Frequently asked questions regarding HSphere Web Hosting Solution.

What is FTP, how do I use it with Hsphere Hosting?
What is the local absolute server path for systems on the Hsphere Servers?
What are Active Server Pages (ASP)?
What types of databases are supported with ODBC?
Where can I find more information about programming in ASP?
I need to read/write files. How do I find the correct path for my site?
Do you support remote debugging of ASP?
Do you support the VB Package and Deployment Wizard?
What are “Server Extensions”?
Is there a charge for the server extensions?
Can I use FTP as well as FrontPage to manage my site?
How do I get the FrontPage extensions installed on my site?
How do I Create a New Web in Microsoft FrontPage?
What is meant by “we Support FrontPage extensions”?
How do i setup my email client.
What are e-mail aliases?

For any other problems please open a support case on our online customer support web site.

What is FTP, how do I use it?

The Basics: File Transfer Protocol

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is the most common way of
transferring files from one computer to another. This is how most
uploading and downloading is done over the Internet. In this article
we're going to give you a general guide to using a graphical FTP program.
Because every FTP program is different, make sure you read your program's
documentation to learn about its specific features.

If you don't have an FTP program, you can download one. Here are some of
the more common programs for Windows:


WS_FTP http://www.wsftp.com/
CuteFTP http://www.cuteftp.com/
FTP Explorer http://www.ftpx.com/


And for Macintosh:


Fetch http://www.fetchsoftworks.com/


All of these allow you to download a free trial copy, which will work for
a limited amount of time. You may want to do this before you download the
non-free version to make sure you feel comfortable with it.


To upload files, first open your FTP program and connect to your server.
It will ask you for some information. Here's what you'll need to give it:


Host Name/Address: your <Host> server name such as: yourdomain.com
Once your domain is fully functional you can use: ftp.yourdomain.com (substitute yourdomain.com with your Fully Qualified Domain Name)
If you don't know your server name, login to the Account Control Center:
http://www.yourdomain.com/cp
Once you're logged in, look for web options click there. It will say
IP Address: and will list your IP there. You'll just need to put
that in your FTP program.
User ID: your account username (this is a login name that is usually the same as your control panel login, with a maximum of 8 characters)
Password: your account password
Generally anything else it asks for can be left alone, but check your
program's documentation if you have any problems.
Most, if not all, graphical FTP programs work in the same way. They have
a two-pane interface. On the left side are the files on your home
computer. On the right are the files on the server.
You'll want to make sure you upload your Web files to your Web directory.
So once you're connected to the server, double-click on the yourdomain.com
folder in the right pane.
Upload files by dragging them with your mouse from the left pane to
the right pane. There will also be a button (usually an arrow) that you
can click to do the same thing.
You can update a file on the server by simply uploading the revised copy
of the file. You'll get a message asking if you want to overwrite the old
file. Select 'yes.'
This should get you started using a graphical FTP program. To learn more,
please read your specific program's documentation.
 

What is the local absolute server path for systems on the Hsphere Servers?

For Hsphere Windows 2000\2002 (most accounts.)  c:\hshome\username\domainname.com

Sendmail for windows is enabled by either user, localhost \ mail.domainname.com \ CDONTS depending on what a particular program\script needs.

For Linux: (specialized hosting accounts) /hsphere/local/home/username/domainname.com
Sendmail is located at /usr/sbin/sendmail


What are Active Server Pages (ASP)?

Active Server Pages is a fairly new programming language designed to run active content on the server and then display the result on the viewer's browser. It is used extensively for such tasks as managing and querying on-line databases and building intuitive forms. Unlike JavaScript, which downloads the actual code into your browser and then activates, ASP pages run strictly on the server. The user triggers a request from the web page, the ASP processes it, and then sends back the requested info in purely HTML format- i.e. no actual ASP coding leaves the server and it is protected from being plagiarized. check out http://www.aspin.com for great ASP resources.

 

Where can I place my ASP files?
Your ASP files can be placed anywhere in your web. The root directory is a good location. If there is a global.asa file it must be in the root directory.
If you will be using multiple "applications" in different subwebs then you can use multiple global.asa files but you must contact support@promitech.net  and have your subwebs set up this way or set these up in your control panel for Windows 2000 plans.

 

What types of databases are supported with ODBC?

We are currently supporting MS Access. MS SQL is also supported for a more advanced database option on some plans.

 

What 3rd party ASP components have already been installed which I can use?


Component list: AspMail by Stephen Genusa lets you send Email from an ASP page. More info at http://www.serverobjects.com/products.htm#Aspmail ASPChart - This ASP components creates professional looking charts on the fly, so your charts remain dynamically linked to whatever information you provide them with. ASP-db PRO - Using ASP-db you can publish your Microsoft Access databases, Excel spreadsheets, SQL Server Database, or any other "ODBC" data source across the World Wide Web.
 

I need to read/write files. How do I find the correct path for my site?

The correct way to do this would be using Server.MapPath. This would map the virtual path to a physical location on the disk. Ex. If you have a file in your root web called visitor.txt and you use Server.MapPath("/visitor.txt") and the physical path to you root web was "F:\webs\yourweb" then it would return: "F:\webs\yourweb\visitor.txt" If you use this method you should never have to worry about the physical paths.



Where can I find more information about programming in ASP?


A good place to look is at http://www.genusa.com/asp where you will find many good links and components. http://www.activeserverpages.com is another great resource for Active Server Pages information. Finally, http://www.aspin.com another great resource.



If I have multiple domains pointing to the same web, can I use ASP to find out which domain they used to reach my site?


This information is useful when you have multiple domains pointing to your IP and you want to redirect to the proper page according to domain name. You can use the following command in an ASP script to find the domain name used: Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_HOST") The following page shows a simple way to redirect to each domain name:

<% Dim HTTPHost HTTPHost = Lcase(Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_HOST")) If HTTPHost = "www.domain1.com" then Response.Redirect ("http://www.domain1.com/dir1") End If If HTTPHost = "www.domain2.com" then Response.Redirect ("http://www.domain2.com/dir2") End If %>

You can place this script as your default.asp and place your web content in sub-webs or subdirectories. If your domain name is http://www.sample.com and someone types http://www.sample.com in their browser, they will be redirected to http://www.sample.com/www.sample.com/. The content for http://www.sample.com would be in that directory. If you also had http://www.test.com pointing to your IP and someone typed http://www.test.com in the browser, they would be redirected to http://www.sample.com/www.test.com/. You can see how this can be very useful.

 

Do you support remote debugging of ASP?

We currently do not support remote debugging of ASP.

Do you support the VB Package and Deployment Wizard?

We do not support deployment with the PDW. You can still use your components, but not deploy them with the PDW.



Answers to questions you may have about using Microsoft's FrontPage on our Windows 2000 Servers. NOTE: For specific information on How to use the FrontPage software, please consult the program's documentation or Microsoft Technical Support (link to http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.asp). Or go to the Frontpage home page at http://microsoft.com/frontpage/



What is meant by “we Support FrontPage extensions”?


According to Microsoft's documentation for FrontPage Web Presence Providers, "Installing the FrontPage Server Extensions gives your customers full support for all of the features of FrontPage. This includes remote authoring, threaded discussion groups, full-text search, and surveys." Promitech supports Microsoft FrontPage in several ways: We configure your site for FrontPage by installing and maintaining the server extensions. We provide Technical Support related to the functionality of the extensions. We point FrontPage users to resources that will help you solve problems, publish your FrontPage webs and learn techniques for getting the most from your FrontPage software. Promitech DOES NOT provide direct technical support related to the use of your FrontPage software. User issues are referred to Microsoft's Technical Support Team (Link to http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.asp)
 

What are “Server Extensions”?

FrontPage Extensions are programs which provide the server side implementation of FrontPage. FrontPage communicates with the extensions via HTTP using a Remote Procedure Call (RPC). When the server sees the "POST" request addressed to the FrontPage server extensions it simply directs the request to the appropriate program. The extensions implement authoring (uploading/downloading documents, ToDo Lists), administration (setting end-user, author, and administrator privileges), and dynamic content (browse-time WebBot components). Without the FrontPage Server Extensions you will not be able to take advantage of the WebBots that are available through FrontPage. Also, without the extensions you cannot author and administer your web using the tools provided as part of the FrontPage Editor/Explorer package.

How do I get the FrontPage extensions installed on my site?

To have the FrontPage server extensions installed on your existing site (if it's not installed or enabled already), send an email request to support@promitech.net  with the following information: Your domain name, Your user name, Your request for FrontPage extensions, Confirmation that you have a back-up of any web pages currently on the site. (In most cases it is not necessary to delete files currently on the site to install the extensions. However, if there are directories or files with special permissions (.htaccess) these will have to be removed. You can then re-establish permissions and password protection via the FrontPage Explorer.) On existing sites, the installation will generally be done within 24 hours. For users with a H-Sphere Control Panel login to your control panel and enable them in the Web Options category

Is there a charge for the server extensions?

There is no charge for installing the server extensions.

Are there any limitations when publishing with FrontPage?
There are some issues which potential FrontPage users should consider:
Web size -- This seems to be most critical when a "searchable event" is present in the web (Search, Discussion Forum and Table of Contents). The lengthy process of updating the indices for these functions can lead to the connection timing-out (HTTP 500 Error or 'Server has timed-out'). Disk Usage -- You may create and publish as many child webs as your disk storage space allows. However, for each child web you publish, FrontPage duplicates certain information into indices and hidden files. This adds "overhead", increasing the storage space required for your files. Microsoft's documentation notes, "FrontPage's optional full-text search indexes can take up to the same amount of disk space as your textual content."

Can I use FTP as well as FrontPage to manage my site?

There are several precautions which need to be taken to protect the FrontPage extensions on your site: a) Setting passwords, limiting access, setting file permissions or deleting directories or files in a FrontPage web should only be done through the options in FrontPage Explorer. b) Do NOT use regular FTP (such as WS_FTP) to upload files to the server when FrontPage extensions are installed. This may corrupt the extensions, disabling the interactive features available with FrontPage. NOTE: The exception to this is when loading custom scripts to the local directory on your site.

 

How do I Create a New Web in Microsoft FrontPage?

From the Start menu, point to Programs, and then click Microsoft FrontPage. The FrontPage Explorer starts. In the "Getting Started With Microsoft FrontPage" dialog box, click to select one of the three options under the "Create A New FrontPage Web" section. Click OK. If you selected the "From a Wizard or Template" option, the New FrontPage Web dialog box appears. In the Template Or Wizard list, select the template or wizard you want to use, and then click OK. The Web Template dialog box appears. In the "Web Server or File Location" box, type or select the web server (http://www.yourdomain.com) or directory you want to use.

If you installed a local Web server and the FrontPage Server Extensions successfully, the Web name already appears in this box. Select the default and go to step 4. If you did not install a Web server locally and you are not working with a remote Web server, type the drive and directory where you want to store the Web, and then click OK. In the "Name of New FrontPage Web" box, type the name you want. The web name should be one word and should not include spaces. If the Name and Password Required dialog box appears, type your name and password in the appropriate boxes, and then click OK. The FrontPage Explorer builds the new web. The web address is displayed in the title bar.

HTTP 404 Error When Using Web Publishing Wizard

When you use the Publish FrontPage Web command in FrontPage, you may receive the following error when you post to a Web server that doesn't have FrontPage Server Extensions installed:
The server may not have the FrontPage Server Extensions installed, or the server may be misconfigured, or you may have specified an invalid proxy server, or the web you are accessing may have been deleted. HTTP error 404.
While the Web Publishing Wizard can create subdirectories when you post files to an established directory on a destination server, it cannot create the Web directory it is posting to. The Web Publishing Wizard is designed only to post files to an existing directory. To avoid this error message, select the "Add to an existing FrontPage Web" check box, and verify that the directory listed in the "Destination FrontPage Web" box exists on the destination server. For more information about the Microsoft Web Publishing Wizard, see the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/software/webpost

Publishing FrontPage Webs

Establish a connection to the Internet (you MUST be online BEFORE beginning the publishing process - FrontPage does NOT invoke a dial-up connection) Select File | Open FrontPage Web and enter the name of your local Web Server to open your web locally. In FP Explorer, select File -> Publish FrontPage Web The Destination web server name should be http://www.yourdomain.com OR the IP address for a new account. The Destination web name field should be left BLANK if you are publishing to the root directory The Destination web name field should be left BLANK if you are publishing to the root directory Select the option "Add to an existing web" (OR If you are publishing a new subweb (child web) enter that name into the Destination Web Name field and UNCHECK the box for "Add to an existing web"). (OR If you are publishing a new subweb (child web) enter that name into the Destination Web Name field and UNCHECK the box for "Add to an existing web").To replace the temporary Home Page with your Home Page, you must do the following: After the publishing process is complete, DO NOT Recalculate Links. Select File | Close FrontPage Web, then File | Open FrontPage web for Web Server or file location, enter http://www.yourdomain.com or the IP address for a new account. Click List webs Select the , then OK This will open the web on the remote server. You can then rename the temporary page (based on the following information) to insure that your new page is accessible.

Home Page File Names

The opening page file name hierarchy is as follows: default.asp, default.htm, index.htm, index.html However, when you publish with FrontPage, if your opening file has any of the above names, it will be renamed to have ALL of the above. Highlight the page named Default.asp, default.htm, index.htm, index.html and select Edit | Rename. You may then rename the file to ANY ONE of the four options.



What are e-mail aliases?

Aliases are different names for the same mailbox. Answer:


For example: You run a one-person business, but you want your website to make it look as if your company is much larger, with several departments. You can use e-mail addresses like sales@yourbusiness.com, info@yourbusiness.com, and tech@yourbusiness.com which will all point to one mailbox. In this way, it makes your company look as if there are several people behind it, running different areas, when in actuality each alias simply points to one mailbox.

Each of our hosting plans allow you to set up a specific number of aliases for free. We can set up additional aliases for a small charge.

 

How do i setup my email client.

Answer:

General Information:
Incoming (POP) Mail Server: mail.yourdomainname.com
Outgoing (SMTP) Mail Server: mail.yourdomainname.com (NOTE: Some ISPs block SMTP servers other than their own, if they do please put their SMTP server and continue on. This will not effect your ability to send or receive email. If your Internet provider blocks SMTP it is beyond our control, and it is an effective method of reducing SPAM across the Internet.)
Username/Account Name: username@yourdomain.com
Password: email account password

Click here for screenshots & a walk through for setting up e-mail in outlook express.

Eudora
Setting up Eudora to retrieve your mail is pretty simple. As seen below, this step by step setup will help you get your mail.

Within Eudora, Select "Tools" and then Select "Options".
Within the Tool Bar on the left side of the Box, Select "Getting Started"
Enter your POP Account Information, example username@abc.com
(the following two steps are optional)
Enter your Real Name, example John Doe
Enter your Return Address, example username@abc.com
After completing the first section, Select "Hosts" within the Tool Bar.
Enter the SMTP Mail Server as mail.yourdomainname.com
If you have multiple accounts within the same domain name, you may use this feature to download the mail as that user. All that is needed is the basic e-mail account information and to save the information within Eudora.

Netscape Communicator 4.x
Click on the "Edit" Menu and select "Preferences".
Double-click on the "Mail & Groups" category.
Click the "Identity" option under "Mail & Groups".
For "Your Name", enter your Real Name as you wish it to be displayed in emails you send out.
For "E-Mail Address", enter your email address (username@yourdomain.com).
Click the "Mail Server" option under "Mail & Groups".
For "Mail Server User Name" enter your username.
Set "Outgoing Mail Server" to "mail.yourdomainname.com".
Set "Incoming Mail Server" to "mail.yourdomainname.com".
Set the "Mail Server Type" to the "POP3" option.
Then click "OK”.

Outlook Express
Microsoft Outlook

Using POP Access for Outlook/Outlook Express:
Goto "tools"..."accounts"..."add"...."mail"
Go through the wizard and put in this general info:

Incoming: mail.yourdomain.com
Outgoing: mail.yourdomain.com
Account Name: username@yourdomain.com
Password: your password


Once you get through the wizard....close it out, then go
back into "tools"......"accounts"
highlight the new account you've created.......click
on "properties".....
Goto the "servers" tab. Make sure all the info is
correct,,,,click on "remember password".....
Also check the box that says "My server requires
Authentication"....."settings".......click on "same as
incoming"

Hit "Apply".
Repeat for any new accounts you have created.
NOTE: Some ISP's require you to use their outgoing (SMTP)
mailserver. Example: mail.earthlink.net

Pegasus Mail
Select Tools -> Options Select the "Network" tab 'Your e-mail address is' box: yourname@yourdomain.com POP3 host: mail.yourdomainname.com User name: Name of the POP3 account Password: POP3 password SMTP Host: mail.yourdomainname.com Select the "Advanced network configuration options" button. Make sure that the "Delete mail from host once successfully retrieved" box is checked, and then click "OK" Select the "General” tab Personal name: Enter your real name