Microsoft English Query

Active Server Pages Sample Application

Installation

  1. If your Web server is IIS 4.0 or greater, you can perform the install on the Web server machine, and you have Windows Scripting Host installed on the server, run the file SETUPASP.VBS (click on it from graphical directory listing or run the batch file SETUPASP.CMD from a Windows NT command prompt). It will copy files to the appropriate directory, create a new Web virtual directory, and modify the parameters file for you.  It will also create a .EQQ file for your model (e.g. PUBS.EQQ) which you should edit with a list of sample questions appropriate to your model. If you are running IIS 3.0 or less, perform these steps manually as instructed below.
  2. Copy all the files in this directory to a directory or your choice, e.g. C:\Pubs. Be sure to copy the files in the QB subdirectory to a subdirectory of your created directory called QB, e.g. C:\Pubs\QB
  3. Using Internet Service Manager, create a new virtual directory to point to this directory,e.g.
    Virtual Directory Physical Path
    /Pubs C:\Pubs

    Be sure to allow Read and Execute or Read and Script access.

  4. Set "Enable Default Document" as "Default.htm".
  5. In the file params.inc, update the value of the parameter DomainFile to reflect the name of your English Query domain (usually a .eqd file).
    Application("DomainFile")="C:\Pubs\Pubs.eqd"
  6. Copy the English Query domain (.eqd) specified to the chosen directory. For example if working with the PUBS sample English Query profile, Build Application to create the PUBS.EQD file and copy PUBS.EQD to the directory where the other files are located.
  7. Modify the database parameters in PARAMS.INC to reflect your ODBC datasource name, database username and password.
    Application("DSN") = "Pubs"
    Application("Login") = "guest"
    Application("PWD") = "guest"
  8. If the ODBC datasource specified in Application("DSN") does not yet exist, create a new ODBC System DSN.
    bulletClick the Control Panel ODBC32 applet
    bulletClicking the System DSN tab and click the Add button.
    bulletChoose SQL Server as the driver.
    bulletEnter the name of the data source to match Application("DSN").
    bulletSpecify the name of server where the database is located.
    bulletChoose SQL Server authentication if the Application("Login") and Application("PWD") parameters will be used to log into the database server
    bulletChange the default database from "master" to the database that your EQ interface uses.
  9. If the database login and password that you specified with Application("Login") and Application("PWD;") (such as "guest", "guest") is not yet a valid database login with rights to the database you wish to connect to, create the login and password and give it appropriate access rights (at least SELECT and CREATE TABLE capability) using SQL7 Enterprise Manager.
  10. Decide if your application should be optimized for low simultaneous usage or high simultaneous usage. Set the the Application("Deployment") parameter to "Internet" if you will have high numbers of simultaneous users. Otherwise the Deployment parameter defaults to "Intranet", which results in slightly faster performance for small numbers of users, but doesn't scale quite as well. The application will work fine with either value - this is performance optimization only.
  11. Create (or edit) a plain text .EQQ file (e.g. PUBS.EQQ) with a list of appropriate sample questions, one per line.
  12. Test the application by accessing it in your browser: http://localhost/pubs

Files

Filename Description
DEFAULT.HTM Redirects the incoming HTTP request to the file DEFAULT.ASP.
DEFAULT.ASP Frames the request and response windows.
PARAMS.INC Contains parameters to customize this application. Includes parameters for English Query, the SQL Server database and the request and response pages below.
GLOBAL.ASA Global Active Server Pages file with application and session definitions.
REQUEST.ASP Provides the user with information on entering an English sentence query. There are two entry methods: a single-line text box and a dropdown. Since an entry in the text box requires more effort than one in the dropdown, if one is made, it will override that selection of the dropdown.
RESPONSE.ASP Returns the results of the users request. Intermediate steps are shown. It produces either a response page or a clarification page depending on whether the English Query Engine require additional user input to answer a question. Additional tracing is displayed if the application flag Application("Debugging") is set to True.
CLARIFY.ASP Invoked when the user responds to a request for clarification. It works similarly to response.asp except it operates on a saved conversation context rather than beginning a new conversation.
COMMON.INC Contains subroutines used in both response.asp and clarify asp.
QB\*.* Question Builder files that allow users to explore the kinds of questions they can ask and what entities and relationships are available. The Question Builder UI uses an ActiveX tree-control. It requires Internet Explorer 3.0 or later running on an x86.
SETUPASP.VBS Windows Scripting Host script that automates installation of ASP sample applications. Requires IIS 4.0 or greater. If running IIS3, perform installation manually using instructions above.
SETUPASP.CMD Windows NT batch file that calls SETUPASP.VBS

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Last updated: 28 April 2000 by Dan Wilkin
Copyright © 1999 MBARI