Dolphin capabilities(newbie question..)

Hi everyone,

I asked a question on comp.lang.smalltalk and got directed here for a possible
solution.

I need to write some CGI back-end code for an intranet tool we have, I dont
wanna use/learn PERL at all and I'm relutant to learn anything new(read Python)
that seems after consideration to be worse than Smalltalk. I'm old and cranky,
think badly of me if you wish.

Several people suggested it was possible to develop (lightweight?)command-line
executables in Dolphin, these will need to look in a persistent datastore and
return a series of text documents(XML actually) across a std HTTP protocol(you
know just plain old CGI stuff). Is it possible to do this in Dolphin 4.0? and if
so which version?

As an aside I also need to use a command-line (DOS) interface to a running win
application (winamp actually) I'm also told Dolphin may be the best option here
too, any comments?

regards

Lindon Parker
TwoMoon Media Pty Ltd.

Lindon,

> I need to write some CGI back-end code for an intranet tool we have, I
dont
> wanna use/learn PERL at all and I'm relutant to learn anything new(read
Python)
> that seems after consideration to be worse than Smalltalk. I'm old and
cranky,
> think badly of me if you wish.

How can we think badly of you under such circumstances, :-)

> Several people suggested it was possible to develop
(lightweight?)command-line
> executables in Dolphin, these will need to look in a persistent datastore
and
> return a series of text documents(XML actually) across a std HTTP
protocol(you
> know just plain old CGI stuff). Is it possible to do this in Dolphin 4.0?
and if
> so which version?

Starting with Dolphin 4.0 you can create console (i.e. non-GUI applications)
and our intention behind this was to allow Dolphin to be used for command
line/scripting/CGI type applications. The smallest EXE you can create is
around 370K. Although this is not *tiny* you'll find that your application
size grows quite slowly as functionality is added. To read more about how
it's done take a look at:

http://www.object-arts.com/Lib/EducationCentre4/htm/creatingconsoleapplicati
ons.htm

The console application facility is only available in Dolphin Professional:

http://www.object-arts.com/Products.htm

The base image in Dolphin Pro does include XML/ODBC/Sockets support but
nothing explictly for handling HTTP requests. This shouldn't be too
difficult to add. You'll also find that, because of Dolphins tight
integration with Windows, then interfacing to stuff like ISAPI and COM
should also be straightforward.

> As an aside I also need to use a command-line (DOS) interface to a running
win
> application (winamp actually) I'm also told Dolphin may be the best option
here
> too, any comments?

I'm not sure. How are you intending to talk to WinAmp? Does it support a COM
interface? In which case, controlling it from Dolphin would be pretty
straightforward.

Best regards,

Andy Bower
Dolphin Support
http://www.object-arts.com

---
Visit the Dolphin Smalltalk Wiki Web
http://www.object-arts.com/wiki/html/Dolphin/FrontPage.htm
---

Lindon,

To Andy's reply, I'll add that a commercial web server and RPC is another
option for you.  I have a fairly large app that has connections to machines
in various locations and really can't "come and go" as a CGI is forced to
do.  We got around that by having a small CGI app that channels requests to
and from the "persistent" app, and quits after it gets an answer or error
from the Dolphin app.  The CGI is a C++ console app written before such
things were possible in Dolphin.  I have no immediate plans to change to a
Dolphin app, though I'd certainly consider it if I were starting the project
now.

Have a good one,

Bill

--
Wilhelm K. Schwab, Ph.D.
[hidden email]

You can also have a look at Swazoo- Smalltalk Web Application ZOO.  It's a
work in progress from Camp Smalltalk- it implements an HTTP 1.1 server and
you may be able to base your application on it.

Swazoo is cross-vendor: there are currently at least VW and Dolphin
versions, with a Squeak version in the works.  A version for Dolphin 3
exists on SourceForge at: http://www.sourceforge.com/projects/swazoo.  The
version on SourceForge supports serving standard static web pages, and
includes some examples of custom resources as well.   An updated version for
Dolphin 4 should be up sometime this weekend - it has support for session
management and authentication.

It seems very stable, I've run simple test sites on it internally for weeks
at a time with no crashes (however I've never really done any load testing
or benchmarking yet either).

It's not CGI, but it may be worth looking at.  I don't know if you'll be
able to interface it with your intranet tool, but if so you won't have to
worry about starting an image for each invocation and you'll have the full
suite of tools, including ODBC, Sockets, and COM available.

Jerry Bell
[hidden email]




tinaeroplanes <[hidden email]> wrote in message
news:[hidden email]...
> Hi everyone,
>
> I asked a question on comp.lang.smalltalk and got directed here for a
possible
> solution.
>
> I need to write some CGI back-end code for an intranet tool we have, I
dont
> wanna use/learn PERL at all and I'm relutant to learn anything new(read
Python)
> that seems after consideration to be worse than Smalltalk. I'm old and
cranky,
> think badly of me if you wish.
>
> Several people suggested it was possible to develop
(lightweight?)command-line
> executables in Dolphin, these will need to look in a persistent datastore
and
> return a series of text documents(XML actually) across a std HTTP
protocol(you
> know just plain old CGI stuff). Is it possible to do this in Dolphin 4.0?
and if
> so which version?
>
> As an aside I also need to use a command-line (DOS) interface to a running
win
> application (winamp actually) I'm also told Dolphin may be the best option
here
> too, any comments?
>
> regards
>
> Lindon Parker
> TwoMoon Media Pty Ltd.
>