Hi,
I'm stuck. I am using the latest version (v1301) and have installed everything with the defaults (/metatraffic, db.mdb). I have tried the various insertion possibilities for the .html files and .asp files.
I have two problems. I can't get the html files to work with javascript. I can get the .asp to connect to the db, but I get the update query error mentioned in the readme.
For the second problem, I am using a host and have no access to file permissions (and too little understanding of how Microsoft implements chmod). How can I change this on the server?
For the first problem, I cannot seem to get any decent error messages to help with the debugging. On one machine, when executing the track.js file from the browser, I get a syntax error on line 1 position 1. How can I improve my debugging of javascript? Any idea what the problem might be?
Changing write permission of db.mdb
Good day,
Since you're using an asp site, I would presume that you are already using MsAccess database(s) in your site, right ?
In such case, simply move the Metatraffic database where the others are. That directory should already have all the necessary permissions.
If you don't use database right now, then I would suggest you to create a directory, that you will use to centralize your databases and ask your Web hosting service to grant necessary privileges. Depending of the hosting service, you may have the necessary authorities to do it yourself, if they provided you with some kind of admin interface, otherwise they will have to do it.
In the "config.asp" file, there should be a "strDatabaseLocation" variable. Adjust its content to reflect the move of the database to the directory you used/created above.
For the javascript tracking approach, ensure that "scriptlocation" is properly initialized in "track.js", specially if you're not using the defaults.
Globally, if write access is not allowing on the directory where the database resides, nothing will work, would it be the asp or javascript approach.
For the debugging improvement, I guess you will have to talk to Bill!
The M$ error messages and the so called "debugging utility", are the crappiest and most useless things the computer has ever had to deal with. This is simply pathetic!
The relative line numbers/positions, are in fact calculated on the rendered page, not your source code. For example :
c.asp
=====
<%
...include a.asp...
...include b.asp...
%>
If there is a error in b.asp, which is not too obvious, and there are a lot of code in both pages, you may get line #307 although c.asp has only 2 lines.
The only way to get over that pain is to right-click, copy and paste the resulting source code in a text editor having line numbering, and work from there to figure where the problem is. As if this wasn't enough, hidden javascripts are even worse to debug, a royal pain!
Globally speaking, that debugging crap is as usefull as those stupids "BSODs" (Blue screens of death). Even the silly developpers at Microsoft can't do anything with that useless information, so why did they bother to show it first place ? Another Bill's non-sense I guess.
Had to let that steam excess out, sorry...
Bye for now...
Changing write permission of db.mdb
Thanks for all the help! I did indeed have another database that was created automatically by FrontPage. When I placed the db.mdb file in the directory (and changed the path info) it worked fine on my site. I have a second site, however, that I still haven't got working. I used FP 2003 for this one (my mistake), and I think it will just take some more fiddling with it to get there.
I'm actually quite happy with the FrontPage authoring tools, but there is just too much that is done in the background (like converting asp on the fly when you save) to make me feel comfortable with it for operations. I either need to learn a lot more or I need to get a more friendly tool...
Thanks again for the help.