This article contains the AppleShare 5.0.2 Addendum information.

Important Information About AppleShare 5.0.2

AppleShare 5.0.2 has two improvements not mentioned elsewhere in the documentation.

• It is fully compatible with Mac OS 8
• It contains support for WebStar compatible plug-ins

Note: Several sections in this document instruct you to restart the Web server so that settings changes can take effect. To save time, read this entire document and make all setting changes before you restart the server.

Using WebStar plug-ins

Plug-ins add speed and functionality to your Web server. They act like CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts but are faster and more efficient. Here are some typical uses:

• page counters
• form processing
• database accessing
• chats
• access control
• searching

Installing plug-ins

To install a plug-in, follow the directions that came with the plug-in software. If no directions came with the software, drag the plug-in to the Plug-Ins folder inside the current Web folder.

Important: Your plug-in documentation may tell you to adjust the memory setting in the server's Information dialog box. Ignore that instruction and follow the instructions in the next section instead.

Setting aside plug-in memory

The documentation that comes with your plug-in tells you how much memory your plug-in needs to load and to run correctly. (All the plug-ins in the Plug-Ins folder load when your Web server starts.)

You set aside memory for your plug-in using the Plug-Ins section of the Web & File Server Settings window. Follow these instructions:

1) Open the Web & File Admin Program.

2) Choose Web & File Server Settings from the Server menu.

3) Choose Plug-Ins from the pop-up menu.

4) In the text field next to Maximum Plug-in Memory Usage, increase the setting by the memory that your plug-in requires.

To increase the setting, click the up-arrow.

5) Click Save.

Before doing so, you may want to read the next section and make changes to other settings.

6) Restart the server to make your changes take effect.

Choose Stop Web & File Server from the Server menu, respond as appropriate to the dialog box that appears, and then choose Start Web & File Server from the Server menu.

The total in the text field should be at least as large as the sum of required memory for all plug-ins in the Plug-Ins folder, plus any special plug-ins that reside elsewhere. (See "Special Plug-in Settings," later in this document.)

Important Your plug-in documentation may tell you to adjust the memory setting in the server's Information dialog box. Ignore that instruction and follow the instructions above instead.

Controlling other plug-in settings

You make all plug-in settings in the Plug-Ins section of the Web & File Server Settings window, accessible from the Server menu of the Web & File Admin program. Follow these instructions:

1) Open the Web & File Admin Program.

2) Choose Web & File Server Settings from the Server menu.

3) Choose Plug-Ins from the pop-up menu.

4) To allow plug-ins to work, click to put an X in the box next to Enable Plug-ins.

5) To allow plug-ins to maintain a log of their actions, click to put an X in the box next to Enable Plug-in Logging.

6) To deal with special preprocessor, postprocessor, or error-handling tasks, click the appropriate button and locate the plug-in you want to use.

See the next section for details.

7) Click Save.

8) Choose Restart Server from the Server menu to make your changes take effect.

Special plug-in settings

AppleShare IP lets you activate specific preprocessor, postprocessor, and
error plug-ins.

Preprocessor plug-ins examine requests for information before your Web server acts on them. For example the plug-in might display a password dialog box to make sure whoever is trying to reach your site has the authority to do so.

Postprocessor plug-ins manipulate information after your Web server has been used, for example to file in formation about what internal links the most recent visitor activated.

Error plug-ins process information about out-of-bounds conditions such as "file not found" errors. This kind of plug-in might record the error in a log and send a message to the user suggesting what to do.

To activate specific preprocessor, postprocessor, and error plug-ins, follow these instructions:
1) Open the Web & File Admin program, if it's not already open.

2) Choose Web & File Server settings from the Server menu.

The Web & File Server Settings window appears.

3) Choose Plug-Ins from the pop-up menu.

4) Click the button next to the kind of plug-in you want to activate.

Choose from preprocessing, postprocessing, and error.

5) Locate the plug-in you want to activate, then click OK.

6) If you wish, repeat steps 4 and 5 to activate other specific plug-ins.

You can activate one of each special type.

7) Choose Restart Server from the Server menu to make your changes take effect.

Seeing the plug-in log file

Plug-ins can maintain information about what happens when they execute. This information varies from plug-in to plug-in, but it's all stored in the same text file.

- To see the log information, double-click the file named Plug-In Messages in the HTTP Logs folder.

The HTTP Logs folder is in the AppleShare IP Preferences folder within the System Folder's Preferences folder.