Quick question about web and ftp services in ACP 8

[Paul Luckas]

Hi Bob,

Have there been any significant changes to the underlying web and ftp services in ACP 8 (since ACP 5.1)? Is it still preferable to consider, for example, a third party FTP server for managing a large educational or commercial user base?

Apologies if any such changes are documented elsewhere (feel free to point me in the right direction).

Cheers,

Paul

[Bob Denny]

The web services have been improved with respect to adding additional HTTP/JSON/AJAX webservices, but the underlying HTTP engine is unchanged (and works beautifully). No changes to FTP (which doesn't work very well as it steals CPU time). Our recommendation is to distribute files via DropBox or Google Drive. This is all documented in ACP Help.

[Paul Luckas]

Thanks Bob,

Re: the improvements in "HTTP/JSON/AJAX webservices"

We're still using version 5.1 here at UWA, and are gradually seeing error message appear in some browsers - e.g., Chrome is starting to report a Java plugin error related to support for something called "NPAPI".

Does version 8 still rely on Java on the front end, or is that now handled through Javascript / AJAX.

Cheers,

Paul

[Bob Denny]

ACP never relied on Java. I can no longer support ACP 5 for obvious reasons (the onward march of Windows and enhanced security of later OS that didn't exist, the onward evolution of browsers toward W3C, and more). I do my best. Maybe you can put ACP 8 on a fresh system for 60 day eval?

[Paul Luckas]

Thanks Bob,

For years I've been seeing a second login request (see attached screen shot) - though come to think of it, not on mobile devices. I had incorrectly assumed there was Java involved in ACP, but on close inspection of the index.asp file, there appears to be some 'Tiddly' voodoo going on here (see attached screen shots).

We're over due for upgrades in a number of areas Bob, and this has been slated for 2016. It won't be a trivial exercise because of the large number of users, and heavy customisation that we've done over the years - but it is necessary. Needless to say we'll set up a test environment and move over to production on the SPIRIT telescopes once we're happy that everything is playing nicely together. I'll be contacting Stephanie over the coming months once I have the go-ahead and budget.

Cheers,

Paul

javalogin.jpg

Here's the line inserting the Java Applet int the page .index.asp

javins.png

useJavaSaver is set here, also index.asp and is incorrectly identify Chrome as Safari (probably because of webkit and user agent sniffing (not considered best practice any longer, but this is old software).

javasav.png

[Bob Denny]

Oh, I forgot about that stuff. Thanks for calling my attention to it. The ACP web UI authoring/saving system may make use of it (I haven't looked at that machinery for at least 7 years, it just works). I have added a ticket for reviewing this in a future release and getting rid of it if it's not used.

ACP-1361 - Look at Tiddly saving and eliminate Java usage if possible.

[Bob Denny]

Wow, you are on an OLD version of ACP (v5.x early 2010). This problem appeared in late 2010 with a Java security change, and it was fixed in ACP V6.0 which was released in early 2011. You really should be updating. I can't support old versions because zillions of things have improved and even fixed. "It's broke so fix it" instead of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I just ran across the ticket looking at a new incompatibility with some ancient Safari hack/workaround code that's coming out for ACP 8.1. Some day maybe you could renew support so you can get our latest and best :-) :-)

ACP-498 - Get Rid of Java Auth Box on Chrome

Thanks Bob,

For years I've been seeing a second login request (see attached screen shot) - though come to think of it, not on mobile devices. I had incorrectly assumed there was Java involved in ACP, but on close inspection of the index.asp file, there appears to be some 'Tiddly' voodoo going on here (see attached screen shots).

We're over due for upgrades in a number of areas Bob, and this has been slated for 2016. It won't be a trivial exercise because of the large number of users, and heavy customisation that we've done over the years - but it is necessary. Needless to say we'll set up a test environment and move over to production on the SPIRIT telescopes once we're happy that everything is playing nicely together. I'll be contacting Stephanie over the coming months once I have the go-ahead and budget.

Cheers,

Paul

javalogin.jpg

Here's the line inserting the Java Applet int the page .index.asp

javins.png

useJavaSaver is set here, also index.asp and is incorrectly identify Chrome as Safari (probably because of webkit and user agent sniffing (not considered best practice any longer, but this is old software).

javasav.png