FrontPage Server Extensions for Windows - XP Pro + IIS / VS2003/2005 -- FP SE????

Author

XP Pro + IIS / VS2003/2005 -- FP SE????

2006-06-25, 1:17 pm

Hi all,

I have XP Pro with IIS, and it does have SOME version of FPSE. That's one
question -- how do I know which? Looks like the really old version (i.e. no
separate manager).

There seems to be a disconnect between FPSE and Visual Studio 2003. I have
created a web under IIS, configured FPSE for it. Frontpage seems to be fine
with it. When I try to use it with VS (which is what I used to do with this),
it says it can't connect to the server. I have tried "localhost",
"127.0.0.1", my computer name, etc. All the same. All of these actually work
-- that is, I can open any of these in IE and see the site, and it opens in
FP.

I think my FPSE is hosed, as I've created new sites, installed/configured
FPSE, and again VS claims it can't connect with the server.

I would like to get the 2002 FPSE, and all I can find is that they are 'on
the install media", but I don't think so. Any clues to any of this?

2006-06-25, 1:17 pm

Additional information:

Correction: Not VS 2003, but Visual Interdev.

I just used Windows Components to remove and reinstall FPSE 2000. This
caused no change. There is a Server Extensions Administrator. It lists the
sites that have FPSE, but all it does is show the same dialog box as when I
configure the FPSE in IIS.

One interesting thing -- from the SE Administrator, supposedly I can open
the site in FP. But when I try, it says I must first install the FP
application. I do have FP2003 installed.

So again, it looks like this older FPSE just isn't going to work. Perhaps
this is due to a recent MS update to XP or something, but I'm not able to use
Interdev at all (and this is an ASP site, so pretty much have to).

"Oz" wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I have XP Pro with IIS, and it does have SOME version of FPSE. That's one
> question -- how do I know which? Looks like the really old version (i.e. no
> separate manager).
>
> There seems to be a disconnect between FPSE and Visual Studio 2003. I have
> created a web under IIS, configured FPSE for it. Frontpage seems to be fine
> with it. When I try to use it with VS (which is what I used to do with this),
> it says it can't connect to the server. I have tried "localhost",
> "127.0.0.1", my computer name, etc. All the same. All of these actually work
> -- that is, I can open any of these in IE and see the site, and it opens in
> FP.
>
> I think my FPSE is hosed, as I've created new sites, installed/configured
> FPSE, and again VS claims it can't connect with the server.
>
> I would like to get the 2002 FPSE, and all I can find is that they are 'on
> the install media", but I don't think so. Any clues to any of this?

Mark Fitzpatrick

2006-06-25, 1:17 pm

The server extension version that comes with IIS are the FP 2000 Server
Extensions. You can find this out by opening the Control panel, Going to
Add/Remove Programs | Add/Remove Windows Components, select the IIS node and
press the Details button. You'll see that the FP 2000 Server Extensions
option should be checked.

This is not a really old version. There was only one release after this, and
mostly that was geared to support a management interface and features of
SharePoint. If you're using VS.Net then there is no reason to use any other
version as the 2000 extensions have all the features that VS will be able to
use.

If you can connect to the site with FrontPage then there is nothing wrong
with the extensions. Visual Studio is touchy to say the least. Did you first
create a Web Project through Visual Studio pointed to this location? If not,
then VS won't open an FP web because it can't find the .csproj file. You may
want to ensure also that you are an admin of the web by adding your name as
a server extensions admin specifically. This can be done through the IIS MMC
and right-clicking the web in question and selecting New | Server Extensions
Administrator. You may also want to do a check server extensions to make
sure that the permissions are correct.

Bottom line, IIS and the extensions are working fine it's VS that's touchy.
It could be due to a permissions error in the NTFS permissions and you may
need to play with them. Instlaling a new version of the extensions will do
absolutely nothing for you since VS doesn't use any of the features in a
newer version of the extensions and installing a new version may screw
things up as it often messes with the permissions for the wwwroot and it's
subdirectories.

Hope this helps,
Mark Fitzpatrick
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage

"Oz" <Oz@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DF755295-49B4-4D28-BB73-5BEFD60921D5@microsoft.com...
> Hi all,
>
> I have XP Pro with IIS, and it does have SOME version of FPSE. That's one
> question -- how do I know which? Looks like the really old version (i.e.
> no
> separate manager).
>
> There seems to be a disconnect between FPSE and Visual Studio 2003. I have
> created a web under IIS, configured FPSE for it. Frontpage seems to be
> fine
> with it. When I try to use it with VS (which is what I used to do with
> this),
> it says it can't connect to the server. I have tried "localhost",
> "127.0.0.1", my computer name, etc. All the same. All of these actually
> work
> -- that is, I can open any of these in IE and see the site, and it opens
> in
> FP.
>
> I think my FPSE is hosed, as I've created new sites, installed/configured
> FPSE, and again VS claims it can't connect with the server.
>
> I would like to get the 2002 FPSE, and all I can find is that they are 'on
> the install media", but I don't think so. Any clues to any of this?

Mark Fitzpatrick

2006-06-25, 1:17 pm

Don't worry, the fact it can't open FP 2003 has nothing to do with the
server extensions. The FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions were designed to
look for FP 2000 and earlier versions, not FP 2003. So, therefore, it
doesn't know that FP 2003 (or 2002) is installed and cannot open it. This is
hard-coded into the admin controls themselves and only indicate that you
have a newer version of FrontPage than the programmers designed for in the
launch FP mechanism.

Hope this helps,
Mark Fitzpatrick
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage

> Additional information:
>
> Correction: Not VS 2003, but Visual Interdev.
>
> I just used Windows Components to remove and reinstall FPSE 2000. This
> caused no change. There is a Server Extensions Administrator. It lists the
> sites that have FPSE, but all it does is show the same dialog box as when
> I
> configure the FPSE in IIS.
>
> One interesting thing -- from the SE Administrator, supposedly I can open
> the site in FP. But when I try, it says I must first install the FP
> application. I do have FP2003 installed.
>
> So again, it looks like this older FPSE just isn't going to work. Perhaps
> this is due to a recent MS update to XP or something, but I'm not able to
> use
> Interdev at all (and this is an ASP site, so pretty much have to).

2006-06-25, 7:25 pm

Mark,

Thanks for the information. You asked:

"Did you first create a Web Project through Visual Studio pointed to this
location?"

Well, THAT is exactly the problem -- it is not possible to do this. To
create a new web project, it first asks me for the project name and path
(which I give it, to a new, empty directory). It then asks me to enter the
name of a web server. I point it at my local IIS, which is where I have a
single web site, empty, running at port 80 (I actually have defined a bunch
of other web-sites, both at port 80 and other ports, but all of these are
stopped -- only the new, empty web-site is running).

With or without the FPSE 2000 installed and configured for the web site, at
this point Interdev always says: "Unable to contact web server <address>".
I've used "localhost", "127.0.0.1" and my system name, but all result in the
same message (with the web address changed accordingly, e.g.
"http://localhost")

I can however stick a web site there and it works (e.g. in IE I can enter
"localhost" or "http://localhost" and get the web site).

So I am dead stuck at this point.