebDemoThe location can be anywhere, but that's the default location for projects where Web Connection creates new projects.
Make sure there's a folder called:
\Deploy\Tempand if it doesn't exist create it.
It's important that you start FoxPro in the correct folder, so that config.fpw can set up the environment properly. The easiest way to do this is to fix the Shortcut Webdemo - Start FoxPro IDE with Web Connection.
- Target
c:\program files (x86)\Microsoft Visual FoxPro\vfp9.exe -c"c:\webconnectionprojects\webdemo\deploy\config.fpw" - Start in
c:\webconnectionprojects\webdemo\deploy
Adjust the paths as needed to point at VFP9.exe and the location of the config.fpw file and the Deploy folder.
Start FoxPro using this shortcut.
As a quicker alternative you can also run this PowerShell file in the Project Root:
Start-FoxPro-IDE-in-Project.ps1This has the same effect as the shortcut, but running PowerShell isn't as convenient as a short cut, because by default PowerShell won't execute from Explorer and can't easily be pinned to a shortcut.
Either choice works.
Depending on what Web Server you use you'll need to configure the application.
IIS requires a bunch of configuration, but it's automated. To do this:
- Launch FoxPro from the Shortcut using Run As Administrator
DO WebDemo_ServerConfig
This runs the local server configuration that creates a virtual directory, sets various IIS site settings and directory permissions.
To use IIS:
Launch("IIS")
Launch() && Default for installIIS Express doesn't require any special configuration but make sure IIS Express is installed.
To use IIS Express:
launch("IISEXPRESS")The built-in Web Connection Web Server is a new self-contained Web Server. And while it just works you need to make sure you have the Dotnet Core SDK installed.
Install the Dotnet Core SDK (choose .NET Core SDK)
Launch("WebConnectionWebServer")The application is set up for full IIS. You can change the default that is used when you call Launch() without parameters.
To do this open Launch.prg and change the following line near the top:
lcServerType = "WEBCONNECTIONWEBSERVER" && "IIS", "IISEXPRESS", "IISHANDLER"Once changed you can then just use Launch() with the server you want to use.
To run the application, make sure you start FoxPro in the Deploy folder of the project - preferably using the shortcut as mentioned above.
From the IDE
Launch()This should launch:
- The FoxPro Server
- The Web Server if it's not running (IISEXPRESS and WEBCONNECTIONWEBSERVER)
- Opens the Web Browser to the Web site
You're good to go!