FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter
Version 1.0 for WebSTAR 3.0 & PowerPCCopyright © 1998 ClearWay Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This software is free. It may be redistributed only with written permission from ClearWay Technologies, Inc. The latest version of this software can be found at <http://www.clearway.com/SSIPIXO/>
What is the FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter?
The FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter is a free WebSTAR plug-in that adds PIXO-compatibility to WebSTAR SSI 3.0 and later. (WebSTAR SSI 3.0 has no "native" support for PIXO.) This adapter allows WebSTAR SSI to be called by FireSite, NetCloak, or any other PIXO dispatcher through the high-speed, RAM-based PIXO API.
Calling SSI through PIXO the fastest, most compatible way of calling SSI from another plug-in.
The "FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter" has "FireSite" in the name simply because this plug-in is most useful in conjunction with FireSite. FireSite is not required to use this plug-in.
Why should I use FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter?
If you are running FireSite, and use WebSTAR SSI, the SSI_PIXO Adapter will make your server run faster and it will eliminate the "double hits" caused by WebSTAR SSI's lack of native PIXO support.
This plug-in makes SSI callable from other PIXO dispatchers (FireSite, NetCloak). It is not designed to call other PIXO services from inside an SSI page; ClearWay has a separate plug-in for that purpose under development.
Unless you are using FireSite, or wish to call SSI through NetCloak or another PIXO dispatcher, this plug-in has no effect or benefit for your server.
The only "downside" when using this plug-in is that a few SSI parameters (such as the 'last modified date of this file') are not available when the SSI_PIXO adapter is in use. If/when StarNine adds native support for PIXO to WebSTAR SSI, these problems are likely to be resolved. However, since StarNine has not yet delivered any PIXO support in WebSTAR SSI, this plug-in provides an excellent performance boost in the meantime.
Requirements and Installation
This plug-in requires WebSTAR 3.0 or later and a PowerPC processor. Due to technical limitations, neither a 68K version nor a WebSTAR 2.x-compatible version are feasible at this point. StarNine could add native PIXO support to both 68K and PowerPC versions of WebSTAR SSI.
Drop the FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter into your WebSTAR plug-ins folder and restart WebSTAR. No other configuration is necessary.
As with all PIXO plug-ins, FireSite will auto-detect the new SSI_PIXO service and use it as if WebSTAR SSI had native support for PIXO.
You can use NetCloak to call WebSTAR SSI through the PIXO interface using the service name "SSI_PIXO".
Note that while most SSI parameters (counters, time/date, etc) function perfectly, a few SSI parameters (such as "the last modification date of this page") are not available when this plug-in is in use. StarNine could implement native PIXO support in WebSTAR SSI and make all parameters work all the time, but we cannot with this "external" PIXO adapter.
Compatibility and Future Versions
To the best of our knowledge and testing, this plug-in is fully compatible with the PIXO standard.
When SSI is called through this plug-in, most, but not all SSI variables are available. Counters work, as do time and date functions, and custom tag handlers. However, since this plug-in calls SSI directly through memory, rather then by having SSI load a file from disk, most of the "file" related SSI variables (such as "the last modification date of this file") are unavailable. Only StarNine can correct these problems, by including native PIXO support in WebSTAR SSI; the current SSI interfaces impose these limits.
We hope that StarNine adds native PIXO support to WebSTAR SSI, and thus eliminates any future need for this adapter. This plug-in took less than five days to implement, test, and debug; adding native PIXO support to a plug-in usually takes less time than that, but we had to make our plug-in operate through the proprietary (non-PIXO) interface that WebSTAR SSI provides. Of course, without that interface, even creating this adapter would have been impossible, so overall it's good that it there's an API, but a PIXO-standard API would be a welcome addition.
About ClearWay Technologies, Inc.
ClearWay Technologies, Inc. is a smart, friendly, helpful company that consitently delivers astoundingly useful professional-qualify Internet products and supports them with great customer service. ClearWay was founded in January 1996, is privately held, and currently employs five people building and marketing great Internet products.
Check out our Top "Twenty" Tips for Mac Webmasters!
<http://mac-web-tips.clearway.com/>
Credits
FireSite SSI_PIXO Adapter was written by Ben Wyckoff and Mark Kriegsman of ClearWay Technologies, and Andrew Mitchell of Sand Dune Enterprises. Thanks to all of the FireSite and WebSTAR SSI users who showed us the value of building this free plug-in.
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THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED AS-IS. CLEARWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (CLEARWAY) MAKES NO CLAIMS AS TO THE SUITABILITY OF THIS SOFTWARE TO ANY TASK. BY USING THIS UNSUPPORTED SOFTWARE, YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY AND ALL INJURIES, DAMAGES, OR LOSSES RESULTING EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR ACCEPT THESE TERMS, OR IF THIS WAIVER OF LIABILITY IS NOT VALID OR CANNOT BE ENFORCED IN YOUR LOCATION, YOU MUST NOT USE THIS SOFTWARE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BECOMING A LAWYER, CONSULT THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION AT <HTTP://WWW.ABANET.ORG/>
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