Using the EDK (PRC) in ASP Pages

Question

Hi there,
I have an ASP Portlet that I would like to move to use the EDK. (It formerly used the GDK). As it is quite a large application, moving it to .NET is not possible at this time. Does anyone have any experience with this?
The overall objective is to set Administrative Settings of a portlet. To do that, I want to use the RemoteSessionFactory to create an IRemoteSession which is used to call the PortletManager to open a portlet. The final goal is to get the IPortlet interface (from Plumtree.Remote.PRC) . Once I have the IPortlet Interface, I am able to get/set Administrative settings.
(For those of you who would recommend using the Portal Server API, the problem I have then is that once I change the administrative settings, the new settings are not picked up until I restart the portal on the portal server. It appears that the Portlet stays in the globalgadgetcache and does not know that it has been updated. Please let me know if there is a way to force that update from the Remote Server)
I've basically tried 2 options, with both resulting in the following problems.
1. Calling the EDK directly from the ASP, using Server.CreateObject. I have 2 major problems here. The firsrt is, it appears that the object I wish to use is not creatable. (RemoteSessionFactory) I have successfully created some classes off the EDK using Server.CreateObject. For example, Server.CreateObject("com.plumtree.remote.prc.xp.XPAdminPortletSettingsPersistence") seems to work. Unforutnately, I can not figure out how to get my IRemoteSession in ASP. If anyone knows how, I would be very grateful.
The other problem I have with using Server.CreateObject is that some of the objects I can find PROGIDs for do not create successfully. Here, I receive the error that the "DLL or some of its dependencies can not be found". This is noteable because of my strategy #2.
2. I have created a wrapper class that IS createable using Server.CreateObject. I can then create this class and call it's functions from the ASP. This C# .NET DLL references the EDK.dll. When I call functions in my class that to not use the EDK ( Set oPISettings = Server.CreateObject("PISettings.PIRemoteAdminSettings"), Response.Write "<BR>" & oPISettings.TestClass() ) it works fine. However, as soon as I try to use the EDK to open the RemoteSessionFactory (IRemoteSession session = RemoteSessionFactory.GetExplicitLoginContext(new System.Uri(sURI), sUserName, sPassword);) then I get the same error as above "the DLL or one of its dependencies can not be found". Interestingly, I can use SOME parts of the EDK - for example all of the classes that I can create in ASP - but not that Remote Session Factory.
With EDK 5.1 being signed, I thought my problem would be solved by putting the EDK into the Global Assembly Cache. I have put the EDK and OpenFoundation in. I have also registered them both using REGASM.exe. Neither fixed my problem. I have also installed the Microsoft Web Services Extensions (and put the dll in the GAC)
I'm wondering if there is another DLL that is required to go into the GAC? It's clear that the ASP can find the EDK - as I can call some functions from it - but only when I call certain other functions (through direct ASP or through my wrapper) that I hit problems.
ANY suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks and Hpapy Holidays,Karen

Answer 1

Hi Phil and Joseph,
Thanks for your responses! Yes, Christams during summer is a bit wierd. It always sneaks up on me and I dont realize it's christmas until I go to the store and everthing is closed!!!
Joseph, to answer your questions - I can't use the GDK because I want to set Administrative preferences from a portal page. (As you know, Plumtree blocks you from setting admin preferences from a portal page).
Going direct to the database (via Plumtre server API) ALMOST works, except the settings aren't picked up until the server restarts? (I'm thinking here that the Gadget Cache isn't clearing - is there a way to force that?) However, going through the Remote API does work, except that I run into the problems described above. (The portlet does though update the settings right away)..
Yes, I have added all 4 to the project and to everywhere else I can think of (and used REGASM.exe), as well as the new EDK. (not all at the same time, and also all at the same time!). It is quite bizarre b/c I have 2 computers that it works fine with EDK 5.02 (never works with EDK 5.1) but nowhere else does it work?
(PS sorry Joseph it took me so long to reply, our email address changed and I guess my notifications have stopped!)
Phil, your suggestion is a good one, maybe you can give me a bit more detail? If I used ASP.net to route the request to the ASP files, then I would pull those admin settings that were set by the ASP file (ie GDK) out and set them via the EDK Remote Server? Do you think that would work?
Thanks so much for everything,Karen