Visual Expert Web Installation Guide

Target Architecture

Visual Expert Web Client Architecture

If you wish, you can also keep using a desktop client that will connect directly to the repository, in addition to the web clients that connects to the web server.

Installation Guidelines

Step 1: Install Visual Expert Desktop

• Before installing Visual Expert Web, ensure you have installed and configured the Visual Expert Desktop (Enterprise or Professional Edition is mandatory) executable on the server.
• You can check the System Requirements for all Visual Expert editions, including Basic, Professional & Enterprise, and VE Web.

Step 2: Download and Install .NET Core Hosting Bundle

• Includes the .NET Core Runtime 6.0 and .NET Core Library.
• Download the hosting bundle (dotnet-hosting-6.0) from the official Microsoft website: Hosting Bundle.

Step 3: Download the ASP.NET Core Module

• Required for hosting ASP.NET Core applications on IIS.
• Download from the official Microsoft website: ASP.NET Core Module.

Step 4: Download and Install .NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime

• Install the .NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime.
• Download from the official Microsoft website: Desktop Runtime.

Step 5: Install Internet Information Services (IIS)

IIS is a web server software package designed for Windows. It’s used for hosting websites and other content on the web. You can install it through the “Turn Windows features on or off” menu in the Control Panel. The below screenshot shows which functions should be checked and vice versa.

• Go to the Control panel → Programs & Features → Add roles & features.
• For Windows 10 and 11, click on Turn Windows features On or Off → follow the instructions and check in the required features.
  

Step 6: Create an Application Pool and Site

• Application Pool → Right-click on Application Pool → Add Application Pool → Enter Name → Set the .NET CLR version to No Managed Code → click [Ok].
  
• Navigate to Application Pools → Select your Application → Open Advanced Settings → Locate the Process Model section → Ensure Load User Profile is set to [True].
  

Additional Settings for Windows Authentication Mode (only if connecting to VE repository with Windows Authentication)

• Under Process Model → Identity, click the three dot menu.
  
• Select Custom account → click [Set].
  
• Enter your credentials → click [OK].
  
• Once set, click [OK] again.
  
• Verify the Identity has been updated to the username you entered → click [OK].
  
• You can confirm this change in the Application Pools dashboard, where the Identity column will display the updated username.
  
• Right-click on Sites → Enter Site name → Select the Application Pool you created → Specify the physical path (preferably C:\inetpub\wwwroot\[name of the folder you have created]) → Adjust the port number if necessary → click [Ok].
  
• Select the Site → Under the IIS section → Open Authentication → Enable Windows Authentication.
  
  

Step 7: Explore the Site

• Under the Actions section, click [Explore].
  
• Your application folder will open. Delete any existing files.
  

Step 8: Deploy Publish Files

• Extract the files from the publish folder.
• Copy all the files from the extracted publish folder to the application folder.

Step 9: Restart IIS

• Restart IIS to ensure the changes take effect.
• Open a command prompt as an administrator.
• Run the command iisreset.
• Confirm the restart upon receiving a confirmation message.
  

Step 10: Verify the Installation

• Open a command prompt.
• Run the command: dotnet --list-runtimes.
• Check the displayed versions to confirm that the .NET SDK and ASP.NET Core Runtime are correctly installed.

Step 11: Browse the Website

• In IIS Manager, select your site.
• Under the Browse Website section, click Browse <port_number> (http)* to open your site in a browser.
  

 

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