Home Access Plus+

[nickbro]

Hi, my boss told me to let you all know about this little app that I've been making with the help of the RM Communities, so here goes.

 

Over the past 8 months I've been building a website which I've dubbed Home Access Plus, it's a website coded in C# which allows students & staff to access their my documents, a basic booking system (staff only), a basic help desk (staff only again) from any internet enabled pc in the world.

 

I've just released version 4.6, which has been a major build, and includes a new my computer interface, built in silverlight, and sporting drag and drop features, as well as near instant response times.

 

Anyhow, for more information, and a few (slightly out of date) videos, search online for Home Access Plus+ (top link in google, 2nd in bing)

 

If I've posted this in the wrong place, sorry, I'm new.

 

Nick B - IT Tech at Crickhowell High School, Powys

[Edu-IT]

Been lots of discussion about this over on Communities.

 

Excellent product Nick!

[nickbro]

Mainly by me it has to be said, but yes. It works on non RM networks as well, you just had to remove bits to get that working.

[PiqueABoo]

Well I know what a lot of work looks like and that's a classic example. Expect this will be useful to a lot of people so thanks for all the effort.

[EduTech]

That's great Nick! Good work mate.... Would the same kind of thing be good for vanilla networks too do you think? or/ is it strictly RM?

[SYNACK]

Looks really good, here is the codeplex page for those interested, there is a nice Youtube demo video on it too Home Access Plus+

[sister_annex]

Youtube Blocked here so cant see videos!! if you have any instructions or if you can email the vids over PM me would be worth a look

 

Mark

[nickbro]

There is a manual to download in the latest release

[jsnetman]

Have you got an install guide for vanilla, seems very RM orientated, realise it was built for RM networks but also says will work on vanilla.

[nickbro]

It will but the Booking System wont work since it's got some hard coded OU paths (I'm planning on removing them though)

 

The instructions should work on a vanilla network. I use it on a vanilla web server (server 2008 R2), but an RM AD network. The My computer part will work regardless though.

[victory2009]

have tried on our vanilla network but it doesnt work.. everytime i go to login it comes back asking me for login details again.. and all i get is access denied. Im wondering if its something to do with our ad layout differs from RM as i cannot find any settings for the OU's can you help at all.. as its looks a very promising....

[nickbro]

Ah yer, there is. It's down to the RM AD group xxx Easylink. If you open the web.config files (search for *.config in ~/extranet), then change Easylink for a group you want to use.

[victory2009]

Ah yer, there is. It's down to the RM AD group xxx Easylink. If you open the web.config files (search for *.config in ~/extranet), then change Easylink for a group you want to use.

 

working now.. must say this is very good!

Edited July 8, 2010 by victory2009

[nickbro]

For those using HAP, I've just released version 4.7, which should allow NON RM networks to use the full feature set of home access plus+ (booking system + help desk)

[sparkeh]

Just to say I can highly recommend HAP+, been using it for a while now and its excellent.

[PiqueABoo]

::sob:: Just installed on NOT-RM 2008 R2, think I've changed the config OK[1] but get a 404 after clicking My Documents i.e. from http://localhost/Extranet/MyComputer/N

 

Dunno if it's relevant but N isn't the drive letter used for their home drive (it's H). Plus whilst I'm here I'd like to be able to have My Documents point to a sub-folder i.e. "%homedrive%\Documents"

 

Same 404 for the only shared drive I've got configured, which is a T for

 

http://localhost/Extranet/MyComputer/T

 

[1] But I was a bit concerned about the potential effect of completely removing the {1} from the various OU DNs in "ouobjects" (I don't have an establishment code OU that can be sensibly substituted in there).

Edited July 18, 2010 by PiqueABoo

[nickbro]

You need to make sure .net is configured correctly. Using the integrated pipeline if server 2008 r2

[nickbro]

the {0} is needed in the ou objects, the {1} isn't needed. It can be ignored.

 

H is available to be used, but N gets auto placed in there, unfortunatly

[PiqueABoo]

You need to make sure .net is configured correctly. Using the integrated pipeline if server 2008 r2

 

Define "configured correctly"

 

I'm mediocre at best on IIS7.5, followed the 2nd config vid and I think I did everything the same and it's definitely integrated pipeline.. but I could well be missing something the rest-of-the-world would have done and just takes for granted ("didn't you know that?" stuff). Don't know if it's any more use in pinning this down but if I use the SL browser I get nothing displayed in the panes and an error on page:

 

Message: Unhandled Error in Silverlight Application [Async_ExceptionOccurred]

Arguments:

Debugging resource strings are unavailable. Often the key and arguments provide sufficient information to diagnose the problem. See http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=106663&Version=4.0.50524.0&File=System.dll&Key=Async_ExceptionOccurred at System.ComponentModel.AsyncCompletedEventArgs.RaiseExceptionIfNecessary()

at HAP.Silverlight.Browser.MainPage.driveclient_DownloadStringCompleted2(Object sender, DownloadStringCompletedEventArgs e)

Line: 1

Char: 1

Code: 0

URI: https://localhost/Extranet/MyComputerSL.aspx

[nickbro]

Really strange. I run my HAP+ on IIS7.5 and have no issues. It's easier to configure than IIS6.

In IIS:

1. Expand the Server

2. Click on App Pools

3. Right Click Add App Pool

4. Name it Extranet

5. Set .net version to 4

6. Select Integrated Pipeline mode

7. Click ok

8. Right click extranet

9. Click Advanced Settings

10. Set Identity to Network Service

11. Load User Profile to false

12. Idle Time-out to 0

13. OK

14. Extranet contents of the ZIP file to a folder

15. Right click that folder and untick readonly. Apply

16. Set permissions to allow Network Service write access

17. Run the HAP Config.exe tool

18. In IIS: Expand Sites

19. Click on a site

20. Right click extranet in the site and convert to application

21. Set to use the extranet app pool

22. Click on Extranet

23. Set IIS Authentication to basic. Disable everything else

24. Set the default domain of basic auth.

25. Check default.aspx is a default document

26. Check the Handler Mappings point to the version 4 of the .net framework

 

I've attached an IIS 7.5 settings file to chsextranet - Release: v4.7

 

Download the zip file, and import it in IIS manager

[PiqueABoo]

Thanks - I'll look at this with fresh eyes tomorrow.

[flaviorodrigues]

i run HAP Config.exe tool and when go to booking form, i dont get "next" the button is not enables and i cannot continue!

[nickbro]

Ok, have reuploaded the release with a fixed HAP Config.exe file. I'd somehow disabled the finish button on the last page (this is now fixed)

[flaviorodrigues]

i get now in the end of config

 

See the end of this message for details on invoking

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

 

************** Exception Text **************

System.FormatException: String was not recognized as a valid Boolean.

at System.Boolean.Parse(String value)

at System.String.System.IConvertible.ToBoolean(IFormatProvider provider)

at System.Convert.ToBoolean(Object value)

at HAP.Config.FirstRun.wiz_Finished(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at AeroWizard.WizardControl.OnFinished()

at AeroWizard.WizardControl.NextPage(WizardPage nextPage)

at AeroWizard.WizardControl.nextButton_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

 

************** Loaded Assemblies **************

mscorlib

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 (RTMRel.030319-0100)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v4.0.30319/mscorlib.dll

----------------------------------------

HAP Config

Assembly Version: 1.3.0.0

Win32 Version: 1.3.0.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/inetpub/wwwroot/bin/HAP%20Config.exe

----------------------------------------

System.Windows.Forms

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Drawing

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

----------------------------------------

System

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

----------------------------------------

AeroWizard

Assembly Version: 1.0.3851.27394

Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/inetpub/wwwroot/bin/AeroWizard.DLL

----------------------------------------

System.Core

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Xml

Assembly Version: 4.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 4.0.30319.1 built by: RTMRel

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.Net/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/v4.0_4.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll

----------------------------------------

 

************** JIT Debugging **************

To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this

application or computer (machine.config) must have the

jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.

The application must also be compiled with debugging

enabled.

 

For example:

 

 

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception

will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer

rather than be handled by this dialog box.

[nickbro]

Ok I think I've fixed that problem in v4.7.1.

 

I've also removed the N drive mapping as the user home directory. You'll notice in the web.config a path of %userpath%, this is the home directory UNC path. You can use %userpath%\My Documents if you wish. or %userpath%\{0} which will come out as \\server\share\username, e.g. \\chs01\nick.$\nick where the bit in bold is the %userpath% and {0}, as with most things in HAP represents the user's username