SuperContainer Newbie Questions

[MariaAux]

Hi there,

Have just installed Supercontainer and very excited to get it working. I have a few questions that I just haven't found the answers to in the documenation or in the forums;

1. Although the Java server stipulates the IP to be my actual computer name;

01/02/12 09:29:19 - SuperContainer URL: http://Maria-HP:8020/SuperContainer

I replaced the computer name with the local IP of my computer. Is that correct?

2. Within my local network, SC works fine, but it doesn't work from outside the Wide Area Network. Do I need to open the port 8020 on my router for it to work?

3. I am publishing my database on port 591, should I change the SC port to also be 591 or do I have to leave it on 8020?

4. I see that it is possible to drop several files into one SC as mentioned in the documenation;

Note that the SuperContainer URL can contain as many elements as you like. If a given asset can have 3 images uploaded to it, you could either create a new table for holding the images, or use the following URL schema:

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/1"

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/2"

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/3"

But when I replicate this kind of web address into the SC I am required to put a '&' between each line? Sorry about my ignornace, I just don't really understand how to do this?

5. Regarding the styles, if I have a web address that looks like this

"http://192.168.1.33:8020/SuperContainer/Files/GuidedSpeakingGame" & Lesson Plans::Lesson No#?style=bold+nodelete

it looks for the field or file 'Lesson No#?style' which obvioiusly doesn't work. How exactly do I write the styles in order to customize them?

Apologies about my newbie SC questions, but I feel I am so close to getting it up and running, just a little help needed.

Thank you so much in advance,

Maria

[ooparah]

1. Although the Java server stipulates the IP to be my actual computer name;

01/02/12 09:29:19 - SuperContainer URL:

http://Maria-HP:8020/SuperContainer

I replaced the computer name with the local IP of my computer. Is that correct?

If you want to allow users from outside of your network to have access to SuperContainer, you will need to use the external IP address that points to that machine or set up a domain name for that machine acting as the server.

2. Within my local network, SC works fine, but it doesn't work from outside the Wide Area Network. Do I need to open the port 8020 on my router for it to work?

See answer 1. Yes, you would also need to ensure that traffic coming from port 8020 is forwarded to the machine that is hosting SuperContainer server (Maria-HP).

3. I am publishing my database on port 591, should I change the SC port to also be 591 or do I have to leave it on 8020?

SuperContainer should be left on port 8020.

4. I see that it is possible to drop several files into one SC as mentioned in the documenation;

Note that the SuperContainer URL can contain as many elements as you like. If a given asset can have 3 images uploaded to it, you could either create a new table for holding the images, or use the following URL schema:

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/1"

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/2"

"http://yourServer.com:8020/SuperContainer/Files/Asset/" & myTable::ID & "/3"

But when I replicate this kind of web address into the SC I am required to put a '&' between each line? Sorry about my ignornace, I just don't really understand how to do this?

Well, this set of URLs would not go into a singular web viewer. Instead you would have a single URL and web viewer that contains a dynamic Web Viewer URL calculation that created a similar URL. The three URLs you have posted are examples of how the web viewer would point to three separate files belonging to a single table. I think it may help to give our example SC demo file a look, which is accessible at the following link.

5. Regarding the styles, if I have a web address that looks like this

"http://192.168.1.33:8020/SuperContainer/Files/GuidedSpeakingGame" & Lesson Plans::Lesson No#?style=bold+nodelete

it looks for the field or file 'Lesson No#?style' which obvioiusly doesn't work. How exactly do I write the styles in order to customize them?

You would want to use a "&" to concatenate the two strings. Instead use a web address like:

"http://192.168.1.33:...dedSpeakingGame/" & Lesson Plans::Lesson No# & "?style=bold+nodelete"

which may be what you're looking to accomplish. I added a "/" at the end of "GuidedSpeakingGame", which may or may not be actually required (depending on your database).

I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions or need clarification on this, please do not hesitate to contact me at the e-mail address or phone number listed below.

Regards,

[MariaAux]

Thanks very much Obinna,

Your suggestions were very helpful. Just one quick question regarding the IP in the web URL. I have opened up port 8020 in my router and directed it to my machine 192.168.1.33. Should the Web URL therefore be this Local IP address or rather my WAN External IP 88.12.53.323:8020?

Thanks so much, greatly appreciated.

Maria

[MariaAux]

Hi Obinna,

Please ignore my last post. Obviously, the IP needs to be my external IP for someone to reach my router. Ok, all implemmented and tested and it works great. The reason it took me some time to test it was because from within my local network, I cannot actually view my own WAN URL's. Thus, computers outisde my local network can use Supercontainer perfectly but from any computer here within my local Network, I just get the message;

This program cannot display the webpage (See attached image)

The files are successfully uploaded to my computer but I cannot view them from within Filemaker. What wouldbe the best way to be able to view them in Filemaker? Possibly setup another container filed that references to the path?

Thanks so much

[ooparah]

I see.

It sounds like you would need to use the FileMaker function Get( HostIPAddress ), which will return the internal IP address for the machines that are located within your network and will return the external IP address for those machines which are located outside your network and require the external IP address to reach your database.

I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions or need clarification on this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,