ChoosePath README

First release - yes it works but it ugly looking.

** What it does:

Allows webspeed developers to manipulate their propaths "on the fly" and "in real time."

This can be useful for copying problem files from a production environment into a qa
environment and filling it full of debugging messages, etc.

It can also allow multiple developers to have their own "sandboxes" if they share the
same broker.  They can copy files they are working on into their directory and default
back into the original source.

If you have multiple problems floating around with multiple people this can help out.

** Theory of Operation

We basically set a cookie in your browser that will contain your desired propath.

This cookie is used by a customized version of web-disp.p to dynamically alter the
PROPATH it uses to find your files.

This will work on UNIX and Windows based systems.

** Installing it

Grab the zip file and unzip it.  It will create it's own directory.

Create a broker and hardcode it's PROPATH to include the src directory.

The web-disp.p file included is a Progress 10.1A file with modifications.  If you
are using 10.1A you will not need to make any changes to it.

If you are not using 10.1A, then

Copy $DLC/src/web/objects/web-disp.p into the directory called web-disp-mine.p.

DO NOT OVERWRITE YOUR $DLC/src/web/objects/web-disp.p FILE!!!

Diff the web-disp-mine.p to web-disp.p and copy the code wrapped in Amduus Begin and 
Amduus End  into your web-disp.p file.  It should be pretty straightforward to see what 
is happening.

Rename your web-disp-mine.p into web-disp.p.

Use a normal Webspeed broker to compile the web-disp.p file. DO NOT OVERWRITE YOUR 
$DLC/src/web/objects/web-disp.p FILE!!!

Create a new broker and in it's agent properties have it refer to:

-p /your/path/to/your/web-disp.p 

along with the usual stuff found in the configuration.

Start up that new broker.

Edit the choosepath.ini file or make your own.  It should be pretty obvious what is happening
in there.

Hit the choosepropath.html page on the new broker.  If you are using your own - you will need
to enter it in the page and hit return.  (If the original ini is not found, you will need to
make your work directory the same directory as the ini file.)

Simply click the entry and then slip back into workshop to see your new PROPATH.

This works on both Windows and UNIX.


** Future direction

Dynamically releasing DB connections and making DB connections
Web page to edit the configuration file
A little bit prettier
Have an option where parameters are stored in a database so multiple people can edit them.

** Questions and updates?

Scott Auge sauge@amduus.com

If you have webspeed development to be done and a budget - I can help ya out! Otherwise catch me on the peg.

** Other options?

Freeframework.org's code base has functionality like this - but it is a bit more difficult to set up.