Problems with the Internet Map Server

See the Map Server Overview for general information on Manifold IMS (Internet Map Server). This topic covers some of the same points in slightly different ways since often one of these points has been overlooked.

The most common errors

Running Manifold IMS has to do mostly with elementary operation of Windows as well as Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) or whatever HTTP server is being used. Running Manifold IMS itself is very simple. The Manifold side of troubleshooting consists mainly of checking that Manifold is correctly installed, is available to all users, and that the files needed to be used are where the config file says they are. Check the following:

Has Manifold been installed on the web server machine?
When Manifold was installed on the web server machine, did you login as Administrator to do the installation?
When Manifold was installed, was it installed for use by all users?
If it is more than 30 days since the serial number was issued, has Manifold been permanently installed using an Activation key on the web server machine?
When Manifold was activated, did you login as Administrator when entering the Activation key?
Are you attempting to run Manifold simultaneously in interactive mode and as the IMS map server at the same time? Execute an IISRESET when changing from interactive use of Manifold to IMS use or vice versa.
Have you copied all the files created by the Export Web Page dialog to the right folder within the Inetpub/wwwroot folder hierarchy on the web server machine?
Has the .map file being used been placed at the location specified for it in the config.txt file?
Does the system's IUSR_ user login have permission to execute Manifold.exe in the Manifold System installation folder? Check this using Windows Explorer to view the security settings on the file.
Does the system's IUSR_ user login have permission to read the .map file in use? Check this using Windows Explorer to view the security settings on the file.
Does the system's IUSR_ user login have permission to read and write the system's TEMP folder? Check this using Windows Explorer to view the security settings on the file.
When working with Windows Server 2003, have .asp files been enabled in IIS?

The number one problem with IMS reported to tech support is that users neglect to add the IUSR_ account with access permissions to the .map file in use. Using Windows Explorer (do not just depend on the IIS management console or other server management console), right click on the .map file, choose Properties and verify in the Security that the IUSR_ account for the system has necessary read and execute permissions.

While there is no end of trouble that can arise from willful misconfiguration of Microsoft Internet Information Server when attempting clever tricks, in the case of simple web sites problems arise most frequently from a handful of common errors:

Can you create and browse a simple web page not involving Manifold IMS on the web server machine? If you have not correctly configured or installed Microsoft IIS on the web server machine so that you can create simple web pages without using IMS, then you will not be able to serve web pages involving Microsoft IIS either.
Attempting to run a web site with Manifold IMS at the same time Manifold is running interactively on the same system. To make sure Manifold is not being run interactively, reboot the web server machine after running Manifold interactively.
Failure to arrange required read and execute privileges for the IUSR_ account. The IUSR_ account must be able to access the .map project as well as any tables required for linked tables or linked drawings and it must be able to execute Manifold System. The IUSR_ account must also have read and write privileges in the system TEMP folder as well as execute privileges for the Manifold.exe executable. In case of trouble, always check the permissions on the .map file. If any linked components appear in the project, the IUSR_ account must have required privileges to work with those files as well. For example, if an .mdb file is used to generate a linked drawing the IUSR_ account must have read and write permissions for that folder so that the lock file for the .mdb file can be created. When checking permissions, open Internet Explorer, right click on the file or folder, choose Properties and then check the settings in the Security tab. Don't assume that the web administration dialogs used by IIS will set these permissions for you.
Failing to install Manifold System on the web server machine for use by all users (a checkbox in one of the Manifold System installation dialogs).
Neglecting to maintain links correctly when working with a project that uses linked tables, linked drawings or Enterprise Edition components.
Attempting to use Enterprise Edition features, such as shared components, on a web server machine that is not licensed for Enterprise Edition.
Failure to install the geocoding database within the Manifold System installation folder when using queries that include geocoding functions (or failure to have MapPoint installed if it is being used as an alternative geocoder).
Failure to install or activate (using an Activation key) features contained in the Business Tools or Surface Tools extensions if these features are used by the IMS application.
Neglecting to place the .map file where the config.sys file says it is supposed to be.

Manifold or the map server won't launch

To run the map server and serve web pages, no interactive session with Manifold can be running on the same machine.
To work with Manifold interactively, no map server session can be running on the same machine.
Do an iisreset command in the Windows Command Prompt window before attempting to work with Manifold interactively after the map server has been active.
Make sure to save the .map file after creating it or making any alterations interactively in Manifold. The .map file must be saved before the map server can use it. After editing a .map file, make sure the IUSR_ account still has read permissions on the .map file.
Have you provided a serial number and Activation key? When Manifold is running as a map server it will not raise the Activation dialog. Before attempting to use the map server within Manifold you must launch Manifold interactively at least once to provide a serial number for preliminary installation, or a serial number and Activation key for permanent installation. See the Activation Keys and Serial Numbers topic. If you provided just a serial number without an activation key and it has been more than 30 days since the serial number was issued, you will have to launch Manifold System interactively so you can provide a serial number and an Activation key for permanent installation.
When installing Manifold, did you install Manifold System for everyone to use on the computer? This is the default choice in the installation dialogs.
When you installed Manifold System, did you login as Administrator to perform the install? If you activated Manifold System using a serial number and Activation key, did you login as Administrator to do so?
Check access permissions on the .map file as noted below.
When using a .map project using Enterprise Edition features, the web server must have Manifold System Enterprise Edition installed.

Permissions

The .map file used with the web site must have security permissions such that the IUSR_ account used for Internet browsers has read access. Manifold must be installed for everyone to use on the machine. If any linked drawings or linked tables are used in the project that is published, the IUSR_ account must have all necessary privileges required to work with the tables that control those linked drawings or linked tables. Note: the "IUSR_" account is named using the computer name of the web server machine. If the web server machine is named "GODZILLA" this account will be called "IUSR_GODZILLA".

General problems browsing the web site

Confirm IIS is operational by launching Internet Explorer and browsing http://localhost …If this does not work, IIS is not functioning. You must have IIS functioning correctly before attempting to work with Manifold IMS within IIS.
Verify the directory to which the Manifold IMS project is published is within the publication directory structure of IIS. Create a small test.html file and then browse to it using http://localhost/pathname/test.html where "pathname" is the directory path to the directory in which you are placing your Manifold IMS files.
Check to make sure Manifold is not running on the system interactively. Manifold IMS cannot function on a machine where an interactive Manifold session is running. Close all Manifold sessions and try the browser again.
Make sure no interactive Manifold sessions running on different machines are trying to use, across a local network, the .map file from which the Manifold IMS site was published. Manifold IMS needs to use that .map file during operation and no other process should use that .map file.
If a newer version or service pack of Manifold has been installed, or if you have worked with Manifold interactively on the web server machine, reboot the system to make sure there are no older processes lingering.
After changing either the .map file in use or any of the .asp files or accessory files in the Manifold IMS site, do an iisreset in the Windows Command Prompt window to unload all objects involved so that the new versions are guaranteed to be in use.

Browser compatibility

Client browsers must be at least "4.x" vintage IE, Netscape, Mozilla or Opera browsers when the "Compatible" template is used to generate a site.
The Info button is not available in sites generated using the "Compatible" template.
Client browsers must be at least "5.x" vintage IE, Netscape, Mozilla or Opera browsers when the "Standard" templates are used to generate a site.

Configuration problems

When developing a Manifold web site on one machine and then installing the site and .map file on a different machine that is used as a server, make sure that the server machine is correctly updated with the correct .map file.
Make sure the server machine has the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer installed (at least IE 6 is required).
Make sure the server machine is running Windows Internet Information Server 5.0 or more recent.
Check that the server machine has the same version of Manifold installed together with the most recent service pack (if any have been issued) as the development machine.

Queries don't work as expected

Stop IIS in Internet Services Manager. Execute an iisreset in a Windows command prompt window. Launch Manifold interactively on the server machine and see if the query works correctly. If it does not, the server most likely is not updated with a recent copy of IE.
Check the component that is published (it will be listed in the config.txt file in the IMS web site files). Does the query in any way refer to a component outside that which is published?
Is the query a SELECT query? Only SELECT queries are allowed.
Does the query generate more than 200 records for the table? Only the first 200 records will be published to the web page.
Does the query use geocoding extensions? If so, has the Manifold geocoding database been correctly installed to the web server machine within the main Manifold System installation folder (or, has MapPoint been correctly installed if it is being used as an alternative geocoder)?

A site that worked before no longer works

Check to make sure that IIS is running.
If IIS is running and the browser shows an error message citing a particular .asp file and a line number, check to make sure there is not an interactive session of Manifold running on the server.
Make sure Manifold has not been removed (de-installed) from the server.
Check to make sure that the Manifold installation has not been damaged (e.g., the Manifold directory in the installation has accidentally had files deleted , etc.)
Perform disk maintenance to make sure disk errors or other problems have not damaged the Manifold installation.
Verify there is adequate disk space for all temporary files created by Manifold IMS.
Reboot the system to fix any Windows instability.
Did you activate your copy of Manifold? It could be that your preliminary installation period has expired and an Activation key is now required as well as a serial number.
Check permissions for IUSR_ on all files involved.

If geocoding functions do not work within IMS check the following:

Manifold geocoding database has been installed.
All state files required are present (that is, required files have not been removed after installation).
The Geocoding Database has been installed into the GCDB folder within the main Manifold installation folder. By default, this location is C:\Program Files\Manifold System\GCDB.
If MapPoint is to be used as an alternative geocoder, has MapPoint been correctly installed?

More performance is needed

Eliminate any unused fields in the components being published.
Eliminate any unused components in the project being published.
Make a backup copy first, and then simplify the drawings used by increasing the size of the View - Properties - Precision parameter and then running Normalize Topology. Most drawings used in web applications can be reduced in size/complexity by a factor of ten without any objectionable visual effects. This will dramatically speed up the site.
Don't use images when drawings will do.
Make sure that all components appearing in a map have the same native projection, which should be the same as the map's projection.
Use a smaller size window in the IMS site. Users may be complaining because you are sending very large images to them that take time to download through a slow Internet link.
Add RAM memory to the system. RAM is cheap. Install gigabytes of it. Install enough so the entire .map file plus all of your Windows processes can be in RAM.
Use large, fast hard disks spinning at 7200 RPM or faster.
Specify a static (predefined size) Windows page file that is far larger than ever will be necessary. This is faster than a dynamically re-sized page file.
Use multiple hard disks. If you have two disk drives keep the system TEMP directory on a different disk drive than the web site. Ideally, if you have four disk drives the system TEMP directory, the system page file, the .map file and IIS and the web site will all be on different disk drives. This allows the disk drive heads to seek independently from each other as each of these four different files is used. This is less of a factor if you have so much RAM that the page file or the .map files do not require any disk accesses.
Use faster processors or use multiple processors.

Problems with ASP .NET

Did you choose an ASP .NET version of the templates in the Export Web Page dialog?

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