WebObjects 3.5.1 Administration FAQ

1. What databases/adaptors are supported by WebObjects Enterprise 3.5.1?
2. How do I configure Microsoft IIS for WebObjects?
3. I've read all the Release Notes and still can't get WebObjects installed and running!

Question 1: What databases/adaptors are supported by WebObjects Enterprise 3.5.1?

Answer: Apple provides Sybase, Oracle and generic ODBC adaptors for WebObjects on most platforms. Third-party adaptors may be available for other databases, including Informix, Quickbase, AS/400, Supra, DB2, Gupta SQL Base, VSAM, ADABAS, IMS/DB, and NCR Teradata. Other databases may be accessed programmatically through custom libraries provided by your database vendor.

Question 2: How do I configure Microsoft IIS for WebObjects?

Answer: This bug concerns Microsoft IIS Server running on Windows NT Server (Microsoft IIS Server does not currently run on Windows NT Workstation). On Windows NT Server, if you install WebObjects 3.1 or 3.5.1 under a C:\\NeXT directory, the cgi adaptor won't autostart your applications correctly. The IIS Server creates subprocesses with a special user that has no privilege at all, and that has no access to the NEXT_ROOT environment variable. An autostarted application won't have any privilege either, and won't be able to locate WebObjects resources (for example TimeZone files).

First:

• Install WebObjects under the root directory. When the installer asks you for a directory name to be the root of all Apple Enterprise software, set it to the root directory of a drive (such as C:\\).
• When asked for your cgi-bin directory, you should enter the path of the Scripts directory.

• In the Scripts directory rename WebObjects to WebObjects.exe
• In C:\\NextLibrary\\WebObjects\\Executables, make a copy of DefaultApp and name the copy DefaultApp.exe. (You need to have both DefaultApp and DefaultApp.exe in that directory.)

• Run the Internet Service Manager application, bring up the Server Properties panel, and change the Anonymous Logon Username and Password to a user with administrator privileges. This will allow you to autostart web applications from the browser.

• Start your web applications by hand.

Question 3: I've read all the Release Notes and still can't get WebObjects installed and running!

Answer: It seems that on some systems the /tmp or C:\\TEMP directories either don't exist or don't have read/write permissions set correctly. Be sure the directory can been seen and accessed by all. WebObjects, other apps and users need access to this directory to work properly.