Hi Drew, 

That is strange for XtrReports.  I have it built into my mdi applications, and my clients have been using it with great alacrity since this time last year - with a couple of upgrades, of course!

Is your app only web based, or is a full win/web?  I ask because it seems the web portion poses some display issues in general, and perhaps what is occurring with your app?

I have several separate reports based on a variety of data, including some parameterized sprocs, and have never had a problem during use in a typical Windows forms application.

In the previous XAF release, the default report section worked great and displayed the report builder without any problems. Of course, that was on a local machine.  I haven't attempted an XAF distro yet.

I'm glad to hear your experience, it will help when I've found a way to get a distributed version out, for sure!

So far I've modified the data objects as persistent classes rather than domain objects, and have had some success with attaching to existing, populated databases.  No distributed version attempt yet, though.

That will be an event to note!

Good luck, Drew -

--Gary

hey again, for the purposes of this thread, all my comments are based on the asp.net xaf app.

<Dan (Developer Express)> schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:205158@community.devexpress.com...

Hello all

In this post I am going to give a brief description of how to deploy an XAF-based ASP.NET application to a third-party IIS server. Later, we will use this content to prepare a more complete article in the XAF help.

First of all, I want to specify my target:
1. I want to have an ASP.NET application with a "logon" window (it will show UserName and Password editors) that will allow me and my clients to register and review issues.
2. The application will be hosted on an IIS server.
3. The application's database will be located on an MS SQL Server.
4. IIS and SQL Server run on different machines.

I start from a new XAF solution and introduce the "Issue" class:

    [DefaultClassOptions]
    public class Issue : XPObject
    {
        private string subject;
        private string description;
        [Persistent]
        private BasicUser createdBy;
        public override void AfterConstruction(){
            base.AfterConstruction();
            createdBy = Session.GetObjectByKey<BasicUser>(((BasicUser)SecuritySystem.CurrentUser).Oid);
        }
        public Issue(Session session) : base(session) { }
        [Size(255)]
        public string Subject { get { return subject; } set { subject = value; } }
        [Size(4096), Custom("RowCount", "10")]
        public string Description { get { return description; } set { description = value; } }
        [PersistentAlias("createdBy")]
        public BasicUser CreatedBy { get { return createdBy; } }
    }

Then I change the authentication strategy to AuthenticationStandard in the ASP.NET application designer and write few lines of code, which create an "Administrator" user in the Updater class of my platform independent module:

    public class Updater : ModuleUpdater {
        public Updater(Session session, Version currentDBVersion) : base(session, currentDBVersion) { }
        public override void UpdateDatabaseAfterUpdateSchema() {
            base.UpdateDatabaseAfterUpdateSchema();
            BasicUser admin = Session.FindObject<BasicUser> (new BinaryOperator("UserName", "Admin"));
            if(admin == null) {
                admin = new BasicUser(Session);
                admin.UserName = "Admin";
                admin.Save();
            }
        }
    }

This is how the application looks at this stage:

      see image1 in attach

By default the Web Site project included in a new XAF solution is configured to run on the WebDev local server, while I need it to run on IIS. To move it to IIS, I open the context menu for the "c:\MyTracker...Web\" project in the solution tree, choose the "Publish Web Site" menu item and publish the site into the "c:\Inetpub\wwwrioot\MyTracker.Web" folder.
Now I open this folder to check what was published: there are all the necessary files except of the files, which are registered in the GAC on my machine. This is acceptable for now, but later I will have to create a full set of files.

Then I start Internet Explorer and try to browse to http://localhost/MyTracker.Web/Default.aspx.

The page shows this "Configuration Error" message:

     see image2 in attach

This error occurs because I didn't register my published site as an IIS application in the IIS manager. So, I have to start the IIS manager and click the "Properties" context menu item for my site, click the "Create" button in the dialog ("Directory" tab, "Application Settings" group).
Then I try again to browse to http://localhost/MyTracker.Web/Default.aspx.... Yes! I see the "Logon" page, type Admin and click the "Log On" button.

A new "Login failed for use ":\IUSR:"." error occurs:

         see image3 in attach

This is a native MS SQL Server error and it means that the connection cannot be established. This happens because I forgot to make the site security settings and the connection string consistent. In XAF, by default the connection string is prepared for "Windows authentication" (the "Integrated Security=SSPI" part of the connection string). This means that the connection to the database server will be established with the permissions of the running process, which is the IIS process and it is working under the 'VSCTPJULY\IUSR_TEAM-STUDIO' user. This user is a very restricted one.

There are two ways to solve this issue:
- configure the operating system, IIS and browser to use current user's system credentials.
- use a specific account to connect to the database server and include its credentials (username + password) in the connection string

The first approach requires that each customer has his/her own account in the local network. This could be acceptable for internal use (we are using an internal XAF-based tool in this way), where the whole application environment is in one hand: IIS, database server, network, Active Directory server and so on. To follow this approach I need to return to the IIS manager, open the "Properties" window, go to the "Directory Security" tab and click the "Edit" button. In the dialog  I need to clear the "Anonymous access" check box. Then I need to change the XAF authentication to AuthenticationActiveDirectory to use user accounts.

The second approach is better in case you don't own the environment and you are going to host your application on a third party IIS and database server, Then most likely you also will receive one database account and will not have ability to control Windows Active Directory users.

I will prefer the second way and specify the UserName and Password in my connection string. For simplicity, I will not try to secure it in my application, though there are ways to make it secured. For details on this please see MSDN.

Now I return to Visual Studio and move the connection string from code into the Web Site's configuration file:

 <connectionStrings>
    <add name="ConnectionString" connectionString="User ID=sa;Password=1;Pooling=false;Data Source=(local);Initial Catalog=MyTracker"/>

and add a single line of code to read it:

  protected void Session_Start(Object sender, EventArgs e) {
   WebApplication.SetInstance(Session, new MyTrackerAspNetApplication());

   WebApplication.Instance.ConnectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["ConnectionString"].ConnectionString;

   WebApplication.Instance.Setup();
   WebApplication.Instance.Start();
  }

After this, I compile the Web Site and publish it again, start IE and browse to the http://localhost/MyTracker.Web/Default.aspx page.

Voila! It's working:

       see image4 in attach

So, I have successfully started my locally deployed XAF ASP.NET Application.

The next step is to deploy it to a separate server and configure a database on another  separate server (until now I didn't care about it because it was created automatically when I ran my application from Visual Studio).

Currently I have a working application on my local IIS with an existing database. The next step is to deploy it to a separate server.

First of all, I will collect all the necessary assemblies (all of  them are enumerated in the <assemblies> section of my Web.config file).

About half of the list are System.XXX assemblies and the others are DevExpress.XXX assemblies. I will copy only the DevExpress.XXX assemblies into the "Bin" folder of my application:

                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.Security.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.Web.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Persistent.Base.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.Objects.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.Validation.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Xpo.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Web.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Data.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.ExpressApp.Images.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Web.ASPxEditors.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>
                <add assembly="DevExpress.Web.ASPxGridView.v7.3, Version=7.3..."/>

All the DevExpress.ExpressApp.XXX assemblies are installed in the "c:\Program Files\Developer Express Inc\eXpressApp Framework v7.3\Sources\DevExpress.DLL" folder. The rest of the DevExpress.XXX assemblies are DXperience assemblies and they are installed in the
"c:\Program Files\Developer Express .NET v7.3\Sources\DevExpress.DLL" folder. Also all these assemblies are registered in GAC.

Now I copy my site (the "c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MyTracker.Web" folder) to the other computer  and adjust the site properties in the IIS manager. Then I change the server name from "(local)"  to "SQLSERVER" in the connection string:

    <add name="ConnectionString" connectionString="User ID=sa;Password=1;Pooling=false;Data Source=SQLSERVER;Initial Catalog=MyTracker"/>

There is not yet any MyTracker database on my new database server and I have to create it manually before I can start the application. The XAF distribution includes a tool to create databases in situations like this. It is called "DBUpdater" and it is placed in the "c:\Program Files\Developer Express Inc\eXpressApp Framework v7.3\Tools\DBUpdater" folder during installation. It accepts parameters on the command line:

            Usage: DBUpdater.exe -silent <Path_to_app_config_file>

I copy it to the IIS computer and start it for my web application:

      C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MyTracker.Web\DBUpdater.v7.3.exe C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MyTracker.Web\Web.Config

It fails. :-\

This is very strange. I move back to the local computer, drop the database and start the same command line: it's working, and the database is created successfully. I go to Internet Explorer and browse to "http://localhost/MyTracker.Web": the Logon  page is shown. I type my user name and click the "Log On" button. The application seems to work: I see the Issue list and I can create a new issue as well.

It seems that I made a mistake while deploying my site. I go back to it and start debugging: and I see that a CLR exception occurs: "Could not load file or assembly 'DevExpress.ExpressApp.v7.3 :" Yes, of  course. This assembly cannot be loaded because I have not installed it into the GAC and I have not placed it near the "DBUpdater.v7.3.exe". To solve this issue I move the "DBUpdater.v7.3.exe" into the Bin folder of my application, which contains all the necessary assemblies and I try to run it again:

C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MyTracker.Web\bin\DBUpdater.v7.3.exe C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\MyTracker.Web\Web.Config

It is running and it finishes with this error:

>>>
  Updating database via connection string:
  User ID=sa;Password=1;Pooling=false;Data Source=SQLSERVER;Initial
Catalog=MyTracker
  The database doesn't exist. It'll be created now.

  The database can't be updated:

  An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server.  When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)
<<<

Right, I forgot to change the password in the connection string. I correct it now and start the tool again with this result:

>>>

Developer Express Inc (R) ExpressApp Framework Database Updater.
Version: 7.3.5.4080
Copyright (C) Developer Express Inc 2007. All rights reserved.
Updating database via connection string:
User ID=sa;Password=;Pooling=false;Data Source=SQLSERVER;Initial Catalog=MyTracker

The database doesn't exist. It'll be created now.

------------------------------------------------------------
Executing module update before the database schema update:
    MyTrackerModule
    MyTrackerAspNetModule

Executing database schema update
Executing module update after the database schema update:

    MyTrackerModule
    MyTrackerAspNetModule

Database update completed.

Please disconnect all connected users and press <Enter>.
<<<


The database is created: I see it in the SQL Server management studio. I start Internet Explorer and browse to the http://IISServer/MyTracker.Web/ page.

Yes! It's working and I have deployed my application.

As you can see I had to solve some problems related to SQL Server, IIS, operating system security configurations and to the assembly management in Visual Studio. XAF helps you create an application, but it doesn't yet fully automate complex ASP.NET applications deployment scenarios.

In this post, I have changed all computer names, login credentials and internet links. Of course you will have to use your own correct values if you want to follow the description step by step.

Thanks, Dan.

R&D, .NET Team Developer Express Inc.

PS. If you wish to receive direct assistance from our Support Team, use
Support Center at http://www.devexpress.com/Support/Center

---

http://community.devexpress.com//forums/p/60602/205158.aspx#205158

I've been experimenting with deploying an XAF app to a 3rd party hosting company, and am using an SQL Database supplied by them, with all tables configured

from my end.

Initially, I could run this as a win/web on my dev box, and had no problems or errors in the web.config or otherwise, from SQL Server or from IIS.

On the hosting site, the root directory has been subdomained to contain my project: http://webtracker.pugetcustompc.com

and has been configured for ASP.Net 2.0 in IIS; Anonymous Users has been enabled as well on the subdomain folder.

After testing all the various directory settings and working through a few deployment snags related to imported libraries, I've gotten to this message, which has shown up like the proverbial brick wall!

 I'm stumped with this, and am wondering if anyone has dealt with it successfully.  The information I've found seems to only point to the trust level of the application, and suggests changing it at the machine.config level; which of course is impossible from my end.

I attempted to hard code a trust level in the web.config, but of course it has been disabled by whoever the admin for the host is. That makes sense to me, but how does one get around such a restriction with XAF?

Thoughts?

--Gary

[SecurityException: Request for the permission of type 'System.Security.Permissions.SecurityPermission, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089' failed.]
   DevExpress.ExpressApp.Web.WebApplicationStatistic..cctor() +0

hey Gary, not sure if it will help, but perhaps my doc here may help. I walk from the start to the finish of getting xaf online on a remote host..

Hi Drew, I went there the moment I noticed it!  Nice work and easy to understand - thank you!

I didn't experience any of the known or mentioned issues I've read in your document, or in the groups.

At the moment, I'm rather stumped, and hopefully casting about here may raise some working ideas.

 --Gary

Hi Rinat,

Thanks for the article!  I'll come right out and reveal my ignorance here, and ask what you mean by:

"Just plug it in your kernel initialization routine"

Can you put that in an XAF or XPO term?

--Gary

what trust level is your host operating on?

Drew Curry:

what trust level is your host operating on?

It is medium trust.

Gary, if you like, and if it isn't breaking any NDA's etc, feel free to send me your zipped solution and i will try it on my hosted site. Shouldn't take long to test, but i understand if you prefer not to.. Contact me privately to discuss if you like.. cheers, drew..

Thanks Drew, I appreciate the offer!

In the scenario I was testing against, the app needs to connect with a pre-existing database.  I accomplish the mapping by using the persistent class ORM wizard from Devex. After doing so, I establish it in my application before publishing- something that I haven't confirmed is functioning correctly, either.  One thing I found out right away is that the database once uploaded to the host site, has its name changed to something other than its original - essentially the login name I use -- which throws the whole mapping situation into question. I did change the connection string as necessary, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Currently the data content doesn't matter, but for the mapping to have a point, such as a pre-existing database with full tables, it makes sense to have something

there.

What I did was import the SQL data base to my host account, and using the mentioned scenario, publish the web app and attempt a connection. The error is the result of that approach so far.

I think this could be tested with out necessarily sharing my app, as it still requires the database. It can be generic since just getting to the login window is the first order of business.

Admittedly, I haven't explored thoroughly what to do with the renamed database.  That means the ORM generated class file isn't synchronized any longer; however, with a few changes to the file itself (the mapping wizard identifies the datbase name as a "Namespace" in the file), I should be able to over-come the naming issue.

I  want to explore this approach a bit closer as I believe it will be a requirement with one of my clients sometime this year, and it would be way cool to have a couple of demo's up for view!

Drew, I'm going to do a few more things on my end before I enlist any direct help, but if you can make sense of the scenario I mentioned here, please give it try!

 Thanks to all for you time and efforts!

As a sidebar: I've successfully acomplished the mapping scenario to XAF win apps, and can now attach correctly mapped applications to there databases which have existing data. I have done this multiple times now and am confident with the process ( thanks of course to Dennis, Marina, and the whole support crew!). Further, I have shown that I can copy the app and create multiple instances which will run simultaneously - something I will be working with via deployment, and attach to remote server -- and execute data operations without errors.

This doesn'r exactly prove much, but I'm feeling  very close to a deployment for my client, and over 20 users + - !

Rinat Abdullin:

Hello Gary,

In short - just make sure that the first code snippet runs once when the
web application starts.

"kernel initialization routine" is not XAF-related term, since DX for some
reason has decided not to use any IoC container in it (thus making its maintainability
and extensibility more challenging).

With best regards,
Rinat Abdullin 

>

Thanks Rinat, I suspected we were talking entry point here.  I'll let you know how it works out.

It will likely be a couple of days.

Thanks again!

It seems that trust level is indeed the issue at the moment.  In using VS 2008 and the 3.5 framework, the way servers handle application trust levels is done in the GAC, and is set to medium trust.

From what I've read so far, XAF wants to run in full trust (interop?), but that is an unacceptable risk for hosting servers, clearly.

About all I can find as potential resolution is to get the hosting company - Godaddy in my case -- to install the correct extension into the GAC using the latest ASP.Net AJAX extensions.

According to some posted info on the web, one should NOT install the System.Web.Extensions for 3.5 Framework to there Bin folder, as this could lead to errors, and will not over-ride default settings, nor will placing them in the web.config file;  it is ultimately up to the hosting company to provide the correct dll's to the server GAC.

Anyone have similar experiences?

I'll be calling Godaddy and see if I can get a sense of where they're at with all this.