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[se99jmk]

I've downloaded and installed LPS DE on OSX, and the introduction bit at least is working fine. However according to the installation instructions, I should now be able to run hello.lzx

I've tried double clicking on that file, and it says there is no default application to run that file. I've tried opening it using safari, but it's grayed out and won't let me select lzx files.

any ideas?

[bloch]

Hi there,

In order to run Laszlo applications, you have to access them via your browser. When the LPS is running you can get to the apps at urls like

http://localhost:8080/lps-${version}/

For example:

http://localhost:8080/lps-${version}/examples/hello.lzx

will get you to the hello world application.

Replace ${version} with the version of the LPS you have installed. The latest available is 2.1.1

-Eric

[se99jmk]

Excellent! Got it all working now. As i understand it, in order to have these applications running on my website, I have to install LPS on my host's computers, is that correct? (or post them to mylaszlo.com).

Is it a royal pain in the neck to install it onto a hosts computer? Using Globat.com at the moment, so don't know if they'd allow this sort of installation. But what would be required on their their (or my) part to install it? Have already applied to for LPS NC version.

[antun]

Is it a royal pain in the neck to install it onto a hosts computer? Using Globat.com at the moment, so don't know if they'd allow this sort of installation.

That depends on the hosting company, and the hosting plan. Understand that the LPS is a servlet that runs inside of a servlet container (e.g. Tomcat), so you'd need a hosting company that will let you either:

a) Install a servlet container.

or

b) Has a servlet container as part of the plan, and is pretty liberal about how and what you can upload to it.

First a: if you have root or Administrator access to a server, you'll be able to install a servlet container. Some hosting companies offer pretty cheap colocation (when you have your own server that you install in their facility) these days or will rent you a physical server for a little bit more (around $70/mo for colo space). Then you would have complete control over the server and be able to install whatever you wanted.

A cheaper alternative (about $55/mo) is a "virtual server". This is when you don't really have your own physical machine, but it looks as though you do (basically it's a physical server that's been divided into lots of smaller ones, each of which is completely independent, and feels like it's your own). The software that they use to partition the physical server can determine whether a servlet container will work in the virtual server or not. I've successfully installed the LPS on a virtual server from Tera-Byte (http://www.tera-byte.com/vir.html), since they use Ensim VPS to divide their servers. Had a couple of problems with out-of-memory errors (since it's not a real dedicated server) crashing Tomcat, but it's pretty easy to restart, and you can always set up a scheduled task to see if the servlet container is running, and restart if need be. If paying $55/month makes you scream, remember that that is like having your own server - it's all your hosting needs. Plus you can split the cost of hosting with friends, and run a bunch of sites off there. Actually Tera-Byte comes with software that makes it really easy to divvy up the server into a bunch of smaller sites.

Another very viable route (if you have broadband) is host it from home/work. I used to host sites off my home DSL plan with no problems.

Now b: I've never managed to install the LPS in a shared hosting plan (which is what Globat.com looks as though it offers, even with their more expensive options). One of the reasons is that a lot of the cheaper ones that do offer a servlet container don't let you access the filesystem - instead, you have to zip the servlet up, upload it via a web form, wait 10 minutes until the server restarts itself (because they won't let you control the servlet container), then get no feedback as to why it didn't work, because they won't let you access the log files (not much fun).

However, you might be able to find Tomcat-specific shared hosting that does give you access to your own instance of Tomcat, which you can start and restart as needed, and whose filesystem and logs you can access yourself. I did a quick Google search on "tomcat hosting", and it turned up a bunch, and they looked fairly reasonably priced.

Hope this helps!

-Antun

PS Everything above is from my own personal experience, none of the companies mentioned or ideas are endorsed by or affiliated with Laszlo Systems, Inc.

[se99jmk]

perfect! exactly what i was after, a full rundown of what is required. I'm still fairly new to java/xml/lps etc. but I'm getting the hang of it, slowly ;-)

Everything you've said makes sense, probably, but it's all greek to me for the moment. However I've now bookmarked it, and have forwarded the details to Globat (via their wonderfull instant IM service). So hopefully I'll get feedback soon.

Once it's installed, I assume I just do the same as i do on my own computer? i.e. put lzh files in a particular directory, and then link to them from the site?

Also I know that to host it from my own computer it has to be on all the time. Is there any way to setup a switcher, so that when my computer's off, viewers can still get a normal webpage? I.e can it revert back to normal xhtml if my computer's off, but display the site using LPS if it's on?

[antun]

Once it's installed, I assume I just do the same as i do on my own computer? i.e. put lzh files in a particular directory, and then link to them from the site?

Yes - you upload the LZX files into place and you're ready to go. Mind you, you'll probably be KRANKing an app that you're ready to deploy. KRANKing means you optimize the app on your desktop, and you get a .lzo file instead of a .lzx file, which you upload to the server.

Is there any way to setup a switcher, so that when my computer's off, viewers can still get a normal webpage?

Probably, depends how creative you can be I guess. If its inside your home/office network, you could have a separate server (an old computer) that just hosted your Laslo stuff which stayed on all the time.

-Antun