Since then, we had a few questions on how exactly do we use the MS
PI GUI to install the package on IIS 7, today we’ll walk  you through it
and hopefully make it a little more easier.

Disclaimer: While Jumptree is compatible with Microsoft Platform Installer, it’s not officially supported.

Before we get started, first make sure you created an empty database, in our case, we created an empty database called “V12SP1”.

Step 1: Install Microsoft Platform Installer.

Step 2: Open up your IIS Manager (Control Panel –> Administrative Tools –> IIS Manager)

Step 3: Click on “Import Application” Link on the right under “Deploy” Section and navigate to Jumptree release file

*Tips:  Make sure you clicked on the “Default Web Site” on the left panel or else, “Deploy” section won’t show up

Step 4: Select the Contents of the Package, use everything default

Step 5: Select a “Database” . (“Use Existing Database”)

*Note: Use existing database is the safest  and works both on SQL server 2000, 2005, and 2008. However, during our testing, for some reasons, “Create New Database” only works with 2005 and above. Does not work with Sql server 2000.

Step 6: Enter Application Package Information

You can modify the values as needed such as the virtual directory name “Jumptree”. Your database IP address, database name, user name / password, etc. Just make sure your user name has the sufficient privileges to create tables, procedures and etc. (DB_Owner)

Step 7: Installation Progress and Summary

Step 8: License file and Installer

First, if you are an customer and you installed the purchased version, then please drop your license file into [Installation Directory]/APP_Data/ directory.

If you are installing a trial version, then you do not have to do the previous.

For security purpose, you need to disable the installer after it’s done, so please open up web.config and find


<add key="enableinstaller" value="true" />


and change it to


<add key="enableinstaller" value="false" />


Step 9: Login

If your virtual directory is /Jumptree, then go to

http://localhost/Jumptree/login.aspx

username/password : admin/admin

Thanks and hope you have fun and be productive with Jumptree

Disclaimer: While Jumptree Project is compatible with Microsoft Web Platform Installer, it’s not officially supported.

In 2009, Microsoft released their Web Platform Installer.

The Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 (Web PI) is a free tool that makes getting the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform, including Internet Information Services (IIS), SQL Server Express, .NET Framework and Visual Web Developer easy. The Web PI also makes it easy to install and run the most popular free web applications for blogging, content management and more with the built-in Windows Web Application Gallery.

By bundling all these components together, e.g. runtime, database, etc., it allows users to easily install and customize all the software they need to develop on a Windows machine.

Now Microsoft already has an excellent guide on how to package an application for the Windows Application Gallery.

This guide should provide you with the necessary outline to make your application compatible with the Microsoft Platform Installer.

However we did run into a few issues, and so this tutorial will document some of the lessons we learned.

Now before we get started, you’ll want to keep the Web Application Package Reference handy as it describes the details of the installer API tags.

The Basics

The first thing you’ll realize after downloading the Microsoft Web Platform Installer (MS PI) is that your application package will simply be a .zip file.

In the zip file, you need two XML files to be created at the root of your application package to make it compatible with MS PI:

1. manifest.xml
2. parameters.xml

Here’s how it looks in our Jumptree Project package:

Packaging

Now let’s take a look at the configuration files.

First, manifest.xml is basically a configuration file describing the structure of your package: SQL scripts, permission, etc.

To create a basic package, start with a simple file that has,

<MSDeploy.iisApp>
	<iisApp path="Site_Install_Folder" />
</MSDeploy.iisApp>

If your package uses a database, then to make your SQL scripts executable by MS PI, simply add,

<dbfullsql path="install.sql" />

to the mainifest.xml, where install.sql can be any SQL files you have.

For example, this is what we did for Jumptree Project,

<MSDeploy.iisApp>
	<iisApp path="Site_Install_Folder" />
	<dbfullsql path="Site_Install_Folder/App_Data/SqlScripts/Membership.sql" transacted="false" />
	<dbfullsql path="Site_Install_Folder/App_Data/SqlScripts/pmv1.2release.sql" transacted="false" />
	<dbfullsql path="Site_Install_Folder/App_Data/SqlScripts/DefaultPerspectives.sql" transacted="false" />
	<dbfullsql path="Site_Install_Folder/App_Data/SqlScripts/CustomizeFieldTyes.sql" transacted="false" />
	<dbfullsql path="Site_Install_Folder/App_Data/SqlScripts/StarterKitDefaultUser.sql" />
</MSDeploy.iisApp>

Next, parameters.xml is simply a file with a list of parameters that the Web PI will use—or prompt the users for actions.

To configure your application to be automatically installed in a virtual directory, add the following parameter with the parameterEntry code,

<parameters>
	<parameter
		name = "AppPath"
		defaultValue = "Default Web Site/Jumptree"
		tags = "iisapp"
	>
		<parameterEntry
			type  = "ProviderPath"
			scope = "iisapp"
			match = "Site_Install_Folder"
		/>
	</parameter>
...

Now one last thing…

Previously, I mentioned that if you have SQL scripts that need to be executed, then list them in manifest.xml.

Well to execute these scripts, MS PI needs to know the connection string used to connect to the database. And to do that, you’ll need to add the connection string parameter to parameters.xml,

lt;parameter
	name = "ConString1"
	defaultValue = "Server={dbServer};Database={dbName};uid={dbUsername};Pwd={dbUserPassword};"
	tags = "SQL, Hidden, SQLConnectionString, Validate"
>
	<parameterEntry
		type  = "ProviderPath"
		scope = "dbfullsql"
		match = "Membership.sql"
	/>
</parameter>

Testing

To prepare the package for testing, just zip up the folder with the manifest.xml and parameters.xml at its root.

If everything looks right and you still have problems getting MS PI to work, then something might be wrong with your zip file.

We had problems with IZArc, we posted on their forum here but 7-Zip and the Windows default zip utility worked fine.

If you’ve tested with the command line, then PLEASE retest it with the UI. Passing the command line test does NOT guarantee it’ll pass with the UI.

There were a few occasions where we tested with the command line and everything passed and installed; however, when we tried again with the UI, it failed since in parameters.xml,, there are a few parameters used by the UI (see Lesson #5).

IIS 7

ASP.NET in IIS 7 runs in 2 modes: Integrated Mode and Classic Application Mode.

If you get an error that looks like this,

[HttpException (0x80004005): Request is not available in this context]
System.Web.HttpContext.get_Request() +8792912
Jumptree.Web.JumptreeBaseHttpModule.Init(HttpApplication httpapp) +45
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitModulesCommon() +65
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitIntegratedModules() +49
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitInternal(HttpContext context, HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers) +729
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetNormalApplicationInstance(HttpContext context) +298
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetApplicationInstance(HttpContext context) +107
System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +363

…that means your ASP.NET application initialization has been decoupled from the request that triggered it.

Go to this article for the solution.

Edit: Please see the comment below by “Mike”. In addition, if you have httpmodules like we do in Jumptree, then please include the following structure in order to get it working on IIS 7

<system.webServer>

    <!-- disable runtime rejection of Integrated mode applications that have legacy ASP.NET settings -->
    <validation validateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false" />
    <modules>
        <add name="ProjectAccessModule" type="Jumptree.PM.Web.HttpModule.ProjectsHttpModule"/>
	....
    </modules>
 </system.webServer>

And that's about it. I hope this article serves as a reference for you while packaging for MS PI.

If you want to see an example of this package in action, then simply download our trial and use MS PI to install it.

I don’t know if I’m just the minority among the ASP.NET developers, but for years, I’ve never had to deal with the Active Directory simply because most projects that I’ve done before were in hosting environments where Active Directory is a luxury to have.

Things are different these days when it comes to support a product like Jumptree Project. Lately, we’ve had quite a few inquires from companies and government agencies where Active Directory authentication is the norm, and such it’s essential for them to link the users in their system with Jumptree together.

So how does a developer—who is not a network admin guru—setup such an environment to develop against Active Directory?

The Hardware

• Machine A Windows 2000 Server — We will setup Active Directory here
• Machine B Windows XP Pro — This will be our client machine where ASP.NET 2.0 will be used to authenticate against the Active Directory
• Router — Connects Machine A and Machine B together.

Setting up Active Directory

Step 1: First you need to configure Active Directory.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, here’s a step-by-step instruction guide by Johannes Helmig that you should follow. Just make sure you reboot the server (Machine A) when you are done.

Step 2: Now to add a user account for our ASP.NET code later to test against. Go to Administrative Tools > Active Directory Users and Computers.

Step 3: Next, expand your domain name and then right-click New > User.

Step 4: The next screen will ask for your first name, last name, full name, user logon name and pre-windows 2000 logo name. Simply entering a name like John Smith or whatever suits your taste.

Step 5: The last step is to create the password for this user account.

Just check the checkboxes User cannot change password and Password never expires for simplicity’s sake and click Finish when you are done.

That’s it for as far as setting up Active Directory goes. Let’s move onto our Machine B where the Windows XP Pro is.

Configuring the client machine

Step 1: On Machine B, right-click the My Computer icon, select the Computer Name tab and click the Change button.

Click on the Domain radio box, and enter the Domain name that was mentioned in Step 3. Click OK afterwards.

Now, you should have everything setup. Reboot the machine and when logging on enter the username that you added to the Active Directory using the domain that you setup earlier.

ASP.NET 2.0 Active Directory with Forms Authentication

When it comes down to it, the only tricky part about using forms authentication against Active Directory is about two configuration sections.

1. ConnectionString
2. Membership Configuration

Here is a sample of my configuration and I’ll explain it afterwards:

<configuration>
   <appSettings/>
   <connectionStrings>
      <add
         name="ADConnectionString"
         connectionString= "LDAP://NEMOHome.com/CN=Users,DC=NEMOHome,DC=com"
      />
   </connectionStrings>
   <system.web>
      <compilation debug="false" />
      <membership defaultProvider="MembershipADProvider">
         <providers>
            <add
               name="MembershipADProvider"
               type="System.Web.Security.ActiveDirectoryMembershipProvider, System.Web, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"
               connectionStringName="ADConnectionString"
               connectionUsername="NEMOHome.com\liming.xu"
               connectionPassword="changeme"
            />
         </providers>
      </membership>
      <authentication mode="Forms">
         <forms name=".ASPNET" loginUrl="login.aspx" defaultUrl="protected/default.aspx" />
      </authentication>
      <authorization>
         <deny users="?" />
      </authorization>
   </system.web>
</configuration>

As you can see, the part around the Authentication and Authorization sections are nothing special, however pay attention to

1. connectionStrings

The syntax of Active Directory starts with LDAP:// followed by the domain name that I mentioned earlier in the article. It’s absolutely important for you to get the domain name right.

The second important element is CN= which stands for user container and in my case it’s Users and the rest of the tokens DC are simply substrings of our domain name.

2. Membership

Now in the membership section, first use this provider:

System.Web.Security.ActiveDirectoryMembershipProvider

…then set the connectionStringName to the connectionString.

Also, the connectionUsername and connectionPassword I used is the account I setup earlier. I’ve seen others use a different user for this, but I’m too lazy efficient, so I just used the one I created before.

When the ActiveDirectoryMembership provider connects to Active Directory, it uses the account whose credentials are specified on the connectionUsername property (note the lower-case n, which is different from the connectionStringName property).

If you specify the connectionUsername property, you must also specify the connectionPassword property, otherwise an exception is thrown.

If you do not specify account credentials, Active Directory uses your ASP.NET Web application’s process account.

From MSDN

And that’s it. Go to your login page and log in as usual and you will see, everything works as expected.

attributeMapUsername="sAMAccountName"

Conclusion

Overall, not bad eh? Hope this guide helps those ASP.NET developers who are trying to get started with Active Directory. I’ve attached the test source files here for you, modify as you see fit.

ActiveDirectory.zip (4 KB)

As of now, Jumptree Project Management does not yet support Active Directory authentication. It will be included however in the next v1.2 release.

Well I’m not sure if we’re considered cool enough, but we choose ASP.NET over Java for a variety of reasons.

ASP.NET is easier to setup and deploy

Since Jumptree Project is download software, we needed to ensure that we could readily support our customer’s installation and deployment process.

Have you ever run into problems deploying a Java application and then having to spend hours going through your configuration files and resolving library conflicts? Fun!

Java may be multi-platform, but there are numerous middleware implementations of J2EE—each with its own quirks. So instead of spending time improving your application, you end up having to answer support calls on why your Tomcat application doesn’t work on IBM Websphere.

With .NET, the environment is pretty much standard—so it’s a lot easier for us to provide support.

It’s easier to develop in ASP.NET because it’s just so RAD

The .NET platform supports a vast array of libraries that makes a developer’s life a whole lot easier compared to traditional ASP and Java.

There are a few Java frameworks that stand out, like JSTL, JSF, Struts, Spring, etc., but to make them work together is a painful and convoluted process.

ASP.NET isn’t that expensive

Yes, Java is free. Java Editor Eclipse is free. Java runtime is free. Apache/Tomcat web/servlet server is free.

Free is good.

And this may be the biggest reason why a lot of startups choose something other than .NET.

However, for US $375 you can join the Microsoft Empower for ISVs program and get a whole lotta software, including Visual Studio, Windows Server, SQL Server, Office, MSDN Premium Subscription…

Of course $375 vs. Free isn’t really much of a fight, but do consider the hidden costs—like how much easier it is to setup a .NET environment.

Great community support

There are a lot of great .NET blogs and resources such as The Code Project, 4 Guys From Rolla, NetFx3, and CodePlex—a site hosting open source projects.

And if you run into any problems, just check out the asp.net forum where Microsoft actually has employees answering your questions! Gotta love it when a multi-billion dollar company is trying to promote something…

One platform, multi-language

What happens if your C# developer decides to leave halfway through a project?

Don’t worry because you can just as readily hire a VB.NET developer to continue the work because the .NET platform can interpret both languages.

And if you don’t like C# or VB.NET go ahead and try Ruby or Python.

The whole product

In Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey A. Moore describes the concept of the whole product:

The concept is very straightforward: There is a gap between the marketing promise made to the customer—the compelling value proposition—and the ability of the shipped product to fulfill that promise. For that gap to be overcome, the product must be augmented by a variety of services and ancillary products to become the whole product.

Page 108, 2002 Edition

Essentially, the whole product is the sum of the product plus anything else that might benefit the customer, such as technical support, add-ons, and system integration.

So by choosing .NET, we can leverage all the work that Microsoft has done to promote it. And when the time comes, we can more easily integrate our project management software with popular Microsoft products, like Outlook, Excel, and SharePoint.

What are you good at?

Ultimately, you should choose a language that you are familiar with and good at. I could have spent time learning Ruby on Rails, PHP or any of the other trendy languages, but I just needed to get started.

And so when I had to choose between Java and .NET—well…that was an easy choice.