Main components of bots
- Bots-monitor: the user interface; the GUI; this is a web interface and runs in a web browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer.
- Note: 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.
- Bots-webserver: program that serves web pages to bots-monitor. The bots-webserver has to run in order to use bots-monitor.
- 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)
- 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
- Bots-webserver should stay running (and not disappear). If not, see Start-up FAQ.
- 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
.
- When bots-webserver runs on the same computer, use address:
- Default login: user name 'bots', password 'botsbots'.
- Tip: add 'bots' to your favorites/bookmarks.
Start bots-engine
There are several ways to start bots-engine:
- (windows,
*
nix) Start from bots-monitor: bots-monitor->Run->Run (only new) - (
*
nix) Command line:bots-engine.py
- (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.