Configuring the File Maker server Web Publishing manually in IIS

[ashu2k6k]

Hi,

As per my understanding the File Maker server has been structured in 3 parts

1. File Maker Database.
   
2. Web Publishing Engine
   
3. Web Server.
   

For any external module to communicate with the File Maker database we have option on Web Publishing XML or PHP. If I am correct the external module will communicate with the Web Server which in turn will communicated with Web Publishing Engine and which in turn communicates with Database and return the result in opposite order.

By default the File Maker Deployment wizard configure the Default web site and add its require component there. I did some investigation and found that File Maker Server adds a ISAPI filter "FileMaker Server\Web Publishing\publishing-engine\web-server-support\iis\isapi_redirect.dll" and virtual directory "jakarta" to Default Web Site. Which helps in redirecting the request to File Maker Web Publishing engine.

After seeing the arragment of 3 layers I was thinking that if I configure the File Maker Database and Web Publishing engine from the File Maker Deployment and instead of configuring Web Server from the deployment wizard I create my own web site which will have all the required components that will redirect my request to Web Publishing engine and I will have working setup.

This setup will be helpful when you have 64 bit server and there are other sites /virtual directories which require Default website to be running as 64 bit.

In case of 64 bit server isapi_redirect.dll creates problem as it is 32 bit. Adding this in Default website causes the default website to stop.

I tried creating the a site in IIS with the ISAPI filter set to "FileMaker Server\Web Publishing\publishing-engine\web-server-support\iis\isapi_redirect.dll" and virtual directory "jakarta". Now I am getting 500.19 error "Calling GetFilterVersion on ISAPI filter "FileMaker Server\Web Publishing\publishing-engine\web-server-support\iis\isapi_redirect.dll" failed"

On a side note what I have observed is that if I configure the Web Publishing Engine and Web Server from FM deployment wizard create my own site with ISAPI filter and virtual directory then it works fine. Now if I reconfigure the File Maker to just configure Web Publishing engine my site works and I can get response. But I cannot get my new site talk to Web Publishing engine if I don't configure the Web server from deployment wizard first.

Any help to make the my new site work will be appriciated.

Thanks