  Related Topics
Internet Services API (ISAPI)
ISAPI lets you develop web-based applications that run faster than conventional CGI programs because they're more tightly integrated with Internet Services. This allows you to use dynamic web applications (also called scripts) to enhance your FirstClass system. You can write an ISAPI script in any language that will create an executable object on your system. For example, C++, Visual Basic, or Perlscript on Windows and C or C++ compilers on Mac OS X (or any compiled or scripting language that supports read/write standard input and standard output).
The primary difference between an ISAPI program and a CGI program is that an ISAPI program remains loaded in the server after it has first been loaded in memory. Conversely, a CGI program is loaded into memory after each application request from the user's web browser, then unloaded from memory once the programs have been executed. This means that ISAPI programs tend to run faster than CGI programs.
  Using the AddHandler document to configure ISAPI applications
The AddHandler document determines file associations for specific file types handled by Internet Services. The file associations specified in this document replace the file associations that are set up by the operating system.
The AddHandler document is either helpful or necessary because
• some interpreters do not automatically set up file associations when installed
• some operating systems do not have an easy way of maintaining file associations.
The AddHandler document is located in the Internet Services folder on the administrator's Desktop and is automatically created when you do a new install or when you upgrade. This document supports two different commands: AddHandler and AddURLHandler. Each command spans multiple lines, with comments and blank lines allowed for documentation and readability. Lines within each command do not have to be specified in a particular order.
This is the syntax for the AddHandler command:
<AddHandler .ext>
Site: sitename or *
ISAPI.Ext: full path of ISAPI dll to load
exec: full path of CGI to run
</AddHandler>
where
• ext is the filename extension to handle.
For example
• .php
• .pl
• .sitename or * works the same as in the Multiple Sites & Languages document and other configuration documents
• ISAPI.Ext is used to run ISAPI extensions (as opposed to ISAPI filters, which are supported)
• exec is used to run executables and is an alternative to having to create file associations in Windows. It is also used for running different types of scripts (for example, PHP) where that isn't possible.
Note
Either ISAPI.Ext or exec may be used in a single AddHandler command, but not both.
This is the syntax for the AddURLHandler command:
<AddURLHandler /URL/goes/here>
Site: sitename or *
Templates: template folder name
</AddURLHandler>
When Internet Services receives a request for /URL/goes/here that matches the site, it uses the template folder specified to process the request.
The AddURLHandler command is intended to allow Internet Services to easily provide different views of parts of a web site. For example, online newspapers and other web sites devoted to dynamic information may use RSS instead of HTML to deliver the content. An RSS reader can be directed to a different set of templates instead of the HTML set.
|