MIDAS Web Service download and installation

In these notes replace [MIDASBASE] with the base of your software installation (default is /MIDAS)

Linux: Create a directory [MIDASBASE] and make this your current directory. Use tar -z -x -f to extract the downloaded archive into the current directory. Set the environment variable MIDASBASE to the full pathname of the directory. From this directory (for the 64 bit Linux version) run the command TclHttpd/Linux64/TclHttpd-server.
For other Linux based versions (such as Linux (Intel 32 bit) and Linux for ppc processor cores) use the appropiate directory in TclHttpd.

Windows: Use a program such as winzip or tar with cygwin to extract the downloaded archive and create a directory c:\MIDAS. The directory c:\MIDAS\TclHttpd\Win contains a command file StartUp.cmd to start the Web Server which runs in a command prompt window. This command file also starts the ShObjManager which is used by various components of the software (for example NetVar) to implement Linux-type persistent shared memory.

On startup the server looks in a number of places in the [MIDASBASE]/config/TclHttpd directory for a configuration file. There are sample configuration scripts for all services in the directory [MIDASBASE]/config/TclHttpd/Samples. The default startup file used by the TclHttpd software is [MIDASBASE]/config/TclHttpd/startup.tcl. 


puts "This file is /MIDAS/config/TclHttpd/startup.tcl"
puts "It should be customised with commands to load and run the Web services you require."
puts "Look in the online documentation and the Samples directory for examples of these commands"


package require HelloServer

package require TimeServer
This will start the demonstration Time Service. See here for more information.
The software assumes that a directory C:\Temp exists and can be written to. (Vista users take note!).
For Windows XP and Vista (or any system with firewall software installed) you will have to give the software permission to access the network.
In all cases you should see output like 
System identified is CPU x86_64; Platform is unix; OS is Linux and Version is 2.6.18-128.1.6.el5xen
Environment selected is CPU x64_64; Platform unix and OS Linux64
can't find package limit
Running with default file descriptor limit
/debug user "debug" password "+t=u0y3gt6m5"
httpd started on port 8015
secure httpd started on SSL port 8016

Cannot use /MIDAS/config/TclHttpd/nnsv/startup.tcl
Cannot use /MIDAS/config/TclHttpd/localhost/startup.tcl
/TimeServer
Completed custom startup from /MIDAS/config/TclHttpd/startup.tcl

Finally use a Web Browser to contact the URL http://[myhost]:8015 where [myhost] is the network name of the system on which you have installed the software (this could be localhost).

Many services use the MessageLogger possibly connected to an ELog. The MessageLogger client software can be installed by adding 

    set MessageLoggerServerHost nndhcp077

    package require  MessageLoggerClient
to the startup file (default - [MIDASBASE]/config/TclHttpd/startup.tcl). The variable MessageLoggerServerHost is the name of the system running the MessageLogger service. This is by default localhost. See here for full information.
In most cases the service software checks for the presence of the MessageLogger client and will not give a fatal error if not installed.

It is possible (optionally) to configure the Web Base Page for your installation. This is done by adding Setting commands into the startup file. 


puts "This file is /MIDAS/config/TclHttpd/startup.tcl"
puts "It should be customised with commands to load and run the Web services you require."
puts "Look in the online documentation and the Samples directory for examples of these commands"

  Setting BGColor "BlanchedAlmond"
  Setting TextColor "red"
  
  Setting ProjectName AGATA
  Setting ProjectImage agata_banner.png

  Setting Option1Name STFC
  Setting Option1URL "stfc.ac.uk"
  Setting Option1Image stfc.jpg

package require HelloServer

package require TimeServer
The images should be placed into the directory [MIDASBASE]/TclHttpd/Html/images.
You can have multiple Option images by using Setting Option*Name etc where * = 1,2,3 and so on.
See here for an example page.

V Pucknell; STFC; Daresbury Lab   9 July 2009

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