Server side include asp iis

PRODUCT: Dreamweaver

PLATFORM: Mac

VERSIONS: MX

ID: 16487

Starting with Dreamweaver MX, you can now generate pages containing server-side code that will be processed by one of the following types of application servers: Cold-Fusion, Active Server Pages (ASP), ASP.NET, JavaServer Pages or PHP. These types of server-side pages typically connect to a database to generate dynamic content. Databases typically used with Dreamweaver include Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle. For more background on Dreamweaver's server-side capabilities, please see the following links:

* Guide to Application Servers: This article was written for Dreamweaver UltraDev 4, but the concepts still apply to Dreamweaver MX.

* Dreamweaver MX dynamic FAQ (TechNote 16341)

* Refer to 'Understanding Web Applications' in the Getting Started section of the Dreamweaver Help (Help > Using Dreamweaver). Other sections regarding dynamic content are also available in the Help system.

Note: This TechNote only applies to users who are using Dreamweaver to create dynamic database-driven web applications. If you use Dreamweaver MX to create static web pages (files with .htm or .html file extensions) or other non-dynamic pages, then you can disregard this TechNote.

ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO DEVELOP AND TEST DYNAMIC PAGES

Dreamweaver MX requires that a user have access to the following things in order to connect to a database, develop dynamic content and test the resulting pages.

Web server: When you type a URL into a browser's address bar, the browser asks the web server for the page. For dynamic pages, the web server presents the page to the application server, and returns the completed page to the requester (the browser).

Application server: Which application server you use will depend on which server-side pages you choose to develop. A ColdFusion page will require a different application server than an ASP page.

Database: Access to a database is required if you wish to present information based on stored data, or if you wish to input data.

DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE MACINTOSH

Prior to the release of the Macintosh OS X operating system, nearly all dynamic development on a Macintosh required that the developer be connected to a Windows-or UNIX/Linux-based computer system. This secondary computer runs the web server, application server and database which the Macintosh developer accesses.

With the release of Macintosh OS X, some web servers, application servers and databases are now an option for Macintosh users. While many users have successfully used Dreamweaver MX together with UNIX-based server software running on Macintosh OS X, Dreamweaver MX was not thoroughly tested with these configurations, and Macromedia does not provide technical support for this configuration.

Because Dreamweaver was not tested with server software running on a Macintosh, it is recommended that Macintosh OS 9 and OS X users still access another computer running the server software. The Macintosh can access the computer either through a local area network (LAN) connection or via FTP. Here are a couple of examples of configurations that would work:

* a LAN connection to a Windows/ UNIX machine at your company, school or home

* an FTP connection to your web hosting company's Windows or UNIX server

WEB SERVERS

The web servers most commonly used with Dreamweaver are:

* Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) (doubles as a web server and an ASP application server)

* Apache web server

In order to develop and test dynamic pages, Dreamweaver must have access to a web server either by connecting to a second computer system running web server software (required choice for OS 9, and supported choice for OS X) or by running the web server software on the development machine (OS X). IIS is not available for either Macintosh OS 9 or OS X. Apache web server is not available for Macintosh OS 9, but it is included by default on Macintosh OS X.

APPLICATION SERVERS

In addition to running one of the web servers above, the other computer must also be running an application server. An application server is the software that processes the dynamic pages Dreamweaver is capable of generating: ColdFusion, ASP, ASP.NET, JSP or PHP. Some application servers commonly used with Dreamweaver include:

* Macromedia ColdFusion

* Macromedia JRun (JSP)

* Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) (also requires the .NET framework if running an ASP.NET web site) (ASP & ASP.NET).

* Apache Jakarta-Tomcat (JSP)

* PHP

None of the application servers listed above is available for Macintosh OS 9 or below, therefore another computer is required. PHP and Apache Jakarta-Tomcat will run on the underlying UNIX shell of OS X. Dreamweaver was not thoroughly tested with PHP and Apache Jakarta-Tomcat application servers running on a Macintosh OS X machine, therefore these configurations are not supported by Macromedia. Please see the Additional information section for links to more information about Macromedia's support for application servers on Macintosh and to a more complete list of supported databases and platforms.

DATABASES

Macintosh OS 9 users also need to use a database located on another computer. The database can reside on the same machine as the server software, so only one machine, in addition to the Macintosh, is necessary. FileMaker Pro is a popular database application for the Macintosh, but it cannot be used with Dreamweaver because of the lack of server software on the Macintosh. Although there is a Windows version of FileMaker Pro, it appears to have ODBC driver issues (as of FileMaker version 5), so converting a 'FileMaker for Macintosh' database to a 'FileMaker for Windows' database is not an option. Please see Using FileMaker in Dreamweaver via Lasso Studio (TechNote 16428) for FileMaker alternatives.

The databases that have been tested with Dreamweaver are:

* Microsoft Access

* Microsoft SQL Server

* Oracle

* MySQL

MySQL will run on the underlying UNIX shell of OS X. Dreamweaver was not thoroughly tested with MySQL databases running on a Macintosh OS X machine, and use of MySQL on a Macintosh is not supported by Macromedia. Please see the Additional information section for links to more information about Macromedia's support for databases on Macintosh and to a more complete list of supported databases and platforms.

MACINTOSH OS X

As mentioned above, Macromedia does not provide technical support for configurations where Dreamweaver is being used with server software installed on a Macintosh OS X system, but you are welcome to try it if you are comfortable using Dreamweaver without support for your configuration. A 30-day trial version of Dreamweaver is available for download and your evaluation. Several users are successfully using Dreamweaver with server software running on Macintosh OS X, so if you need help with this configuration, we recommended you perform a search or post a question on the Dreamweaver newsgroup.

Note: If you would like to see additional support for application and database servers running on Macintosh OS X, or would like to suggest feature or change requests, please use the online form Macromedia Software Feature Request and Bug Report to submit your request. This email list is reviewed daily by members of our engineering and marketing departments, and the information is used to determine the level of demand on a given issue.

VIRTUAL PC MODE AND DREAMWEAVER

Macromedia does not provide technical support for running Dreamweaver in the Macintosh's Virtual PC mode. This configuration is not recommended by Macromedia technical support.

OTHER DREAMWEAVER SERVERSIDE LIMITATIONS ON THE MACINTOSH

The lack of support for using local web and application servers is the most significant limitation Dreamweaver for Macintosh users may encounter. Other server-side limitations are less significant and include the following:

* Web services cannot be introspected in Dreamweaver's Components panel. The Windows version supports introspecting web services when using the ColdFusion, ASP.NET and JSP server models. Once a web service has been introspected by Dreamweaver, you can drag-and-drop the web service's methods and properties into code view. On the Macintosh, users will not have the drag-and-drop functionality and will have to type web services-related code manually. Web services are a new technology and are not required for creating web applications.

* In ASP.NET, when creating OLE DB connections, the Build button is not included in the Macintosh version. The Windows version of Dreamweaver uses the Build button as a shortcut to a native Windows control panel for Data Link Properties, therefore this feature is not possible on a Macintosh. Macintosh users can make OLE DB connections using the Templates button instead.