Server side search

[Brad]

I better make sure I can get this on the server because my computer doesn't support enough memory to index much. I notice in your users guide it gives little instruction on how to do this.


Do you have some pages I can read on how to download this to my server? Thanks.

[David]

The indexer part of Zoom is a Windows only application. So if you have a Windows server, you can just install it on the server, like you would for any Windows desktop machine. (Download it and double click on the install package).

If you are running in a shared hosting environment, then your hosting company might or might not allow the install on the shared server. In which case you'll need to run it from your desktop.

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David

[Brad]

OK, there are others things listed in the users guide so that is why I need to be really sure about this. There is absolutely no way for zoom to be used on the server unless it is downloaded to the windows version of a hosting plan instead of linux, correct?

Thank you very much.

[David]

I am not sure what the "other things" are that you refer to.

After you have created a set of index files (on a Windows machine), then you can take the set of index files and the search scripts and install a search function on a Linux or Unix machine.

For example our web site server is running BSD Unix but we create the index files from our Windows desktop machine.

So the installation of a search function is possible (and fairly common) on Linux, but the indexing function still requires a Windows desktop or server.

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David

[Brad]

I am trying to find a way to utilize this without going out an buying a brand new computer because of my space issue.

Any instructions on how to upload this to a windows server? I was just told elsewhere that some servers won't allow you to upload programs because of security issues. This way I can ask the particular host if they will allow uploading in the method you suggest before I buy the hosting package. Thank you very much.

[David]

I was just told elsewhere that some servers won't allow you to upload programs because of security issues

Yes some hosts can be restrictive. The less you are prepared to pay, the more restrictive they are in general. If you are running a dedicated host, or running your own host, in your company, then it is normally no problem. But I am guessing from your E-mail that this is not the case?

The low cost solution is to get it running on your desktop and then buy a cheaper no frills hosting package.

What exactly is the problem with your desktop machine? What are the specs?

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David

[Brad]

Man, thats news to me. I know all these javascript etc. program intensive people need many of their programs on the server. Didn't think they all had to have dedicated servers to do so. Thats a real drag.

I only have 1 GB's of free disc space left on my computer. I could free up some of it but only about a half a GB or much less because I have had to free a lot of it up before. I am a afraid with only that amount of space for the indexing power I would not be able to index much with this computer.

No instructions on how to try to download it on some ASP server who will let me?

Thanks a lot!

[Brad]

A host just gave me some potential good news. They said there shouldn't be any reason why a host won't allow us to put some programs on the server. As long as the program does not influence others on the shared hosting plan. Also as long as the hosting company doesn't have to be involved in the transfer or installation process.

They said anything can be added to our hosting space but it has to be transferred by ftp.

Do you see any reason why I can't just transfer my Zoom program from my computer to the server using ftp?

This will tell me if I can get zoom in the future. Thanks.

[Brad]

The users guide says php can be utilized on the linux server for this program. Does it do the indexing or just send the results there, because I don't see anywhere in the free program where you can send the results to the server, only the hard drive.

[Brad]

Maybe I should be asking about the cgi, sounds like the cgi is better than the asp. I think you need an update on my questions.

1. Can zoom be used on asp just by transferring the files fia ftp?

2. The users guide says it will work on cgi/linux. Is that to run the indexer, results only, both, and why was I told it would only work on asp?

Thanks.

[David]

I think you are a bit confused about the difference between the various scripting languages, where the scripting languages are run (Javascript doesn't run on the server), and the difference between a script and a compiled application.

Now it would take a long post to try and explain all this, and all the information is avilable from web design books and on the web, so i'll attempt just to give a brief summary and the best solution.

- PHP & ASP are scripting languages that run on the server
- PHP typically runs on Linux hosts (and some Windows hosts)
- ASP typically runs on Windows hosts
- Javascript is a scripting language that runs on the client
- Javascript runs in almost all browsers (on the client)
- CGI is an interface between a web server and an external script or application.
- There is 2 parts to Zoom. The indexer and the search scripts
- The indexer part of Zoom is a Windows only application
- The indexer part of Zoom is not a script. It is an application with an install package. (Like Microsoft Word or Abobe reader, an application)
- The indexer part of Zoom can be installed on any Windows machine if you have premission. By shared hosts doesn't often give this permission.
- The script part of Zoom comes in many flavours, PHP, ASP, Javascript, CGI and runs on pretty much any host (Windows or Linux or Unix).

The solution
You are clearly looking for a minimum cost solution. So the solution is to buy this 40GB hard drive from Amazon for $39 and run the indexer on your desktop then, using FTP, upload the search script and index files to your host.

You will get back the $39 that you spend on the extra hard drive becuase you can take a low end hosting package. The hard drive will also be of great general benefit to your PC if you only have 1GB free at the moment.

[Brad]

Thank you very much for all that information, I knew a bit of it. Sounds like you think that amount of hard drive space will keep me going for some time.

The only problem is I went ahead and purchased a asp host to test the program on the server now, so I'll have to follow through with that first. I'll try it on the free version.

[Brad]

OK, things are going well, only having trouble with the output directory on the asp server. How do I configure an output directory on the indexing page. I made a directory called "zoomoutput" in the root of my asp web site that I named test.info.

I tried using these as the address of the output destination:
http://test.info/bradmonroe/zoomoutput
http://test.info/zoomoutput
/zoomoutput

Whenever I try any of these it says the directory cannot be found. I checked all your help and users guide info, can't find the answer. Thanks.

[David]

The output directory needs to be on a local drive. You then need to transfer the files to the server. After which you can delete the local files.

Imagine you are using Microsoft Word, you can't save a word document to a web site. You need to save it locally, then transfer it to the web site using FTP. Same with Zoom.

The output files are fairly small. Even if you only have 50MB of free disk space on your hard drive , this will be enough to index 5000+ pages.

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David

[Brad]

My search results are not appearing after I got a test site on asp. I set the indexer to asp before I started it. Then I uploaded all the files to the asp server http://test.info/search. I made sure that I put http://test.info/search in the form area of my source code where the zoom search prompt is.
#1. I notice some of the files still say .php, how can these work on asp?

Also, even though I have the main zoom files on my computer, which the zoom server files point to...

#2. When I launch the program on the asp server, its using the servers drive for the power to index, correct? The reason I ask this is because somehow it is finding my local hard drive to send the indexed files to, but the indexer is now on the server.

Thanks.