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Adjusting Server Settings prior to installing Visual DataFlex

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The default Windows settings constantly change and starting with Windows Server 2003 some settings are not configured to accommodate what is needed in a Visual DataFlex environment. Also, some components necessary for Visual DataFlex to fully run are not installed by default. So, before installing Visual DataFlex, you should review and configure your server.

In order to install and successfully run, Visual DataFlex needs the following to be appropriately set:

  1. Internet Information Services
  2. ASP Support
  3. 32-bit compatibility


1. Internet Information Services

During installation Visual DataFlex will check whether Internet Information Services (IIS) is installed. If IIS is not present on the server, Visual DataFlex web server components will NOT be installed. For this reason, before you install Visual DataFlex, you will need to make sure IIS is installed on your server. You can do that by checking the list of Windows features installed on your server; Internet Information Services needs to be selected.

Depending on the Windows platform you are running, you will need to make further adjustments since the latest versions of Windows (Windows Server 2008, for example) include a higher version of Internet Information Services instead of IIS 6, and the management API has been changed dramatically from prior IIS versions.

As various Visual DataFlex components (from the installation program to the Studio and Web Application Administrator) depend on the prior IIS management API to function correctly, you must enable backward compatibility for IIS 6 management API on your server. In order to do that, select IIS Metabase and IIS 6 configuration compatibility under Web Management Tools | IIS 6 Management Compatibility on your server.

On Windows Server 2008, for example, follow the steps below to install IIS and enable IIS compatibility:
  • Open Server Manager
  • Select Roles
  • On the right-hand pane, click on Add Roles – the Add Roles Wizard will start at the Before You Begin page
  • Click Next
  • Select Web Server (IIS) on the Select Server Roles page
  • On the Add features required for Web Server (IIS) dialog box, click on Add Required Features
  • Click Next
  • Again, click Next
  • On the Select Role Services page, select Management Tools | IIS 6 Management Compatibility | IIS Metabase Compatibility
  • Click Next
  • Click Install
  • On the Results page, click Close


2. ASP Support

Visual DataFlex Web Application Server needs ASP to successfully run. On the latest versions of Windows, ASP is not enabled by default. You must turn on ASP to support the Visual DataFlex Web Application Server.

This can be done under Internet Information Services | World Wide Web Services |
Application Development Features. Turning on ASP will also automatically turn on ISAPI Extensions.

On Windows Server 2008, for example, you may enable ASP by following the steps below:
  • Open Server Manager
  • Expand Roles
  • Select Web Server (IIS)
  • Scroll down the right-hand pane until you see Role Services
  • Click on Add Role Services
  • Select Application Development | ASP
  • On the Add role services required for ASP dialog box, click on Add Required Role Services – this will select ISAPI Extensions
  • Click Next
  • Click Install
  • On the Results page, click Close


3. 32-bit Compatibility

All current Data Access Worldwide products are 32-bit software and depend on the 32-bit compatibility mode of Windows x64 platforms to run.

The setting that turns on that compatibility mode is Enable 32-bit Applications in the Default Application pool on x64 versions of Windows. That setting is not turned on by default, so you will need to change it in order to successfully install and run any of Data Access products.

On Windows Server 2008 x64, for example, these are the steps you will need to take to turn on the 32-bit compatibility:
  • Open Server Manager
  • Expand Roles| Web Server (IIS) | Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager*
  • On the right-hand pane, expand the Connections tree
  • Click on Application Pools
  • On the panel to the right, select DefaultAppPool
  • From the Actions panel, select Set Application Pool Defaults
  • In the General group, highlight Enabled 32-bit Applications
  • From the combo, select True
  • Click OK

* If Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager is not displayed in the tree, you may have to close and reopen Server Manager


We recommend you make all of these operating system changes prior to installing Visual DataFlex in any environment.

You should search our Knowledge Base and Microsoft’s website to obtain details on how to change settings on your specific version of Windows. For example, Knowledge Base 2413 - HOWTO: Enabling 32 bit web applications on 64 bit operating systems lists the steps for other Windows versions.

Updated 8-Aug-2014 at 11:17 AM by Marcia Booth

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Comments

  1. raveens's Avatar
    Life Saver !!!