[Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS

Thu Jul 31 15:26:58 EDT 2003

Jeff -

You can start with http://httpd.apache.org/ and http://httpd.apache.org/docs-2.1/

There are a huge number of people on this list who are very generous with their time and very willing to help.  To respect that generosity, I think we all should take responsibility for understanding the tools we're using that are NOT MapServer, and not expect the participants on this list to respond to "how exactly do I install Red Hat?" or the like.  There are other lists for Apache help, etc., and I'm simply suggesting you try to maximize your benefit by focusing on MapServer questions on this list.

I also think you should recognize that running Web servers means exposing your computers and services to others.  There are security risks associated with this, and you should take the time to understand just what it is you're doing and what the security implications of it are.  I'm not suggesting you spend many days learning Apache, but if you look at the docs you can easily find sections like "Security Tips" and the like that only take a few minutes to read through.  This is very much the "teach a man to fish" issue - you'll be much better off in the long run if you understand the tools you're using.  If you're going to run a Web site, you should have a basic understanding of how to operate your Web server.

I think you will find that MapServer questions will - with very few exceptions - be replied to quickly and thoroughly on this list.  If someone asks "what do I need to do to use raster data in State Plane coordinates in a MAP file that serves lat/lon output?" I'll jump right in and start typing.  If someone asks "how do I configure Apache to run CGI programs", I groan and hope someone else picks up the ball <g>.

	- Ed

Ed McNierney
President and Chief Mapmaker
TopoZone.com / Maps a la carte, Inc.
73 Princeton Street, Suite 305
North Chelmsford, MA  01863
ed at topozone.com
(978) 251-4242 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff L. [mailto:nf10 at hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 3:16 PM
To: Ed McNierney; mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS

Ed,

I would use some links or tips to learn about Apache and file permissions. 
The reason i'm contacting this list to get some tips from other people 
experiences. Otherwise, i can spend many days to learn appache, but this 
could be overkilling for my very basic needs. All i want is to be able to 
run this demo as a start then may be go deeper.

regards,

Jeff

>From: "Ed McNierney" <ed at topozone.com>
>To: "Jeff L." <nf10 at hotmail.com>,<mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu>
>Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
>Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 14:37:14 -0400
>
>Jeff -
>
>Well, you PROBABLY needed to check exactly one checkbox in IIS, which might 
>have been a tad quicker than installing a new server <g>.  Please do take 
>the time to understand what's going on - Apache is more permissive in its 
>default install, which means (a) it's easier for you to do things and (b) 
>it's easier for other people to do things to you.
>
>Your problem is due to (a) not having demo.map in the expected place, or 
>(b) not having the file permissions set correctly.  Be sure you understand 
>how Apache is setting and using user permissions.
>
>	- Ed
>
>Ed McNierney
>President and Chief Mapmaker
>TopoZone.com / Maps a la carte, Inc.
>73 Princeton Street, Suite 305
>North Chelmsford, MA  01863
>ed at topozone.com
>(978) 251-4242
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jeff L. [mailto:nf10 at hotmail.com]
>Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 2:16 PM
>To: Ed McNierney; mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
>Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
>
>
>Ed,
>
>I agree that diging into the web server setup would help.
>
>For now, i uninstalled IIS, then installed Apache and MapServer: it's
>working: i got the the expected error ("No query information ...").
>
>Now i started to run the demo, loaded the "demo_init.html" and after 
>pushing
>the button, there was an error "msLoadMap(): Unable to access file ....
>demo.map". the path of the file is correct. I guess that this would be a
>permission file error, but not sure.
>
>Jeff Lacoste
>
>
>
> >From: "Ed McNierney" <ed at topozone.com>
> >To: "Jeff L." <nf10 at hotmail.com>,<mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu>
> >Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> >Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:19:42 -0400
> >
> >Jeff -
> >
> >I would not claim Apache is "easier" than IIS in this regard.  In 
>general,
> >I don't think either of them (we run both) is hard or easy - they're just
> >different, and you need to understand something about running Web servers
> >and running CGI services on Web servers in order to run MapServer.  Both
> >IIS and Apache have a security model that lets you control which files 
>are
> >available to which Web users, and what those users can do to those files
> >(run them, read them, write to them, etc.).
> >
> >Read the help on IIS - that's what it's for.  If you did a default
> >install/config you installed all the administration help files, and 
>they're
> >pretty reasonable.
> >
> >I'm not trying to be unhelpful, but if you don't understand the security
> >model and how it applies to Web services, you're going to keep bumping 
>into
> >one problem after another.  Take the time to understand how to set up 
>your
> >Web server, and THEN you'll be ready to set up MapServer.
> >
> >	- Ed
> >
> >Ed McNierney
> >President and Chief Mapmaker
> >TopoZone.com / Maps a la carte, Inc.
> >73 Princeton Street, Suite 305
> >North Chelmsford, MA  01863
> >ed at topozone.com
> >(978) 251-4242
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Jeff L. [mailto:nf10 at hotmail.com]
> >Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 1:15 PM
> >To: Ed McNierney; mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
> >Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> >
> >
> >Ed,
> >
> >I'm new to web configuration. All i did is installing IIS on my windows 
>XP
> >pro and then installed MapServ.
> >I guess that the web server is not configured, i have no idea how to do 
>it.
> >Any info is appreciated.
> >
> >I heard that Apache would work easier than IIS. Apache would need 
>specific
> >configuration or just a sandard installation ?
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >Jeff Lacoste
> >
> >
> > >From: "Ed McNierney" <ed at topozone.com>
> > >To: "Jeff L." <nf10 at hotmail.com>,<mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu>
> > >Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> > >Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 12:47:16 -0400
> > >
> > >Jeff -
> > >
> > >If your Web server is configured correctly, there will be NO command
> >window
> > >opening and closing.  You'll get that error text in a regular Web page
> >that
> > >stays there.
> > >
> > >I suspect that the directory in which mapserv.exe is installed does not
> >let
> > >users execute programs (like CGI programs) from it.
> > >
> > >	- Ed
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Jeff L. [mailto:nf10 at hotmail.com]
> > >Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 10:27 AM
> > >To: Ed McNierney; mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
> > >Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> > >
> > >
> > >Thanks Ed for your relpy.  MapServ is installed in the IIS of my 
>windows
> >XP
> > >machine. While trying to run it (localy from web browser pointing the
> > >"mapser.exe", the command window is opened then closed pretty fast. I
> >have
> > >no idea about the content of the command window. I'm not sure what
> >message
> > >was displayed there. At least if i know that was "No query information 
>to
> > >decode. QUERY_STRING not set." It can get me going to the next steps
> > >(running the demo).
> > >
> > >
> > >Thanks again
> > >
> > >Jeff Lacoste
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "Ed McNierney" <ed at topozone.com>
> > > >To: "Jeff L." <nf10 at hotmail.com>,<mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu>
> > > >Subject: RE: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> > > >Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 09:44:10 -0400
> > > >
> > > >Jeff -
> > > >
> > > >There's no problem - that's the way it's supposed to work!
> > > >
> > > >You can run MapServer from the command line with the "-v" switch, and
> > > >you'll get text output.  Normally CGI programs are not meant to be 
>run
> > >from
> > > >the command line, and MapServer is no exception.
> > > >
> > > >If you properly configure your Web site to allow users to execute CGI
> > > >programs, you should be able to type the following in your browser:
> > > >
> > > >http://server.yourdomain.com/mapserv
> > > >
> > > >(replace the server and domain names with your names)
> > > >
> > > >and get the error message:
> > > >
> > > >"No query information to decode. QUERY_STRING not set."
> > > >
> > > >in your browser window.
> > > >
> > > >Until you get to that point, you haven't managed to get a basic CGI
> > >program
> > > >running, so there's no point in doing anything else yet!
> > > >
> > > >	- Ed
> > > >
> > > >Ed McNierney
> > > >President and Chief Mapmaker
> > > >TopoZone.com / Maps a la carte, Inc.
> > > >73 Princeton Street, Suite 305
> > > >North Chelmsford, MA  01863
> > > >ed at topozone.com
> > > >(978) 251-4242
> > > >
> > > >-----Original Message-----
> > > >From: Jeff L. [mailto:nf10 at hotmail.com]
> > > >Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 7:29 AM
> > > >To: mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
> > > >Subject: [Mapserver-users] MapServer on Windows XP and IIS
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Hi,
> > > >
> > > >I installed MapServer on Windows XO and IIS. When i try to execute 
>the
> > > >mapserv from the command window (C:\Inetpub\Scripts\MapServ), i have 
>an
> > > >error: "This script can only be used to decode form results and 
>should
> >be
> > > >initiated as a CGI process via a httpd server ". I tried also to
> >execute
> > > >the
> > > >script from Internet Explorer. The result is a command window 
>displayed
> > > >then
> > > >closed fast.
> > > >
> > > >Any idea about the possible problem ?
> > > >
> > > >Thanks,
> > > >
> > > >Jeff Lacoste
> > > >
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