NetTalk Central

NetTalk Web Server => Web Server - Ask For Help => Topic started by: springguy on May 28, 2014, 06:26:30 AM

Title: Uploading records to Server
Post by: springguy on May 28, 2014, 06:26:30 AM
NT 7.35

I have a customer with an installed base of about 400 clarion single user applications.  We are implementing a NetTalk server and the customer wants the field clarion applications to upload selective database records to the server.  Once the server receives the uploads, a clarion process would sync the received file data into the main server database.

Question:
1. What would you recommend as the best process for this upload? 
2. Is there a good example that would illustrate how a client would upload a file to the server?
3. Is this an FTP kind of transaction or HTTP?  I assume HTTP is a better choice.
4. The data will contain contact info - should it also be encrypted for the journey?  Cryptonite approach?

Thanks for any advice on the best way to approach this.
Mike Springer
Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: peterH on May 28, 2014, 11:10:30 AM
Sounds like a webservice might be the right choice for the job.
Peter
Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: Djordje Radovanovic on May 28, 2014, 01:20:00 PM
Hi Mike,

1. XML file via POST
2. Prepare XML file than use code like this where SndVSDC is NetSimple Object base class NetWebClient
      SndVSDC.SetAllHeadersDefault()
      SndVSDC.HeaderOnly = 0
      SndVSDC.AcceptEncoding = ''
      SndVSDC.Pragma_ = 'no-cache'
      SendString = XMLData
      SndVSDC.CacheControl = 'No-Cache'! Force any proxies to not use their cache. Uses more bandwidth but will contact the webserver directly which is what we want.
      SndVSDC.ContentType = 'text/xml'
      SndVSDC.AcceptEncoding = ''
      SndVSDC.ContentLength = len (clip(SendString))
      SndVSDC.AsyncOpenTimeOut = 1200       ! 12 seconds
      SndVSDC.InActiveTimeout = 2000        ! 20 seconds   
      SndVSDC.Post(Clip(IPServer)&':88\Request',clip(SendString))

3. Yes HTTP is better choice
4. If you are in charge of crypting than use Cryptonite

Best regards,
Djordje Radovanovic
Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: bshields on May 28, 2014, 11:49:50 PM
Or just POST over HTTPS, so only NSA can read it :)
Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: Bruce on May 29, 2014, 12:35:54 AM
>> 1. What would you recommend as the best process for this upload?

Create web service on the server side. (You'll want to use NetTalk 8 for this as it has new WSDL server support and the WSDL client support coming "soon".

>> 2. Is there a good example that would illustrate how a client would upload a file to the server?

hmm - you said

>>  upload selective database records to the server.

so are you uploading _records_ or _files_?

As far as general background on web services, and specifically creating the server side, see
http://clarionlive.wikispaces.com/Webinar+255

I'll be doing a webinar on the client side when that code is ready.

>> 3. Is this an FTP kind of transaction or HTTP?  I assume HTTP is a better choice.

HTTP, well actually HTTPS.

>> 4. The data will contain contact info - should it also be encrypted for the journey?  Cryptonite approach?

If your server is using SSL then it's all encrypted for you, so nothing for you to do.

Cheers
Bruce
Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: springguy on May 29, 2014, 07:15:33 AM
Bruce,
Regarding my "confusion" in saying records and files, I apologize. On the Client system, I will be creating a file to upload, but it will only contain selected records from the client databases.  So, from the upload point of view, it is uploading a file.  Sorry for my poor description.

I'll definitely use the new WSDL server code and will wait for your release of the client.  Thanks

And, Bill - I definitely want to do things so the NSA doesn't get slowed down.  :-)
Mike

Title: Re: Uploading records to Server
Post by: Bruce on May 29, 2014, 09:57:48 PM
the key with the web services is that you won't need to make a temporary file. you can just upload the records you want to upload. The server already does pretty much all the work for this, and I expect the client will as well, so the process from your side will become quite trivial.

cheers
Bruce