FireworX Web Readme for 1.0.0 Beta Release

FireworX Web is a Web front end for the FireworX-10 Windows application. This document covers installation and use of FireworX Web. FireworX Web is free to use. See the licensing document for more information on restrictions on use.

FireworX Web is an application that is to be deployed on a Web server that supports Java Server technology. FireworX Web is not itself a Web server. Specifically the Web server needs to support JavaServer Pages and Java Beans. In a nutshell, here are the requirements:

• Windows 95/98/NT/2000. Since I use Microsoft Access and ODBC components, Windows is a necessary evil here. I have tested this on Windows 98 and NT 4.
• FireworX-10. You must have the FireworX-10 Windows application installed and operational. Although I have not tried it, it is theoretically possible to have it running on a seperate machine. The connection between the machine with FireworX Web and the machine with FireworX-10 would then be through a mapped drive. See Confuring the ODBC driver for more details on what is entailed.
• Java 2 Standard Edition 1.2.2 or higher. This is available from Sun. This will likely work with earlier releases but I have only tested it on 1.2.2 and 1.3.
• A Web server that support JavaServer pages. Tomcat was used for the development of FireworX Web and examples will be given for it here in italicized red text. Tomcat is available as part of the Apache Jakarta project.
• Microsoft Access ODBC driver. This is usually installed as part of Microsoft Word/Works/Office. Versions 97 and above should work.
• fireworxweb.zip. This file contains all of the files you need in order to get FireworX Web up and running.

It the remainder of this document it is assumed that the above required software components have been installed and configured appropriately. This document will not contain instructions on installation of the above mentioned software packages.

Configure the ODBC driver
Configure an ODBC connection to the Microsoft Access database fireworx.fwx.

• Locate the file Fireworx.fwx. It is in your FireworX-10 program directory. This is usually c:\program files\fireworx-10. Remember its location.
• In Control Panel, open the selection for ODBC Data Sources.
• On the 'User DSN' tab, click the 'Add' button.
• Select 'Microsoft Access Driver' and click the 'Finish' button.
• Specifiy 'Data Source Name:' as 'fireworx'.
• Under Database, click the 'Select' button.
• Change 'List Files of Fype' to 'All files (*.*)'
• Locate fireworx.fwx and click OK. Note: the fireworx.fwx file could be on a mapped drive.
• That's it, click OK

Compile the Java code
Compile the .java files.

• The classes are part of the 'fireworx' Java package so all of the .java files need to be placed in a folder called 'fireworx'. I like to put that folder right into the Web server's directory structure where class files are stored so I don't have to move the .class files there later. Tomcat note: place the .java files within the Tomcat directory structure in a subfolder called webapps\Root\Web-inf\classes\fireworx
• Compile the .java files from the directory you just created. Tomcat note: within the Tomcat subfolder for fireworx classes (webapps\Root\Web-inf\classes\fireworx) compile the .java files using the DOS command 'javac *.java'. Provided, of course, your JDK's \bin subdirectory (where javac.exe is located) is part of your PATH.

Install html/jsp/gif files on Web server
Place the .html .jsp and .gif files in your Web server's root directory.

• Place the files in a subdirectory of their own in your Web server's root directory called 'fireworx'. All files except the .gif files go into this subdirectory. .gif files go into an fireworx\images. Tomcat note: Place the files within webapps\Root\fireworx

Install the properties file
The fireworx.properties file contains configuration information on the database aspects of FireworX Web. You do not need to modify its contents just place it in the correct location. It needs to be locatable via the CLASSPATH. Tomcat note: when you start Tomcat it will display the configured classpath. You will see a 'classes' subfolder within the Tomcat directory structure is in the classpath. If you don't have a 'classes' subfolder which is likely, create it. You can place the fireworx.properties file there.

Test FireworX Web
You can access FireworX Web by requesting fireworx/index.jsp from your Web server. Tomcat note: you can test you local server by opening the URL http://127.0.0.1:8080/fireworx

This section will be included in the final release version.

1.0.0 Beta (March 5, 2001)
Fully functional beta release.

Access the FireworX Web page to find contact information.