ASP and 'webpage/site milling'

[Si]

Hi there.

Apologies in advance for the long post. and possible repetitions.

Is there a way in ASP to process the output from an access database to
generate html files using file system object.

I found a link that goes some way there with .net
(http://www.asp101.com/articles/matteo/urlrewriting/default.asp)

The reason I ask is this. I have a database that is starting to grow
(possibly) beyond the performance limits of access and I don't know
enough about (or can afford) a copy of MS SQL. Also to keep server load
down and improve on search engine performance with quite a few sites
hosted on my server now, I feel it would be good to mill a static site
everytime the database is modified, this would be 2 or 3 times a week.
Perhaps I would have a button to mill the site within the admin area so
this could be done late at night.

What I would like to achieve is to produce the following as static
files, they are currently built on the fly.

A navigation 'include' file. Standard for of left nav to populated
categories in the database.

Category listing pages, split into 10 results per page with a link to
next and previous pages.

Single product webpages.

I would leave the main search page as a dynamic ASP page.

Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated. I can find plenty of
information for PHP, but not ASP.

TIA

Si

 

[Jeff Cochran]

Is there a way in ASP to process the output from an access database to
generate html files using file system object.

No. But you could do it with VBScript...

(ASP is a technology, not a language)

I found a link that goes some way there with .net
(http://www.asp101.com/articles/matteo/urlrewriting/default.asp)

The reason I ask is this. I have a database that is starting to grow
(possibly) beyond the performance limits of access and I don't know
enough about (or can afford) a copy of MS SQL.

You want MSDE then. See:

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/msde/

Also to keep server load
down and improve on search engine performance with quite a few sites
hosted on my server now, I feel it would be good to mill a static site
everytime the database is modified, this would be 2 or 3 times a week.
Perhaps I would have a button to mill the site within the admin area so
this could be done late at night.

What I would like to achieve is to produce the following as static
files, they are currently built on the fly.

A navigation 'include' file. Standard for of left nav to populated
categories in the database.

Category listing pages, split into 10 results per page with a link to
next and previous pages.

Single product webpages.

I would leave the main search page as a dynamic ASP page.

Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated. I can find plenty of
information for PHP, but not ASP.

This is really all counter productive, and you should address the
database issues. If you must do this, you'll need to track changed
data, then iterate through a list of what's changed, create a string
with all the HTML code in it then write that string to a file using
FSMO. If you ask about the parts you're having trouble with, you'll
gte help in developing the code for it.

Jeff

 

[Si]

How big are your Access table(s)? record counts?

The main table holding most of the product data is quite large even
though bridging tables are in use. Record count is not really that
great, averaging between 500 to 900 records at any time.

How many simultaneous users do you have? - ave and max

Simultaneous users average low is 10 to high 25, the max is usually when
the site is being indexed by google et el, then I have seen the user
count jump to sometimes 120 to 130. Although the count is actually
sessions, so these probably aren't simultaneous connections.

Are these users updating the database or just reading?

The main database is only updated infrequently by a couple of admin
users. Generally, the users changing the DB by way of the shopping carts
and profiles etc. These are not very frequent though.

Si

 

[Si]

You want MSDE then. See:

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/msde/

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it. I assume I can run MSDE2000
locally, then use the SQl manager on my host server to build the
database and upload my ASP files and this will work? I am correct there?

This is really all counter productive, and you should address the
database issues.

I agree that if I can use MSDE that this may be the way forward.

If you must do this, you'll need to track changed
data, then iterate through a list of what's changed, create a string
with all the HTML code in it then write that string to a file using
FSMO.

I'm still thinking that after a site has been milled, it must surely be
faster and more efficient on the server than a database driven site. If
I do this for a number of sites that I have on my server, it must reduce
the load substantially?

If you ask about the parts you're having trouble with, you'll
gte help in developing the code for it.

Thanks

 

[Bob Barrows [MVP]]

The main table holding most of the product data is quite large even
though bridging tables are in use. Record count is not really that
great, averaging between 500 to 900 records at any time.

So far no problem.

Simultaneous users average low is 10 to high 25, the max is usually
when the site is being indexed by google et el, then I have seen the
user count jump to sometimes 120 to 130. Although the count is
actually sessions, so these probably aren't simultaneous connections.

Still no problem, especially if good programming techniques are used
(minimal connection time).

The main database is only updated infrequently by a couple of admin
users. Generally, the users changing the DB by way of the shopping
carts and profiles etc. These are not very frequent though.

This is nowhere near the performance limits of Jet. Why do you think you
have a problem?

Bob Barrows

 

[Si]

I'm with Bob on this one. I see no reason for performance issues based on the
size of the database or the number of users.

What performance problems are you or your clients seeing?

Brian

I'm replying to this thread and also in relation to Bob's above. Sorry
for the break in the thread!

I have been seeing more and more script time out errors with my host
(time was exceeded while trying to execute script if I remember
correctly, I'll post agin on a different thread next I get this error),
should I mention who they are? I not sure. At first, and until a while
ago I thought it may have been my coding. Although I have to say on my
local server and on 2 previous hosts no problem has occured. I have had
a word with the person who first pointed me towards the host, who has
now actually told me he is having the same messages being pruduced on
his server. For the record, his host server is not the same as mine, so
I am now assuming that it is an IIS set up issue!

Thank you for your help, perhaps it's my host that has not got something
set up correctly.

Si

 

[Jeff Cochran]

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it. I assume I can run MSDE2000
locally, then use the SQl manager on my host server to build the
database and upload my ASP files and this will work? I am correct there?

Probably, though I don't know your host so I can't guarantee it.

I agree that if I can use MSDE that this may be the way forward.


I'm still thinking that after a site has been milled, it must surely be
faster and more efficient on the server than a database driven site. If
I do this for a number of sites that I have on my server, it must reduce
the load substantially?

It would reduce the load on the database. It would increase file
storage requirements, redduce manageability and flexibility and defeat
the purpose of a dynamic site. If you have performance issues with a
database requiring this action, you likely have other more pressing
issues.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Cochran]

I'm replying to this thread and also in relation to Bob's above. Sorry
for the break in the thread!

I have been seeing more and more script time out errors with my host
(time was exceeded while trying to execute script if I remember
correctly, I'll post agin on a different thread next I get this error),
should I mention who they are? I not sure. At first, and until a while
ago I thought it may have been my coding. Although I have to say on my
local server and on 2 previous hosts no problem has occured. I have had
a word with the person who first pointed me towards the host, who has
now actually told me he is having the same messages being pruduced on
his server. For the record, his host server is not the same as mine, so
I am now assuming that it is an IIS set up issue!

That may be an incorrect assumptiion. Hardware issues, overselling
bandwidth or slowdowns caused by other sites on a shared server are
more likely. Best advice, since with two previous hosts you had no
problems, is to find a new hosying service.

Jeff

 

[Steven Burn]

Best advice, since with two previous hosts you had no

problems, is to find a new hosying service.

Are hosying services better than hosting services Jeff? <vbg>

--

Regards

Steven Burn
Ur I.T. Mate Group
www.it-mate.co.uk

Keeping it FREE!

 

[Jeff Cochran]

Are hosying services better than hosting services Jeff? <vbg>

Oh, much better. Except the speell chekkers don't work as well...

Jeff