GeneWeb - Server or CGI

Nevertheless, this applies only to computers visible from outside, i.e. only the ones directly connected to Internet.

If you use a provider, your computer is not visible. In this case, there is no solution. It is the provider's responsibility to install GeneWeb. At the time I am writing these lines (Oct 98), I think that no provider installed it.

Thus, the following concerns only the ones who have a direct connection to Internet.

If you are under Unix or Windows NT (thus not Windows 95), you had to enter the computer as a user, giving your login name and your password. Maybe you want to log out without that GeneWeb stops.

You have then two solutions to resolve this problem: installation in "service" and installation in "cgi".

Installation in "service"

• If you are under Unix, instead of typing just "gwd", type:

       nohup gwd 2>&1 &             (under "sh", "ksh", "bash")
       nohup gwd >& nohup.out &     (under "csh", "tcsh")
  

  Then you can logout. Gwd will go on running and send its trace to the file "nohup.out" you can consult later. To stop it, look at its process number, with the command "ps" and kill it with the command "kill".

• If you are under Windows NT, you must install "gwd" as "service" by use of the utility "srvany.exe", logged in as Administrator. From Windows NT Ressource Kit you need: srvany.exe, instsrv.exe, may be srvinstw.exe and delsrv.exe, too. First, copy srvany.exe to a folder on your computer (e. g. C:\GeneWeb) and install it as a service (nicer tool for that is the graphical utility srvinstw.exe):

        instsrv GeneWebServer c:\GeneWeb\srvany.exe
  

  In Services in Control Panel, click GeneWebServer, and then click Startup to choose Automatic or Manual. In the Log On As box, choose the account to start the service in, and fill in the right password (this must be used to have access to the network). GeneWeb will be started by specifying the following registry keys with regedt32:

  1. under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\GeneWebServer create
     a new key "Parameters"
     
  2. create there two new Values (type REG_SZ) Application and AppDirectory, e. g.
     Application: REG_SZ: C:\GeneWeb\gw\gwd.exe
     AppDirectory: REG_SZ: C:\GeneWeb\gw
  

  Now you can control the GeneWeb service in Control Panel -> Services -> GeneWebServer "Startup"/"Stop" or by typing "net start GeneWebServer" or "net stop GeneWebServer" at the command prompt. To remove GeneWebServer, stop it and type "delsrv GeneWebServer" or "instsrv GeneWebServer remove".

Installation in "cgi"

• Under Unix, if you installed GeneWeb e.g. in the directory "/home/smith/geneweb", create a file you name "geneweb" and holding the following lines:

       #!/bin/sh
       DIR=/home/smith/geneweb/gw
       cd $DIR
       $DIR/gwd -cgi 2>/dev/null
  

  Let this shell executable (chmod +x geneweb) and ask your system administrator to install this file in the "cgi" directory. Ask him/her what address to use. This probably will be something like:

       http://blabla.xx.edu/cgi-bin/geneweb
  

  If you open the above URL address in you navigator, you will see a page asking only "Base:". Enter the name of your database. You can also add "?b=jones" to this URL, if "jones" is your database's name.

  Remarks:

  • If this latest command does not work, it is possible that the Web server have no access rights to the base and the other directories. Do the following operations:

         cd /home/smith/geneweb/gw
         chmod 777 . lang images base.gwb
    

  • If it answers but is very slow, it is possible that it is because the base is accessed by NFS (Network File System). It would be better that it be not the case: if possible, copy the directory geneweb on a local disk of the Web server. If it is not possible, add the option "-nolock" in the call to the command "gwd" of the file "geneweb" above:

         $DIR/gwd -cgi -nolock
    

• Under Windows NT, if you installed GeneWeb e.g. in the directory "c:\home\smith\geneweb", create a file you name "gwd.arg" and holding the following lines:

       -hd
       c:\home\smith\geneweb\gw
       -bd
       c:\home\smith\geneweb\gw
       -cgi
  

  These are the options which can be given to the command "gwd". Do "gwd -help" to see all the possible options.

  Ask your system administrator then:

  • To install "gwd.arg" in the "cgi" directory.
  • To copy the file "gwd.exe" of the "geneweb" directory to this "cgi" directory.

  Ask him/her the address to use. This will be probably something like:

       http://blabla.xx.edu/cgi-bin/gwd.exe
  

  If you open the above URL address in you navigator, you will see a page asking only "Base:". Enter the name of your database. You can also add "?b=jones" to this URL, if "jones" is your database's name.

  Remark: if this latest command does not work, it is possible that the Web server have no access rights to the base and the other directories. You have to give the read and write access rights to the directory "geneweb", its subdirectory "gw" and the subdirectories "lang", "jones.gwb", "images" (and "cnt" if this directory exists).

Installation in "service" or in "cgi"?

• In "cgi" mode, the requests are indirect, since they have to pass through the Web server, which can slow down the treatment.
• Under Unix, the installation in "service" is easier, since it does not require the permission nor the intervention of the system administrator.
• Under Windows NT, you always have to ask your system administrator, who will probably prefer the "cgi" mode which is much easier to install and more controllable.
• Of course, if there is no Web server in your computer, only the installation in "service" is possible.