If you have used SoftVelocity's Clarion for any length of time, chance are pretty good you have heard of Capesoft. In fact, one of the first accessories I purchased when I started using Clarion to write database applications was Capesoft's Makeover product. Later I added Insight Graphing to my Clarion Toolbox. However, I came late to the party where NetTalk was concerned. I had read many newsgroup postings about how other developers used NetTalk to easily add email functionality and other features to their software. However, I didn't buy NetTalk until I had a very specific need which only NetTalk seemed to offer.
Most of my applications are for customer support or help desk customers. One of these customers was using one of my Clarion developed applications in a call center. Like most of my database applications, browse or grid styles screens show many records at a time in rows and columns like a spreadsheet. Fill in the blank style update forms are launched from the browse screen to view, add or update individual records. Now in this case, multiple users would have the browse screen open until they received a call. They would then enter the details of the call and return to the browse screen. This customer wanted any call updates made by any staff person to be immediately displayed to others who had the browse screeen open. I had tried a lot of timer and reset code, but finally opted to spend the money for NetTalk. I added NetRefresh to the application, the customer was happy, and so was I when I received his check which paid for my investment in NetTalk. End of story? or just the beginning?
Like all Capesoft products, NetTalk comes with ample documentation and plenty of sample code. I recently took one of the sample applications, imported tables from one of my applications to that dictionary, built some browse and form controls, modified the menu, and in a short period of time I had a fully functional web server that works well with my corresponding desktop application. I was almost tempted to call it the Web Server for Dummies. Let me explain:
I most often use CodeCharge Studio for developing browser based database applications. This development environment is very similar to Clarion in many respects and I find it pretty easy to develop web applications. However, I have found that even though my customers are usually pretty techically adept, setting up a web enabled database application can be challenging for many of them. Why? Let's use a web application that has a Microsoft Access format .mdb on the backend. The pages are provided as Active Server Pages - .asp with .html templates. In order to set up the web pages, the customer must have Microsoft IIS installed: not all do. Some will have to go the Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components, check IIS - and oh yes, have the Operating System CD handy. The folder where the .mdb file resides needs to have file sharing set up for the mysterious Internet Guest Account - IUSR_machine name. But wait, depending on the version of IIS - asp pages may be disabled by default while the newer .aspx pages may be enabled. My customer might have to insure .asp pages are enabled. Wait, I have started testing an early version of Microsoft Vista and it looks like .asp and .aspx pages are by default disabled. Ok, with Classic .asp pages my customer might have to edit the common.asp file for things like connection settings if they didn't accept the defaults. If I provide the newer .net style .aspx pages they would need to edit a web.config file. Still more? Does he know how to create a virtual web directory in IIS? Now, I am still contemplating a review of InstallAware which might let me create an installation routine that would take care of a lot the above. However, even though it might be very easy for me to create a web application using CodeCharge Studio, or some other program, sometimes what is more important than what is easy for me - the developer, the important thing is what is easy for my customer. Enter NetTalk.
With a NetTalk created web server your customer may need to do nothing more than click the shortcut to your .exe and then type in http://ipaddress:port - http://111.222.333:88 - what could be simpler. Now, there may be cases where a NetTalk web server is not an option, but since it is easy to create a NetTalk Web Server application, and it is easy for many to use, why not give it a try? I did and I think the results are pretty good. Click this link to watch a flash demo of a NetTalk web server application. Interested? You need two things: Clarion and NetTalk.
Check this site periodically. I may be writing more about NetTalk - or other Capesoft products in the future.
Ed.