Request: Separate server and configuration

[spike5884]

• Separate the Server part of HouseBot from the Configuration part.
  
  The Server part should then be allowed to run as a Windows' Service.
  
  Allow Configuration part to run from a 'client' PC which is different from where the Server part runs.
  
  If Configuration part can run on separate pc, it should be allowed to 'connect' up to multiple Server parts.

[ScottBot]

Scott,



This one has been on the list for a while, and I know it's still on the Meedio list of things to do. It's a fair amount of work to split it out, but I agree that it would be a great enhancement.

[wallebalboa]

The runtime/configuration solution sounds like a great thing, thou i can guess its a fair amount of work. as a starter a good feature could be to singel out the theme editor and an easy way to "save in to a running" housebot...

maybe the export/import thing could be more automated for this? :roll:

i would like to connect to a running housebot machine. easy import a theme, edit it and then download it back.. if its then just to "reload theme" to get the new version on a remote..



sounds great...

keeping "the list" growing....

regs balboa

[raptor_demon]

Hi Scott,

Did anyhitng ever happen here?

I am looking to run housebot on my Windows Home server and would love to run housebot as a service so that it will be reboot proof.

Raptor

[ScottBot]

Back when I was working on version 3.0, I started this effort. It ended up being fairly significant and I was afraid it would destabilize the whole product, since there was so much that needed changed to implement this. After polling the community, I decided to abandon the task for that version. Maybe version 4.0 someday, but there has been no further work done to support it.

[raptor_demon]

Thanks Scott,


Do you think i could run it a s a service for times when i do not need to configure it?

Raptor

[ScottBot]

Maybe. I've never done it, so I can't say for sure. There's mention in these posts of using firedaemon to get HouseBot to run as a service

[kilowatt]

I've been running HouseBot as a service under FireDaemon-Pro for a couple years now and it works quite well. The only side effect I've noticed is It can't seem to find the help files if I try to open one from the help menu while HouseBot is running as a service. This really hasn't been a problem for me but I thought I would at least mention it. There may be other features I'm not using that have issues but as I said it works great for me.

With FireDaemon you can choose to have the service interact with the desktop so If your logged in when it starts you have access to the user interface just like when you run HouseBot standalone. If you logout and back in you will probably not see the user interface. But when you need it you can use the firedaemon gui to restart the service which will in turn restart housebot and make the user interface available again.

What this does for you is to automatically start housebot after a reboot, and restart it if it ever crashes (which thanks to Scott, it never does).

I attached a file which is my FireDaemon housebot service settings. You could import this to FireDaemon as a starting point.

I should also mention I'm running this on a couple computers both running XP SP3. I have not tried it on vista but It should work.

Mark

[raptor_demon]

Cool thanks,

This sounds like what i need for WHS as I would like not ot have to log in eachi time it installs an update or shutsdown due to power outages.

I'll test later today!

Raptor