One of the advantages of using PXPlus web services has always been the ability to directly access the data files from the application. I'm not a hacker, but I don't think it would be terribly easy to get to the original datafiles from a website that has PXPlus (Webster+) code running behind the web server.

However, when using any of the popular content management systems to expose data that normally resides in a PXPlus database, I've always synchronized a subset of that data to a MySQL database accessible from the website code. I have, on occasion, used MS SQL Server, but only because the CMS was based on SQL Server.
Depending on the requirements, I've had routine periodic transfers of data handled by a background task, or I've executed realtime queries to insert, update or delete data in the remote/web sql database when changes are made in the application.  I'm working on a web app now which updates a MySQL database every time a record is written or removed from the PXPlus database. 
I'm not sure about "best practices", but this is what I do.
Phil

Thanks Kevin and Mike,

I'm glad to know that you're out there. We used to have a bunch of independent developers in the North America, but I guess those days are gone. I've already moved one client to another platform, rather than redeveloping in Webster+, but if I run into more opportunities for PVXPlus development, I will be in touch.

Thanks - Phil

Thanks for the reply, Martin.  As far as I know, PVXPlus Technologies doesn't do custom application work using PXPlus. They are developing the language and the tools.  I'm hoping there are companies out there using the language and those tools to do custom work.  There used to be a good many.  It seems most of the companies developing with PXPlus are selling and supporting a fully developed application and not doing custom work on-demand.

Am I wrong?

Phil

Are there any companies in the PXPlus ecosystem that do on-demand, custom development work?  I'm retired, for the most part, but very occasionally an old client will call with need for something custom.  I'm perfectly capable of taking these small projects from idea to completion, but I'm reluctant to do so because I worry about continuity and ongoing support.
At the moment I have a prospect for some Webster+ development to replace a very old Sage 100 eBusiness app, but I'd prefer to work with a development group which can support such a product into the future.

- Phil

Hello Davinder,

I'm not on the PXPlus team, but I'd be happy to spend some time with you sharing my experience with Webster+. The more of us who use it, the more likely it is to be used by others, and I'm willing to make a contribution to the effort. 
I've only done one small, standalone project with Webster+, but it didn't seem too terribly difficult once I got over the start up hump.  Initial configuration was more daunting to read about than it was to actually do. There were some things I did not understand until I actually got into my project.  If I can help you get started, I may have a better chance of remembering what I learned!

Phil

Sorry for the delayed reply, Patrick.  I didn't see it.

The configuration I have for Beyond Compare tells it how to recognize my PXPlus programs and NOMADS files (using the extensions) and links to the decompile programs.  If you are comparing text source files, you do not need a separate configuration.

It is possible to set up the configuration to "decompile" and "recompile" your files, if you wish.  This would allow the program to display text, allow you to do merges and edits, then "recompile" back to metacode.  For my purposes, I do not recompile the PVX programs.  Most of my work is done with text source and the only time I require the decompile function is when I'm compared PXPlus programs in separate folders (such as different versions) or two versions of the same file.

Let me know if you want more information from me.  Again, I didn't realize you had answered on this thread. I guess I do not have alerts set up correctly.

Phil

Thanks again, Mike.  My misunderstanding was in what folders are available through the browser.  In my ignorance I thought Pages was available through the web browser. It turns out only Docroot is available.  This makes total sense, but I wasn't thinking properly. If I simply move my little web page to Docroot instead of Pages, it works fine when presented on the menu as a URL.

I'm learning.

Thanks Mike,
I still don't understand some things regarding images.  I was able to get the .PNG files to display (on my workstation) by inserting a line like this:
[picture file="userguide/image1.png" size=109x39 align="left,top"]

This required that I find all the <img> tags in my HTML and replace them with [picture], which is laborious.  I thought I should be able to use the  short code, which should tell Webster+ to use the <img> as it was entered.  For example:
<iimg width=434 height=154 src=userguide/image1.png" aligh=left>

When I try this, it does not display anything at all... not even a blank rectangle. 

What am I missing about the  short code?  My document displays just fine with all the images when I'm not going through Webster+.  Not only that, everything works through Webster+ *except* the images.  All the other HTML seems to be rendered correctly, including links and style.

Thanks - Phil

Never mind!  I searched through the CATS pages which referred me to the "PICTURE" short code.  That seems to be the solution to my problem. 

Phil

I have a very simple web page that only displays an image.  The image displays just fine if I hope the HTML page in Safari or Edge or any other browser.  But when I add that page, testimage.html, to the Webster+ sidebar menu (as a Webpage), the image will not display.  All the text displays, but not the image.  The page and the JPG (or PNG) file both are in the Pages folder.
I've tried moving the image to other folders but cannot get it to display when viewed from the Webster+ menu.
Below is the simple web page:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Display simple image</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <img width="468" height="312" src="image001.jpg">
  </body>
</html>

Eric, the new program worked perfectly.  Thank you for resolving this for me.

Phil

Thank you very much, EVa!  Apparently I didn't know what question to ask without bouncing around for a little while.

I'll install and give this a try.  I may not be able to do it for a week or so since I'm heading to your side of the Atlantic for a bit.

- Phil

Aha!  I didn't think to try to correctly run a transaction.  HTTP://localhost:8088/?txid=test seems to work - at least one time.  This means that the service is working, even with the error.  It does not work consistently, but I believe that is because I was not closing the window properly.  The txid=test and txid=debug seem to work.  However, my Webster+ app does not work.  If I try to the following:
http://localhost/?pg$=profile
It returns the iNOMADS admin.

There is something else I need to do, apparently, to run Webster+ as a service.  I note that on the command line i have:
-arg 8088 "" c:\apps\coasttec\docroot
But i see nowhere in the Windows service setup that I can specify those arguments.  The only choice I have, apparently, is to select EZWeb Server as the application.

Is it possible to run Webster+ as a service?  If so, how do I set it up?

Thanks - Phil

Thanks for the replies Loren, Stéphane and Mike.  I have tried using my account as the login and have tried setting up a new account and giving that account full control permissions to the PXPlus and app folders but I get the same problem.  I have also tried using NETWORK SERVICE as the logon with the same result.

The service *will* start, but it logs the TCP error mentioned earlier.  It uses a license and when I try to run my app, I get the iNOMADS admin page.  This implies, to me, that EZWEB *is* running, but it will not run my app nor any of the iNOMADS transactions.

I have tried this on two separate Windows 11 workstations with same results.  The Winsock error happens every time and regardless of the user. 

Thanks again for any additional suggestions.

- Phil

Thanks Stéphane, that was helpful.   I'm now seeing a Winsock error:
-----
Jun 24 09:53:04 [*ezweb\server:356] Starting *ezweb/server (PID:6048)
Jun 24 09:53:08 [*ezweb\server:423] [TCP][Winsock]Error status:0 (-1:<Unk>) (PID:6048)
Jun 24 09:53:08 [*ezweb\server:423] OS Cmnd Err: [TCP][Winsock]Error status:0 (-1:<Unk>) (C:\Users\Devon\workspace\repos\development_svnpxp\pvxplus\pvxexe\pvxtcp.c @ 888) (PID:6048)
-----

It is interesting that I don't get such an error when running from command prompt.  Perhaps Devon can shed light since the error references his repo.

Even with the error, the service appears to start, but when I attempt to use the app in the browser *EZWEB returns the message:
"We're sorry, the system security settings are restricting access to this session."

This makes me think that there is some security restriction for the local system account that I'm missing.

Thanks for the help!

Phil