I just tried to install WF 713 on our production server and i'm stuck with an issue getting to the Client Console. When I try to access the Client Console web page I get a message indicating "Application Server Error. Server not running or Path is not correct, blah, blah, blah."

My production server uses SSL. I will not be using MRE, BID or RCaster so I do not have an application server in production. I plan on running everything in Self Service mode with ISAPI. PROD is Win2K SP3, IIS 5.

Everything works like a charm on our TEST box although it does not use SSL and is Win2K SP4, IIS 5. It, too, does not have an App Server but the Client Console works.

Has anyone seen this error message when installing WF 713?

Prompt feedback will be most appreciated.

Mickey, I don't think the WF Console works without an app server (it's all JSP based)! If you check your Dev machine again, you may find that you have ServletExec installed as an ISAPI plug-in. This is the applicationh server. You may not have the plug-in installed on your Prod machine. If you don't have ServletExec, you may have the Apache Tomcat "plug-in" installed.

The WebFOCUS Client install disk also comes with Apache Tomcat "plug-in" for IIS and it "self installs" if you select it. I just installed 7.1.5. on Win2K and it worked perfectly... but I allowed the Apache Tomcat "plug-in" for IIS to be installed. Mike

Hey Mike! I haven't heard from you in a long time. Where have you been?

I have no idea why the console was working on my TST box because it ain't working there now either. I do not have any plugins to IIS installed. I did have Weblogic configured on our TST box but I shut it off and the console still worked. It worked no matter what I shut off and removed but when I unistalled WF and reinstalled it on my TST box it now gets the same error as the PRD install did.

We have not purchased a license of Weblogic yet for our PRD box. I was trying to upgrade before aquiring the App Server because we have an application (self-serv) which depends on features of 7.1.x so I thought I could get away with this since my tests with no App Server worked on my TST box.

I still do not know why TST worked when the App Server was not running. This makes me suspicious of what the Client Console really uses, JSP pages or not.

The webfocus client console (shown as "Web console") in the Webfocus client grouping uses it's own service. Look for the WebFOCUS71 Client in the services window. Start it and try again.

I have faced the same problem some time back. If you are using "plug-in" for IIS then you need to install ISAPI redirect and you need add internet guest account IBI folder.

Moogi

Thanks dhagen/moogi for the suggestions but I tried them both and they did not resolve my issue. The key here is that I do not have an Application Server installed. I realize I’m playing with fire when trying to upgrade to WF 713 without an Application Server but, never-the-less, I am.

Having said all that, I think I found my solution.

WARNING!!! LONG WINDED EXPLANATION BELOW!!!

By default, WF 713 uses Servlet for the WF Client Console which is accessed via Start Menu/Programs/Information builders/WebFOCUS 71/WebFOCUS Administration Console.

This is different from the other Client Console that can be accessed via Start Menu/Programs/Information Builders/WebFOCUS 71/WebFOCUS 71 Client/Web Console.

The former (WebFOCUS Administration Console) is the one which is to be used for configuring the WF Client Component and this is the one I could not access.

Through trial and error and lots of guessing I finally found the cgipath.js file which is located under the C:\ibi\webfocus71\ibi_html\javaassist directory. This little file contains the settings that seem to control the default settings for a few things including the usage of Servlet or CGI or ISAPI for the WF Client Console. See the following link to the vague IBI documentation. Notice the Client Path and Maintain Path settings:

WF Client Console/Utilities/Client Selection

As shown in the link above, the settings in this file can be changed via the WF Client Console. Of course, since I could not access the console in the first place, I had to manually change the settings in the file and THEN I was able to access the WebFOCUS Administration Console. I remember fiddling with these settings during my initial testing WITH an Application Server and must have left it set to use ISAPI. Therefore, when I shutdown the Application Server to determine if I can upgrade without it, my WF Client Console still worked. I knew there had to be a reason why it stilled worked. Round 2 with the upgrade is tomorrow. Don't worry, I still love WebFOCUS.

Thanks again to those of you who took a stab at possible solutions for me.