Aestiva H2O Web Site

Installation:
  Free Downloads
  The H2O Family
  Install Notes

Programming:
  Prerequisites
  H2O Whitepaper
  Online Manual
  Code Examples
  H2O Free Support

What's H2O?
H2O is programming made for the web.

What's it like?
H2O is English-like. If you know some Perl, VB, ASP, or PhP you'll be immediately productive in H2O. It runs on Linux, Mac, Unix, and Windows.

How do I try it?
Download H2O for free. Get it from hosting providers. Or buy online.

Where does H2O come from?
The language was invented by Aestiva. H2O stands for:
   HTML with
   HTML/OS
   Overlays.

Linux
Step 1: Unzip Your Install Program
H20 is delivered in a zip file, usually named "h2o-linux[version].zip".
Use an unzip program to extract the actual install program, which will be named
"asetup[version]_h2o.cgi". You will run this install program later as a cgi application from your browser to unpack and install H2O.

See "Upgrading Your H2O Engine" if you need to upgrade your copy of H2O to a newer version.

Step 2: Locate Your Cgi Directory
To install H20 you need a Web server with a cgi directory. In most cases your cgi directory is named "cgi-bin" or "cgi-local", or something else that begins or ends with "cgi".

The cgi directory is usually located in the home directory of your website.

If you see no cgi directory, you might be on a web server that is configured to run any file that ends with ".cgi" as a cgi program, no matter what directory the file is inside. Create a new directory on your website named "cgi-local", and try using it.

Step 3: Copy Install Program To Cgi Directory
Use ftp to copy the "asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" file to the cgi directory. Be sure to use BINARY mode for this transfer! H20 is a compiled binary program, and the install will fail if you don't use BINARY mode.

Step 4: Set The Permissions On The Install Program
Use the command "chmod 755 asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" in ftp to make the install program executable. This is the "rwxr-xr-x" permission, which gives the file owner read, write, execute permission, and the group and other users read,execute permission. If your version of ftp does not accept "chmod" commands at all, you can use the same command in a telnet or ssh window, or ask your hosting provider to use ssh or telnet to set the permission for you.

Step 5: Access The Install Program From A Browser
Now you need to run "asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" from a browser. IE, Netscape, Mozilla, or any other standard web browser will work.

In the "Location" line of your browser, type in the URL:

http://[your domain name]/[your cgi-bin folder name]/asetup[version]_h2o.cgi

Replace [your domain name] with the domain name of your website.

Replace [your cgi-bin folder name] with the name of the cgi directory where you put the "asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" install program. For example, "cgi-bin".

Replace [version] with the version number in your install program file name.

After you've entered the URL, press "Enter" on the keyboard.

If you receive the opening page of the H2O Install Wizard, skip the rest of this section and proceed to step 6.

If you get a "File Not Found" message, check for typos in the URL line, and make sure the domain name you entered is pointing to this server. If no mistakes are found, check the FAQs for your hosted account for details on how to access a cgi program, or ask your system administrator for help. Some web servers require special "cgiwrap" URLs to access cgi programs.

If you get a message from your browser asking where you want to save a downloaded file, or the browser displays a page of strange characters, your cgi directory is not active or you chose the wrong directory. Check your hosted account FAQs or get help from your system administrator to locate or enable your cgi directory.

If you get an error message "Server Error" this means your copy of "asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" is not the correct version for your computer, or that the install program was copied by ftp without using BINARY mode. H2O is a compiled program. The programs for one kind of computer will not run on a different kind of computer. Make sure you have the correct H20 version for your web server computer, and always use BINARY mode in ftp to copy the file. If you're sure you have the correct install program, the "Server Error" message can also appear if your server requires a special cgiwrap URL for cgi programs, or if it requires special file permissions on cgi programs. Check your hosted account FAQs or get help from your system administrator to locate or enable your cgi directory. If you have ssh or telnet access to your web server, you can try to run the install program with the command "./asetup[version]_h2o.cgi". If you get a message asking you to run it from a browser, you have the correct file for your server.

After you correct the problem, repeat step 5.

Step 6: Running The Install Program
Click the "Continue" button in the H2O Install Wizard to proceed to the next page.

The second page is used to enter information about your web site.

Enter the domain name you used in your browser to access the install program in the "Domain Name" field. You can see it in the location line of your browser. Add "www." to the front of the domain name if your web site uses it.

The "Doc Root" folder is the folder where you place the main "index.html" file for your web site. Add "/" to the end. (hint: If the images on your H2O pages are broken after you complete your install, you chose an incorrect "Doc Root" folder. The location of this folder is set in your web server's configuration. Run the install program again and enter the correct "Doc Root" folder.)

The "Private Doc Root" is the folder where H2O will store text files, databases, and other information. The folder is usually named "private" and placed inside your cgi directory.

Debugging and diagnostics are built into "asetup[file version].cgi" to guide you through the install process.

Once you are satisfied that the values on the install wizard screen are correct, click "Complete Install". If you get an "Install Completed" screen, follow the instructions on the screen to access your copy of H2O. You are finished with the install.

If you get an error message, read the message to see the cause of the error.

File Permissions
Incorrect file permissions are the most common cause of install errors. Your H2O programs MUST run under your own account. This prevents other cgi users from accessing your private data, and also gives the H2O program access to your website.

Most web server software automatically runs cgi programs under your own account. If your web server does not, the H2O install program will give you an error message asking you to set the permissions to "4755".

Use the command "chmod 4755 asetup[version]_h2o.cgi" to set the permission. By changing the permissions to "4755" you are telling the web server to run the program under the account that owns the file (yours!), not under the default cgi account of the Web server.

You can only set the "4755" permission in a telnet or ssh window. If you do not have telnet or ssh access to your server, please ask your hosting provider to use telnet or ssh to run the command for you.

If you got an error message from the install program that names a specific file that could not be written, please use the "ls -l" command to see who owns the file, and make sure that your account has write access. If the file does not exist, check the owner and permissions of the directory where H20 is trying to write the file. If you get write errors that make no sense, make sure you used BINARY mode in ftp when you copied the install program to the server. Sometimes a corrupted install program causes strange filenames and file install errors.

If your account is nearly out of disk space, your H2O install may fail to complete. About 15 MBytes of free space are required to install H2O. If you are near the limit, you may need to increase your free disk space before your run the install program.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Problem: When running asetup[version]_h2o.cgi I get a "File Not Found" message.

Solution: If you get a "File Not Found" message, check for typos in the URL line, and make sure the domain name you entered is pointing to this server. If no mistakes are found, check the FAQs for your hosted account for details on how to access a cgi program, or ask your system administrator for help. Some web servers require special "cgiwrap" URLs to access cgi programs.

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Problem: When running asetup[version]_h2o.cgi the browser asks where I want to save a downloaded file.

Solution: If you get a message from your browser asking where you want to save a downloaded file, or the browser displays a page of strange characters, your cgi directory is not active or you chose the wrong directory. Check your hosted account FAQs or get help from your system administrator to locate or enable your cgi directory.