Alternatives for asp.net pages

[ballbollen]

Our company has used zoom search engine for asp successfully for the last 3 years, but we are now changing the technology to asp.net. I have read there is a asp.net component that can be used, but you have to install it on the web server. I have a few questions connected to this:

1) Since we have a web host that hosts our site, I guess we have to ask them to install the component?

2) If that be the case, is it best to just copy the instructions in the users guide and paste it in an email to the host, asking them to follow the steps required?

3) If web host does not want to follow these steps for some reason, are there any alternatives

4) In the users guide it says: "When you launch the MSI installer, you will be prompted for a path to install the control to. You should specify the folder which you wish to host the search page from." I want to include a search form on all pages, but I guess the "search page" means the "search results page"? Just so I know what to tell the host when they ask.

Thanks in advance,
Kristian

[Ray]

1) Unless you have Remote Desktop access to the server and your account has permission to install the controls. Otherwise, yes.

2) Sure, assuming they are willing to do so. Usually, only hosting accounts on dedicated servers would go this far. It is rare for shared hosting to accomodate this.

3) An alternative is use the ASP.NET wrapper to execute the CGI. This is described here:
http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/support/aspdotnet.html

Other alternative is to keep the search page in Classic ASP (or CGI) while the rest of your site is in ASP.NET. There isn't any fundamental problem with this. You just have to make the template page match the rest of your site (and you can't use ASP.NET components on the search page, obviously).

4) Correct. This is only referring to the search results page (which by default, also has a form at the top of it).

[ballbollen]

CGI-alternative

I followed the link to the cgi alternative guide, which says the following:

"This might be desirable for people who cannot install a Control on the web server, but have CGI executable permissions (and other requirements detailed below)".

I am on a shared hosting, are those permissions generally given in that case?

[Ray]

It depends on your web hosting company. Check with them if you are not sure.