Get Bots Running

Main components of bots

  1. Bots-monitor:
    • The user interface or the GUI.
    • This is a web interface and runs in a web browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer.
    • Bots uses web technology for the interface - but bots does NOT communicate to the internet for this. All is on your local computer.
    • Bots-monitor can be accessed from all workstations in your LAN.

    Warning

    out-of-the-box bots-monitor uses plain HTTP and is not secure. Advised is either:
    • do not use bots-monitor over a public network (such as Internet)
    • secure the connection using HTTPS/SSL.
  2. Bots-webserver:
    • Program that serves web pages to bots-monitor.
    • The bots-webserver has to run in order to use bots-monitor.
  3. Bots-engine:
    • This program does the actual edi communication and translation.
    • Bots-engine does the communications and translations (of eg edifact or x12).
    • Bots-engine has no user interface (is a batch process).
    • To view the results of bots-engine, use bots-monitor.
    • After performing its actions bots-engine stops.

Start bots-monitor (using bots-webserver)

  1. Start bots-webserver (several options):
    • When bots is installed using with Windows installer use the ‘shortcut’ to Bots-webserver in your ‘Programs’ menu.
    • (*nix) Command line: bots-webserver.py
    • (Windows, python 2.7) go to command line and: c:\python27\python c:\python27\Scripts\bots-webserver.py

  2. Bots-webserver should stay running (and not disappear). If not, see Start-up FAQ.

  3. View using your Internet browser
    • When bots-webserver runs on the same computer, use address: http://localhost:8080
    • use Firefox, Chrome, Opera or Internet Explorer. Bots does NOT support Internet Explorer 6. Issues have been reported with IE8, but for some IE8 does work.
    • When accessing bots-monitor over your LAN (bots-webserver runs on another computer) the IP address or DNS name of that computer, e.g.: http://192.168.10.10:8080.

  4. Default login: user name bots, password botsbots.

  5. Tip: add bots to your favorites/bookmarks.

Start bots-engine

There are several ways to start bots-engine:

  1. (windows, *nix) Start from bots-monitor: bots-monitor->Run->Run (only new)
  2. (*nix) Command line: bots-engine.py
  3. (Windows, python 2.7) go to command line and: c:\python27\python c:\python27\Scripts\bots-engine.py

The results of what bots-engine has done can be viewed in the bots-monitor.

Note

if you did not configure of bots to do something, the bots-engine will run but will not do much. To get bots to do something see Tutorial.

FAQ

  • When starting bots-webserver the window disappears after a few seconds?
    • Start the bots-webserver from the command line; you will be able to see what goes wrong. (Windows, python 2.7) go to command line and: c:\python27\python c:\python27\Scripts\bots-webserver.py
    • For the most common cause for the problem see the next question.
  • Bots-webserver gives error: IOError: Port 8080 not free on ‘x.x.x.x’ (or similar).
    • Another program already uses this ‘port’.
    • Adapt the port bots uses: in configuration file bots/config/bots.ini look for ‘port’.
    • Change port to eg 8090
    • Start bots-webserver again.
    • In your browser you will have to indicate another port eg: http://localhost:8090
  • Can I run multiple instances of bots-engine in parallel?
    • No, this is not possible.
    • Instead bots >= 3.0 has better control of running the engine: jobqueue-server.