1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Beta Testing
  3. Tuesday, 15 September 2020 11:38 AM UTC

Hi,

I downloaded the new PB2019 R3 beta and have been trying out the new C/S deployment:

1 - How do I configure a remote Server"? I think I have to add FTP protocol/role, but some instructions for noobs would be nice. (or even better, powerbuilder setting IIS up so it would work on remote). 

2 - Using "localhost" we have to disable any antivirus to deploy. Avast and Avira consider the code as BAD. No problem for deployment, but this IS a big problem for any clients connecting. Antivirus also jumps in and the only way to download on a client is by also deactivating the antivirus.

3 - How can I embed a Manifest?

4 - I cannot run my applications anymore when the server is down. This should be possible in my opinion, once you have done the initial download. It would give us the possibility to have the file server running while our customers are testing and we are still uploading new requirements or bugfixes, but once we've reached a stable situation, there'd be no more need to have the fileserver running.

5 - Some examples for registering OCX and DLLs would be nice. An example shows the use of regasm.exe, but not all clients have an available regasm. Can we somehow deploy a regasm.exe in the files section and then run it with the script?

 

Edit: 6 - We are using commandline parameters. How should I fit in a commandline parameter, now that there's already some in the shortcuts produced by the C/S deployment?

regards,

MiguelL

Accepted Answer
Julie Jiang @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Wednesday, 16 September 2020 08:55 AM UTC
  2. Beta Testing
  3. # Permalink

Hi Miguel, 

1) Please take a look at the documentation page mentioned by Sally (https://docs.appeon.com/pb2019r2/powerserver_toolkit_user_guide/Managing_server_profiles.html#twoRequirements) on how to configure the FTP server. Our team is now studying the issue you reported "unable to get a "Test Connection" to work for IIS installed on the remote server). 

2) Yes we noticed that some anti-virus software will throw false positives for the new DLLs/exe. So we have updated this article: https://www.appeon.com/developers/get-help/knowledgebase/what-do-if-powerbuilderinfomaker-installer-blocked-anti-virus-software.html.  At the same time, we are contacting the anti-virus software vendors and ask them to add our files into their whitelist.  

3) We will try to add support for Manifest in the GA version.

4) Currently every time an application is launched, the application will send a request to the web server to check if there is any updates. The application will fail to run if it does not receive a response from the web server. Your suggestion is great for handling the cases when the application has been fully downloaded to the client and there is disconnection with the web server. We will take it as an enhancement request and see whether it is possible to implement. 

5) It is interesting. Our team needs to study whether it is possible to deploy the regasm.exe in the files section. 

6) The commandline setting will be added to the PowerClient C/S App configuration in the GA version. Currently, you may manually input the parameter in the URL with this format: http://ipaddress:port/yourapp?yourcommandlineparm.            

Best regards, Julie

Comment
  1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Wednesday, 16 September 2020 09:58 AM UTC
Thank you Julie,

About 1):

Yes I looked at it, still doesn`t work. It does work for a PowerSERVER profile on the same machine, just not for the Powerclient.



About 2):

Yes as a workaround it`s okay, but you can`t oblige your customers to add exceptions to their antivirus, so hopefully Avast, Avira, etc. will update their software to allow Appeon.



About 5):

As Chris said, maybe customers won`t allow you at all to distribute a regasm.exe and I agree. Maybe the way to go is generate the needed registry entries and run them from the command line using regedit.ext (at least regedit is available on customer`s computers). We already know which registry entries we need, since so far we`re using Wix to create our msi installers. Another thing we could do is to add the msi installers and run them from the commandline.

So maybe this one is not so urgent.



About 6):

That would mean that (for now) we always have to run the application from the browser if I`m not mistaken.

Good enough as a workaround for now.



Thank you!
  1. Helpful
  1. Julie Jiang @Appeon
  2. Thursday, 17 September 2020 09:12 AM UTC
Miguel,

Thanks a lot for your comments!

Regarding #6, after you run the application from the browser for the first time, you can always run the application from its desktop shortcut. The command line argument specified in the application URL will be remembered in the desktop shortcut. It is possible to change the argument value by manually modifying the settings of the desktop shortcut, or you re-run the application from the browser.

Best regards, Julie
  1. Helpful
  1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Thursday, 17 September 2020 13:07 PM UTC
Thanks for explaining!
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Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 15 September 2020 20:09 PM UTC
  2. Beta Testing
  3. # 1

Hi Miguel;

1) You need to have IIS installed on the remote server and then run the PowerClient install on that remote instance.

2) FWIW: I use Microsoft Defender and have no such issue(s)

3) I noticed that in the latest W10 release that adding a manifest culminates in an MS-Windows "Side by Side" error. I have already informed Engineering about the manifest issues.

4) Yes, the App is still dependent (at this point) on a solid and consistent PowerClient connection.

5) REGASM deployment would violate (AFAIK) the MS-Windows license agreement. Yes, some more examples would be nice but after all, this is a very early beta.  ;-)

6) I do not believe that the current PowerClient supports this option yet. Great point!

Regards .. Chris

Comment
  1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Wednesday, 16 September 2020 02:33 AM UTC
Well, I've tried ...

Filezilla is connecting fine from the same machine to the remote server, so I'll just wait until we get some more information.

I'll just use my own (localhost), that seems to work fine.
  1. Helpful
  1. Sally Li @Appeon
  2. Wednesday, 16 September 2020 04:18 AM UTC
Hi Miguel,



Maybe you can try something like this. Check if your FTP server has the right permission or not.

https://docs.appeon.com/pb2019r2/powerserver_toolkit_user_guide/Managing_server_profiles.html#twoRequirements



Regards,

  1. Helpful
  1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Wednesday, 16 September 2020 09:49 AM UTC
Hi Sally Li,

Thank you for your suggestion. I tried, but it still doesn`t work.

BTW: if I use the exact same setting for a Powerserver connect, it DOES work on the same machine.

So my guess is that something is missing with the powerclient server configuration.

regards,

MiguelL

(NOTE: Julie says engineers are looking at it)
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Miguel Leeuwe Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Thursday, 17 September 2020 13:05 PM UTC
  2. Beta Testing
  3. # 2

Another thing missing is the possibility to set Version info, just like we do in a "normal" project.

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