When you are developing your application, simply running the SA Server and typing http://127.0.0.1:8888/$/start on your browser is enough for running your application.
http://127.0.0.1 stands for the local host, 8888 is the port the embeded web server is listening to (check TIWServerControllerBase for learning about the Port property) and /$/start is the IntraWeb command that forces the start of a new user session.
You can also test your application through your network. From another computer, simply type the IP of the hosting computer (ex: 192.168.100.10) and include the port number and the new session command: http://192.168.100.10:8888/$/start.
If you can’t open the application, please check for proper network settings as well any firewall/router/proxy/etc rules that may prevent the proper communication.
Although you can simply let the Executable running, we recomend you deploy your application as a Windows Service, as it makes easier to manage your application. Having your application as a Windows Service allows your application to start automatically when the server starts.
Deploying a Stand Alone Server (SA Server) application is simple. First your need to turn your SA Server in a Windows Service SA Server. Open your DPR source code and change the IWStart.Execute parameter to False. This will prevent the GUI to be shown.
- program MyIWApplication;
- uses
- IWStart,
- Main in ‘Main.pas’ {formMain: TIWAppForm},
- ServerController in ‘ServerController.pas’ {IWServerController: TDataModule};
- {$R *.res}
- begin
- TIWStart.Execute(False);
- end.
How to make your application visible for your users
After you have installed your application, you need to make it available to your user. If your users wiull be accessing your application from a internal network, they only need to know the IP server + the port the app is running + /$/start (for more information about the /$/start command, check Session management section in Server Controller.
Ex:
- http://192.168.102.20:8877/$/start
If your users need to access your SA Server from outside your network, you can use a public IP, use some services like http://www.no-ip.com/ or similar ones, redirect a URL to your IP among other things. Talk to your network administrator for information on how to do that.