Version 6.2.1

If you are going to deploy a service using Express to a WebServer with LifeBoat or run it in a Docker Container, then you want to configure Express Settings depending on your needs.

You could always launch the service application with arguments:

• --Port=xxx
• --MaxSockets=xxx
• --MinSockets=xxx
• --Loopback (use Loopback Network Interface)
• --Nothreads (disable MultiThreading)
• --Secure (use SSL)
• --ConnectionType=xxx (Xojo SSL Socket Connection Type)
• --CertificateFile=xxx
• --CertificatePassword
• --CloseConnections (disable Keep-Alive)
• --SilentStart

In Docker Environments you might want a Container running an Express Instance in various environments (Production, Development). So different Log Verbosity or different Ports or other Settings are required in each environment.

Environment Variables

Creating an Express Server Instance:
Server = New Express.Server(args, AddressOf DemoHelloWorld.RequestProcess)

This will pick up both Launch Arguments and Environment Variables in the following priority:

1. Launch Argument
2. Environment Variable

The following Environment Variables are respected:

• EXPRESS_PORT=xxx
• EXPRESS_MAXSOCKETS=xxx
• EXPRESS_MINSOCKETS=xxx
• EXPRESS_LOOPBACK=true
• EXPRESS_NOTHREADS=true
• EXPRESS_CLOSECONNECTIONS=true
• EXPRESS_SILENTSTART=true

Note: you need to specify the value true for the last four Environment Variables.

The SSL related launch arguments have not been implemented.
In hosted environments you could/should use a Gateway (e.g. nginx) in front to handle SSL (and certificate renewals) and Load Balancing.

Demo 1: Hello World

This Demo has been updated to display Express Server Infos.

Express | Lifeboat

This ScreenShot shows how Environment Variables have been configured in LifeBoat.
The deployed Express instance picks them up:

Demos

The provided Demos have been updated to respect Launch Arguments and Environment Variables.
In DebugBuilds the Loopback Network Interface (localhost, 127.0.0.1) is being used by default.

Express-Demo-Console

Now uses a demo in the following priority:

1. Launch Argument: --Demo=1
2. Environment Variable: EXPRESS_DEMO=1
3. if no set: displays a choice and asks which demo to use

This now allows to

• Build the Express-Demo-Console.xojo_project without modifying any code
• Deploy to a webserver (e.g. using Lifeboat)
  • Set Environment Variable EXPRESS_DEMO=1
  • Stage - and enjoy/test the Demo 1
  • Set Environment Variable EXPRESS_DEMO=2
  • Stage - and enjoy/test the Demo 2
• Deploy to a webserver manually
  • Launch with Arguments --Port=xxxx --Demo=1 (or set the Environment Variables)
  • Enjoy/test the Demo 1
  • Launch with Arguments --Port=xxxx --Demo=2 (or set the Environment Variables)
  • Enjoy/test the Demo 2

ScreenShot:

Version 6.1.0

This release introduces Express.EventLogHandlerDelegate

Express is designed to be a standalone component that can be dropped into any Xojo project.

Each Xojo project might want to handle Logs differently.

Express provides a default logging facility in: Express.EventLog

TargetConsole: write to StdOut
TargetDesktop: write to System.DebugLog (see Xojo's Documentation)
If an application wants Express to redirect Logs to it's own Logging facility, then Express needed to be modified accordingly.

Express 6.1.0 decouples this hardcoded requirement by introducing the Express.EventLogHandlerDelegate.

A Xojo project using it can now specify which method (that implements the delegate) an Express instance
should use as it's Event Log handler.

Usage:

// Configure App to handle Express EventLog with LogLevel Warning
Express.EventLogLevel = Express.LogLevel.Warning

// Assign the Express.EventLogHandlerDelegate to tell Express which method is processing the EventLogs
// Comment out or Assign Nil if you want to use Express's default EventLog-Handling
Express.EventLogHandler = WeakAddressOf ExpressEventLog

This release also introduces the Express Demo GUI

This repository is now a MonoRepo containing two example projects:

Express-Demo-Console.xojo_project
Express-Demo-GUI.xojo_project

The new "Express Demo GUI" shows how to:

• Use Express in a Desktop application
• Switch between the provided Demos on the fly
• Adjust Log Level on the fly
• Use the recently added Delegates:
  • Express.RequestHandlerDelegate
  • Express.EventLogHandlerDelegate

Fixes

• Multipart Forms Demo (the issue had been in the Express.Request object).
• DataAvailable uses Lookahead.Bytes to determine if the Content has been fully received
• Fix in Method BodyGet, so that Multipart Form Content is no longer stripped
• DataGet and BodyGet in now called in the method Process

Demo

A Copy File Post Build Step now copies the demo's ressources to the Resources Folder.
All demos have been updated to look for the resources in SpecialFolder.Resources.

Note: The Multipart Forms Upload will go into the following folder: SpecialFolder.(Desktop | UserHome).Child("express-demo-uploads")

Demos have been updated with Nil checks for Request.Server (which is a WeakRef).
Server might be Nil if stopped while Request is still alive.

If you don't assign an own Event Log Handler (see above), then Express will continue to use it's default logging mechanism.