Changing server URL after deployment
Overview
This How-to explains how you can reconfigure FotoWeb Desktop clients to connect to a different hostname, and outlines ways to automate this process.
Reasons for changing the URL
Normally you should not need to change the server URL. You would configure it once in your deployment package and have a permanent record in your DNS to resolve the server's IP address. However, there may be circumstances in which you need to change the hostname that the FotoWeb Desktop clients connect to. The point below explain some methods for doing this.
Ask users to reconfigure their client
Users can right-click the FotoWeb Desktop tray icon (when started, it resides in the Dock in Mac OS) and open the settings window to configure a host name.
In the Settings window, click on Add to add a new host name, such as http://fotoweb.yoursite.com. Remember to prefix the URL with https if your site has been configured for secure connections.
Finally, having added the new host name, click on Make active to make this the active server and then close the dialog.
Distribute a link to users via email
You can also distribute a link to you server's configuration file to users by email.
Send the link to http://yourservername/fotoweb/cmdreq...figuration.fwx to users and have them download and double-click the file to set the active server.
Distribute a new sitepreferences.xml file to your users
To do this, follow these steps:
- Install FotoWeb Desktop on a single test or staging system. Manually running the installer will work fine.
- Open the FotoWeb Desktop settings and set the server URL. Make sure you click Clear password to avoid retaining any previously saved passwords from your computer to other machines in the network.
- Go to C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Fotoware\FotoWeb Desktop and make a copy of the SitePreferences.xml file.
- Place SitePreferences.xml on a network share that users can access.
- Using a logon script or other method, copy the file to the above location on users' computers.