Uploading records to Server

[springguy]

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

[peterH]

Sounds like a webservice might be the right choice for the job.
Peter

[Djordje Radovanovic]

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

[bshields]

Or just POST over HTTPS, so only NSA can read it

[Bruce]

>> 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

[springguy]

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

[Bruce]

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