How to install Helicon Ape on shared hosting

Helicon Ape product offers a bunch of unique features to shAPE up IIS7-based web servers, and one of the most exciting is that you don't actually need a dedicated server to install it! If your hosting provider supplies shared accounts with IIS7 support, you will almost undoubtedly be able to install Helicon Ape on your web site without having to bother the server administrator.

We’ll now tell you the steps to be done to do this:

1. Find a hosting with IIS7 on it;
2. Download Helicon Ape to your local machine. Not to the hosting!
3. Install it locally specifying «Manual package» installation type.
   
   
   
4. Open Helicon Ape installation folder (e.g. "C:\Program Files\Helicon\Ape\ManualInstall");
5. Open target site via FTP and go to wwwroot folder;
   
   
   
6. Copy all content of ManualInstall folder into wwwroot (preserving folder structure). "All" includes:
   - Bin\Helicon.Ape.dll – the module itself;
   - Helicon\httpd.conf – server configuration file;
   - .htaccess – distributed config example;
   - example_web.config – Helicon Ape registration for the site;
   If there's no web.config in the root of the site, rename example_web.config into web.config. If web.config is already there, add the following lines into - section:
   

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <configuration>
           ...
           <system.webServer>
                   ...
                   <modules>
                     <add name="Ape" type="Helicon.Ape.ApeModule" />
                   </modules>
                   <handlers>
                     <add name="Ape" path="*.apeproxy" verb="*" type="Helicon.Ape.Mod.ProxyHandler" 
                     resourceType="Unspecified" preCondition="integratedMode" />
                   </handlers>
                   ...
           </system.webServer>
           ...
   </configuration>

7. Open wwwroot\.htaccess and put the following lines at the bottom to check operability:
   
   

   RewriteEngine On
   RewriteRule . – [G]

8. Make any request to your site and you should get the following result:
   
   
   
9. That’s all. Helicon Ape is working!

Issues

"But it isn’t actually working!” you exclaim indignantly.
There are several possible issues:

1. Firstly, let's have a glance at wwwroot\Helicon\error.log.
   
   
   
2. In our case the hosting has restricted permissions in a way that doesn’t allow Ape use it’s trial protection, so it is necessary to enter the registration data. Ask for trial keys on support@helicontech.comJust add the following lines at the top of wwwroot\Helicon\httpd.conf and save changes:
   

   RegistrationName= Name
   RegistrationCode= XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

   
3. There may be issues with your distributed configuration. .htaccess files may be used by other applications (such as ISAPI_Rewrite, IISPassword, etc) and it’s not that handy to create them in Windows Explorer. Luckily you are empowered to change the default config name using AccessFilename directive:
   
   

   AccessFileName Ape.ini

   
4. Sometimes hosting configures the site to work in Classic pipeline mode. Ape can work in such environment (see how to configure wildcard mapping) but it’s better to ask your hosting to switch the pool to Integrated mode.
5. It may happen that hosting has set too low.Net Trust Level for the site. This may affect Helicon Ape operation.
   
   
   
   Full level ensures flawless operation of all modules. It is acceptable to use any level down to Medium. With lower level values Helicon Ape will work with substantial limitations.
   
   
   

Resume

As you could see configuring Helicon Ape on shared hosting is piece of cake! And no administrator help is needed. You can do everything by yourself in a matter of minutes.
We are looking forward to your comments and suggestions.

Good luck and best wishes,
HeliconTech Team