Hi all,

A new version of Web Connection is available and v7.35 while a maintenance release has some useful new features and improvements, especially if you're working with REST services and anything related to JSON.

The highlight feature is a new REST Bearer Token Authentication implementation that can be used to relatively easily add Bearer Token authentication to your REST services. The new feature extends the existing wwSession and wwUserSecurity functionality in Web Connection to work with REST services, replacing the Cookie based authentication with Bearer Token issuance and validation. There are also some improvements in JSON processing and in the JsonServiceClient class that simplifies calling REST services in an all-in-one abstracted way.

The release post includes a complete tutorial of how the new REST Authentication features work as well as some discussion on the why and how it works. There is also a detailed wrap up of some of the other small improvements.

Read the Web Connection 7.35 Release Post

As always the latest version is available for download as a Shareware version that can be used to check out Web Connection and get started, and registered users should have gotten an email notification for the latest version download.

• West Wind Web Connection Web Site
• What's new in Web Connection
• REST Process Class Documentation

+++ Rick ---

Thanks. Question . . . is it possible to run an older version and the latest version on the same server? I have an existing app that's been running for many years, but have not upgraded it to the latest version. It might me 5.43 or something scary like that. I have a new, small project that I'd like to us 7.35 for so that I get the better tools and also to get used to it to see how I can migrate the other app to it. So can this be done?

Oh, also, I was trying to purchase the upgrade and I'm logged in (as you can see, since you can't post without doing that), but it asks me to log in again and my credentials do not work. Is it a separate account with the store? I was thinking it's all the same.

is it possible to run an older version and the latest version on the same server?

Yes you can run multiple versions side by side. Compiled Web Connection applications are self-contained and independent of each other. The only thing you have to make sure is that you don't use the same COM Server names for multiple projects - each application requires its own server names and COM registrations (ie. don't reuse projects or at least wipe out the project COM ids if you do).

+++ Rick ---

Is it a separate account with the store? I was thinking it's all the same.

Yes it's a separate account for the store. You can recover your password in the Login dialog.

+++ Rick ---

I did not get notifications on your responses, so I posted elsewhere. Yet I have control over my own email server and have been checking the spam folders there and in Outlook. I have not gotten anything and when I try to set up a new account, I get no validation email. I will try my Outlook.com address.

It did work with my Outlook address. Very strange that it did not work with my regular address. I note that it takes like a day or so on upgrades. Could you expedite that, please? I am loaded down with work and need to get going on this website project ASAP. Was hoping to start first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks!

The order has been confirmed.

Your original email failed because your server has the MailGun IP Address blacklisted.

+++ Rick ---

Thanks on both counts. I was going to contact my hosting provider, but had not done that, yet. Just FYI, I have great success with SendGrid, now a Twilio company. I'm trying to finish up with another client's project for release today, but will download the code soon. Thanks again.

Yes you can run multiple versions side by side.

Sorry, meant on the dev side. Musta had a brain fart. And now I see your "Side by Side" entry in the docs. Thanks.

Web Connection projects are self-contained - all files are isolated and you point at the Web Connection version that you want to use via paths to compile files in from.

So yes you can also run separate versions on dev. Just make sure you set your FoxPro Path from your project to include to the correct version's folders (ie. \wconnect735\classes, \wconnect735) and make sure each version you install goes to a unique identifiable folder.

+++ Rick ---

Hi Rick,

Just a note about a new install on my Windows 11 system. I read the instructions this time (lol) and since IIS was not installed, I chose to run your PowerShell script. What I discovered after failing, PowerShell does not allow scripts to be run by default. I was running as Administrator.

The answer was fairly simple once realizing the problem, change the default execution policy setting. Once in PowerShell Administrator, at the prompt I typed the following:

PS C:\WConnect> Get-ExecutionPolicy <cr>
Restricted
PS C:\WConnect> Set-ExecutionPolicy unrestrict <cr>
Execution Policy Change
The execution policy helps protect you from scripts that you do not trust. Changing the execution policy might expose
you to the security risks described in the about_Execution_Policies help topic at
https:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170. Do you want to change the execution policy?
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "N"): Y
PS C:\WConnect> Get-ExecutionPolicy <cr>
Unrestricted

PS C:\WConnect> Install-IIS-Features.ps1

And it ran like a charm. I then ran Setup and without making any custom settings, clicked on Finish and it worked!

Well Done, Rick!

Just one question, do I need to go back now and change the PowerShell policy? Seems like it is only in place until I terminate the session.

Docs have recently been updated to show the command including the execution policy:

• IIS Configuration for IIS - Powershell IIS Feature Installation

+++ Rick ---