Why visIIS

As a web developer, I use quite often IIS (Internet Information Service, the internet server from Microsoft) on my local machine to test preproduction web sites.

While IIS installed in Windows Server allow to set as many virtual directory and web sites as you wish, with Windows XP (the o.s. I use) only one virtual directory and web site can be set.
Working on different projects at the same time, I realized that using IIS management service just to set the root folder or to start/stop the server is a very long and tedious process.

A workaround could be to use PWS (personal web server) administration program placed in the system tray to perform said tasks (and some other useful functions), but in the long run this proved as tedious as before, so I decided to create by myself the utility I need I wasn't able to find anywhere else.

What is visIIS

visIIS group some of the functionalities found in the IIS management console, letting the user set them at once more easily than with PWS, and adding some other controls.

visIIS does not need installation nor specific configuration procedure, but need .Net framework 1.1 to be present in the machine where it's to be used.

visIIS is a useful tool for those who work frequently with web applications and use Microsoft Internet Information Service web server.

Features

- Web server start
- Web server stop
- Browser self launch when starting web server (optional)
- Interactive selection of the root folder to be used by the server
- Manual insert of the root folder
- Selection of the root folder from an history list
- Direct editing of default documents while opening the web site
- Web server state visualized by a tray icon
- Contest menu in a tray icon
- Folder selection, server and browser start from a single menu voice
- Direct start of IIS management console
- Last used settings memorization

Future features

Your suggestions or request will be welcome. Send them to info@visuddhi.com, stating visIIS in the subject

First start

When started for the first time, visIIS shows itself as a single window: every function is shown and can be activated by a single click (figure 1).

After the first start, when launched, the program could also start without showing its main window, but just as an icon in the system tray, if it was closed when minimized.

visIIs icon in the main windows and in the system tray shows immediately the web server status by its color:
if the server is inactive the icon is red while if it's active the icon is green (figure 2)

Stop / Start web...

A click on Start web... button start the server, while a click on Stop web stop it (figure 1).

If Open Browser checkbox is selected, then starting the server with Start web... button will also launch a session of the predefinite browser, that will automatically connect at the web server local address http://localhost/

Contest menu

All the beforesaid functionalities (Stop, Start web..., Open Browser) can be also activated from the contest menu that can be launched by a right click of the tray icon (figure 3)

This contest menu contain also options to Exit the program and another Choose web submenu we'll see later.

Double clicking the tray icon show or hide the main window. The program remain active and the contest menu can also be used.

Main settings

visIIS main windows shows two input fields that can be directly accessed to modify the web server main settings (figure 4).

The first input, lists the default web pages to be searched by the browser if a web page is not specified in the url. The filenames mut be separated by commas. To activate and memorize this option, the web server must be started with Start web... button, even if the web server is already active.

The second input is a drop down menu that list the history of folders precedently used as root by the server (figure 5).

Selecting directly from the drop down menu the root folder is a quicker way to set or change the root folder. When a folder is selected, it's necessary to start the server with Start web... button.

The folder list is also reachable from the tray icon contest menu (figure 6).

When using the contest menu, selecting a folder to be used as root will also restart the web server: one does not not need to restart it with the Start web... button.

There are several easy ways to add a folder to the list.

A folder can be selected by a system dialog window that can be activated clicking the ... button (figure 7).

Another way is to write the full path of the folder to be used as root directly in the field (figure 8)


It's also possible to manage the folder list by editing the text file used to memorize them. Clicking the light blue words Edit history... the file is opened in the text file default editing program, usually notepad (figure 9).

When the editing is done, one needs just to save the file and close the editor to update immediately the folder list in the contest menu and in the drop down menu.

Launching the IIS console

It'a always possible to quickly launch the IIS management console (figure 10) clicking the words Server Admin...

The settings modified by the console will be visualized by visIIS at the next start!

Conclusion

I think it's all! This program will not solve all the webmaster trouble but I think is useful anyway.

Your suggestions regarding visIIS and the use you made of it will be welcomed, as well as request for new features or bug warnings.

Send your email to info@visuddhi.com stating visIIS in the subject.

License

Terms & Conditions.

-- Use:
You may use this Software whit the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

-- Freeware:
This software is provided "AS IS".
Visuddhi makes no warranty, representation, promise or guarantee, either express or implied, statutory or otherwise, with respect to the Software, the user documentation or any related technical support, including their quality, performance or fitness for a particular purpose.

-- Restrictions:
You may install the software on any number of computer, however You may not sell, loan, rent, lease, license or otherwise transfer the Software provided.

-- Intellectual Property Rights:
By downloading or installing this Software, you acknowledge Visuddhi as the owner of all intellectual property rights in the Software and user documentation. These rights are protected by property laws and international treaty provisions. Visuddhi retains all rights not expressly granted.

-- Warranty:
Visuddhi makes no warranty, representation, promise or guarantee, either express or implied, statutory or otherwise, with respect to the Software, the user documentation or any related technical support, including their quality, performance, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

-- Limitation of Liability:
In no event will Visuddhi be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, tort, economic, cover or consequential damages arising out of the use of this Software. Use the software at your own risk!

Download

Download only visIIS v2 executable, 43 Kb
( documentation not ready )

Download only visIIS executable, 16 Kb

Download Italian documentation of visIIS, 275 Kb

Download Italian documentation of visIIS and executable, 291 Kb

visIIS è is freeware but you can support it with a donation
The donation is bound together with my other freeware project, the VisuBox!