IceBreak

Can IceBreak handle Microservices?

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:46:25 +0000

Can IceBreak handle Microservices?

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IceBreak

Hi,

Can IceBreak handle Microservices?

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/14/2018 - 16:46

Re: Can IceBreak handle Microservices?

Hi;

IceBreak has changed dramatically over the years and added compiler feature in vsCode and support for routing so we can build microservices:

Attached are a zipfile containing a microsevice demo. unzip that to /www/MicroServices on your IBMi before you create the IceBreak server.
Then create a server like this and start it:

IceBreak Server ID . . . . . . . > MICROSERV Name Description . . . . . . . . . . 'Microservices demo' Server type . . . . . . . . . . *WEB *SAME, *WEB, *NINJA... Tcp/Ip Interface address . . . . *ANY Tcp/Ip Port . . . . . . . . . . 60060 1-65535, *SAME Startup type . . . . . . . . . . *AUTO *SAME, *MANUAL, *AUTO Server Root Path . . . . . . . . '/www/MicroServices' Default doc or Startup script . 'default.html' Webconfig/shell file path . . . '/www/MicroServices/webconfig.xml'

Notice when you refer to a microservice, you always go through a "router" application. It is called "router.rpgle" and can be extended with logon stuff, security etc. and you have to make a "route" in the webconfig.xml pointing to that particular "router" application.

Microservices are not compiled by the JIT, since the router don't invoke the JIT compiler, so you have to compile it the vsCode or from 5250 commandline like:

CRTICEPGM STMF('/www/MicroServices/msSimple.rpgle') SVRID(microserv)
I prefer vsCode, which are using node.js to compile IceBreak programs: download and install i from here

https://nodejs.org/en/
https://code.visualstudio.com/
Start vsCode and search for RPG in the "extensions". The "box on the left lower side: And install it ( Yes it is made by me and others for IceBreak;)
Then map a drive M: to the /www/MicroServices folderand open - since that is a vsCode project. DON'T OPEN THE PROGRAM DIRECTLY - COMPILER WILL ONLY WORK ON PROJECTS !!!!
It must look like this - with the project outline in the left pane. open the msSimple.rpgle so the editor window shows (ensure you can see the .vsCode - that means that the compiler is active)
Press shift + cmd + B (for run build task found in the "task" menu) ... and click on the "problems" tab if you have errors.. The click on the error line and the cursor will jump to the particular place in the code where the error is. COOL!!
Run the sample:
now - the syntax: http://myIbmi:1234/router/serviceprogramname/procedureName

i.e to test the "msSimple.rpgle" service with the "Hello" attached. Then in my case I have an IBMi called dksrv206 and created a server called "MICROSERV" at port 60060
```
dksrv206:60060/router/msSimple/Hello?payload={ 
  "message" : "My name is John"                 
}  
```
And the result - even more cool: always remember JSON in and JSON out for microservices. It makes you life so much easier.

Please give me feedback if you have issues.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Root folder

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 16:34:18 +0000

Root folder

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IceBreak

Hi Niels,

All 40 of my students get their own web server, but the root folders are cluttered with files that are not required (index.html, .vscode, and webConfig.xml). When they try to drag and drop their index.html page to the root folder, it gives then a authorization error. They have to delete your index.html document first.

Is there any way this can be cleaned up?

Jim

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/22/2017 - 18:34

Re: Root folder

Hi Jim,

All of the above files / folders you are mentioning are part of an on going strategy, and are requirements from customers.

I can understand that you would like it more simple/ clean - but all of the above has a purpose:

index.html - is a confirmation of the server was created normally, otherwise you will see a 404 error if you go the the web page. It is a simple "welcome to..." page and you are doing right by just replace it.

.vsCode
It the folder that Visual Studio Code is using to communicate with IceBreak - It need to be in the server root folder - it can not be placed anywhere else.

webConfig.xml
It contains the extra settings - default settings requires to let IceBreak work in a modern environment: I.e. in the webConfig.xml you will see that UTF-8 only is enabled, chunked support is enabled, and this is also where you set your hives.

A hive is a virtual folder and an associated applications library - so maybe you should create a "hive" for each student instead a of a dedicated server instance for each - just thinking loud.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Why is IceCap displaying error message?

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2017 15:49:16 +0000

Why is IceCap displaying error message?

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IceBreak

Hi,

This week the ICECAP system has stopped working twice displaying the ‘Error occurred executing function.

The first time was on Monday morning when myself and three other users got this error message. Then within minutes it started to work again for us all.

Then last night at 22:00 it was reported to me it was not working, it has been OK today.

Is there anywhere on the system I can look to find any clue why this is happening?

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/11/2017 - 17:49

Re: Why is IceCap displaying error message?

Hi;

There is no errors in IceCap - or the way you are integrating with IceCap.

The reason is that "ruCntStkChk.aspx" is creating a new session each time it is called which now is the reason you have 254890 sessions in your system.

It is easy to fix. Use session stability by URL - and simply give it a session number into the url..

so instead of
http://myibmi/uCntStkChk.aspx

insert a session number in the url prefixed by a dot.
http://myibmi/.0/uCntStkChk.aspx

Here I use session zero - and notice the dot. Now Any request with /.0/ will share the same job and session.

Ultimately it will also give better performance since the job stays resident.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

IceCap application is not working

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2017 15:49:16 +0000

IceCap application is not working

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IceBreak

Hi,

Our IceCap application is not working, attached is a screen shot of the message. I have tried restarting the IceCap server but the error is still occurring.

I have also tried to debug the aspx program for the Icecap menu but the error seems to be occurring before the menu is called.

I have attached a screenshot of the error and joblog...

Is there anywhere on the system I can look to find any clue why this is happening?

Thanks

Jonathan

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/11/2017 - 17:49

Re: IceCap application is not working

Hi Jonathan,

There is no errors in IceCap - or the way you are integrating with IceCap.

The reason is that "ruCntStkChk.aspx" is creating a new session each time it is called which now is the reason you have 254890 sessions in you system. It is easy to fix. Use session stability by URL - and simply give it a session number into the url..

so instead of
http://myibmi/uCntStkChk.aspx

insert a session number in the url prefixed by a dot.
http://myibmi/.0/uCntStkChk.aspx

Here I use session zero - and notice the dot.

Now Any request with /.0/ will share the same job and session. Ultimatley it will also give better performance since the job stays resident.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Multiline constants in IceBreak

Niels Liisberg — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:23:25 +0000

Multiline constants in IceBreak

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IceBreak

Have you ever made a SQL string in RPGLE that spans over many lines - and did you miss a quote or two?

Now it is more easy to produce long string assignments over multiple lines.

A multiline constant in IceBreak start with (" and is terminated by a "). Multiline constants also allows you to concatenate variables and expression into the string simply by using a marker designated by a $. If you are using more complex expression then you can surround the marker by curly bracket.

This feature makes is more easy to cut/paste between external editor, validator and environments like SQL prompt / jsonlint etc.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Niels Liisberg Mon, 12/12/2016 - 16:23

responseRelease(), new feature

Niels Liisberg — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 16:43:52 +0000

responseRelease(), new feature

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IceBreak

Icebreak new feature;

The new responseRelease() allows you ti send the response object back to the client as soon it is ready. After a call to responseRelease() you will not have a connection to the client until it make the next request.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Niels Liisberg Tue, 10/11/2016 - 18:43

Session json objects

Niels Liisberg — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 07:47:06 +0000

Session json objects

Forums

IceBreak

Session persistent objects is now supported in icebreak.

Session persistent json object, is objects maintained through out a session lifetime.

If the persistent object does not exists, then sesGetObject returns a default empty object ready for you to populate. In any case you will receive a pointer to an object which is maintained through out the session lifetime.

You don't need the usual cleanup by json_delete / json_close since the object will be disposed when the job terminates. You can however use the json_delte if the persistent object is not required any longer.

You can always use the sesGetObject to reload the initial state at transaction invocation time by calling the sesGetObject again, however in that particular case remember to clean up prior to that with json_Close().

Note 1:
The name is required to conform to IFS object name standart ( like programs or libraries.

Note 2:
json_setPtr is not allowed unless it points to a valid json stringified payload or contains json valid literals.

Note 3:
Keep the number of session persistent objects to a minimum, otherwise you will have a performance penalty.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Niels Liisberg Tue, 10/04/2016 - 09:47

json_copyValue(), new feature

Niels Liisberg — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:00:00 +0000

json_copyValue(), new feature

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IceBreak

Just a nice little feature added to noxDB.

The json_copyValue let you copy between a source node and a destination node including a path modifier.

The following sample explains it all:

noxDB is short for "Not Only XML" which is a library for RPG programmers to exploit XML, JSON and SQL in one developer model.

If you don't have this open source library, then grab it from
https://github.com/NielsLiisberg/noxDB

Niels Liisberg Wed, 09/14/2016 - 00:00

Implementing a more Traditional Style of Working in IceBreak

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 09:01:04 +0000

Implementing a more Traditional Style of Working in IceBreak

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IceBreak

Hi,

This question is quite a difficult one to explain...

Is it possible in IceBreak to have a method of working where you could open the source of a program, modify it with changes, compile it into a mod library so that people could have a mod library ahead of their live library on the library list and run the modified program from the mod library, whilst still having the initial live program unchanged further down the priority list?
I'm not sure if I explained that very well, but I mean kind of like the traditional way of working on Green and black.

Regards,

Jimmy

Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/09/2016 - 11:01

Re: Implementing a more Traditional Style of Working in IceBreak

Hi James;

I got it 100%

We here at S&M are also moving towards GIT and versioning, and in this process we need ( as you ) a program objet library which is NOT the production, but rather the "current development task library"
We have just change the CRTICEPGM to have a OBJLIB parameter, and we are integrating this command into Sublime Text
However - We still need a good way to select the library list for a git compile - Some suggestion we are working with:

Set a user library - which can be a part of the user part of the URL

normal url
http://myibmi:2345/mypgm.aspx

will be:
http://develop@myibmi:2345/mypgm.aspx

This is kind of hijack and misuse of the - user however easy to implement and use.

Set an extra system value along the request string

http://myibmi:2345/mypgm.aspx?__objlib__=MYPROJECT

Set an extra part of the session URL

http://myibmi:2345/.-objlib:MYPROJECT/mypgm.aspx

Please fill in the blanks

The above will only work for servers in development mode, since it is prone for injections.

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Test without interfering with servers

Hi Niels,

That could maybe help. When do you think this will be rolled out on an IceBreak install for testing, and is it possible to test without interfering with present servers functionality?

James

ICETEST

Hi James,

In the installation process, you can always select to install in another environment (The advance oprions on page five) - Let say ICETEST...

If so you will have bot the ICEBREAK and ICETEST subsystem running side by side - and even better; you can clone production server settings into other environment from opt 69 : Migrate

Remember to change the portnumber of interface since you can not listen on the same port from more that one server.

Always key you ICETEST current from:

http://install.icebreak.org/

Look for the latest IceBreakSetupXXXX.exe

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg

Opening word documents in IceBreak

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:14:15 +0000

Opening word documents in IceBreak

Forums

IceBreak

Hi,

How do I place a word document in the IceBreak Response?

Regards,

James

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/01/2016 - 19:14

Re: Opening word documents in IceBreak

Hi James,

VBscript is not the weapon of choice in modern web applications. Microsoft has (kind of) lost the browser battle. So for the same reason, do not use active-x components which is only supported in IE.

A much better and more cross browser friendly solution is direct serving the word document, and set the propper content type and disposition.

Basically your code looks like this:

<%@ language="RPGLE"  %>
<%
/* -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Program . . : include a word documnet
* ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
var msg     varchar(512)

/free
  *INLR = *ON; 

  // let the browser-plugin have time to load the file
  setCacheTimeout(10);

  // Word need this MIME type
  setContentType(
    'application/vnd.openxmlformats-' +
    'officedocument.wordprocessingml.document'
  );

  // What do we call it on the client, and should we download or show it in the broser window
  setHeader (
    'Content-Disposition' :
    'inline; filename="MyClientDocument.docx"'
  );  

  // Now get the payload
  msg = include ('myWordDoc.docx');

  // If error, sound the alarm
  if msg > '';
    setContentType('text/html');
    %>Error opening document, reason: <%= msg %><%
  endif;

Note: The document is read only, if you need to modify /save you need another technique. Textarea or web-dav. which is another ballgame..

Best regards,

Niels Liisberg