Now, after four pages of building up to it, we can start on the matter of MIRRORING WEB DATA.

I was lucky enough to obtain a brand new HP Kayak PC for £150 - a real bargain. The operating system is Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. At the moment it is sitting on my dining room table (a new toy you see - hehehehe) connected to my home LAN. The LAN has an ADSL connection to the World Wide Web.

For the development of the Mirroring technology, it was the 'other PC' - but it could perfectly well have been a server at any ISP in the world.

There are three steps to the Mirroring process:-

This page deals with the Capture.

First I needed a database table to store the details of the Updates. The structure is shown below
Data Item Name Data Item Type
connection_string String Text
dataBaseRoot String Text
end_trans Logical (True/False or Yes/No)
original_unique_number Number
program_name String Text
send_done Logical (True/False or Yes/No)
send_done_date_time Date + Time
send_started_date_time Date + Time
start_trans Logical (True/False or Yes/No)
trans_block_ref Number
trans_date_time Date + Time
unique_number Number
update_string String Memo

Next a file called datalog.asp it is shown below. There are three major functions in it. It is shown below :- 



<%

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'''                                           '''
'''                                           '''
'''  This file contains the routines for      '''
'''  recording the updates to data tables.    '''
'''                                           '''
'''                                           '''
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''


DBConDATA = "DRIVER={Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)}; DBQ=" & dataLogBaseRoot & "datalog.mdb"
''Response.Write DBConDATA
''Response.End
set ConDATA = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
ConDATA.Open DBConDATA


cNowDateStr = "%D %b %Y %H:%N:%S"
cNow = UCase(fncFmtDate(Now, cNowDateStr))



lRecordIt = True
if InStr(UCase(Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" )), UCase("assistant")) > 0 then
   lRecordIt = False
end if
if InStr(UCase(Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" )), UCase("show")) > 0 then
   lRecordIt = False
end if
if InStr(UCase(Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" )), UCase("getdatalog")) > 0 then
   lRecordIt = False
end if
if InStr(UCase(Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" )), UCase("confirmdatagot")) > 0 then
   lRecordIt = False
end if


addStartDataTransaction()



Dim cTrans_block_ref

   function addStartDataTransaction()
      addStartDataTransaction = False

       MinutesDiff = CLng((DateDiff("s",now,#1/1/2000#) * - 1))
      RandomKey = (MinutesDiff * 100)
      cTempUniqueStr = Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" ) & "-" & timer & "-" & RandomKey
''Response.Write cTempUniqueStr

      if lRecordIt = True then


         SQLStrDATA = "INSERT INTO datalog ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "update_string, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "trans_date_time, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "program_name, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "dataBaseRoot, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "start_trans"

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & ") values ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & cTempUniqueStr & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "#" & cNow & "#, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" ) & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & dataBaseRoot & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & " " & "True" & " )"

''Response.Write SQLStrDATA
''Response.End

         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )

         SQLStrDATA = "SELECT * FROM datalog WHERE update_string = '" & cTempUniqueStr & "'"
         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )
         if rsDATA.EOF or rsDATA.BOF then
            Response.Write "There has been a major DataLogging Error.<BR>The program has Terminated.<BR>SORRY"
            Response.End
         else
            cTrans_block_ref = rsDATA("unique_number")
         end if

         SQLStrDATA = "UPDATE datalog SET trans_block_ref = unique_number WHERE update_string = '" & cTempUniqueStr & "'"
         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )

         SQLStrDATA = "UPDATE datalog SET update_string = ' ' WHERE update_string = '" & cTempUniqueStr & "'"
         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )

      end if

      addStartDataTransaction = True
   end function




   function addDataTransaction(cADTUpdateStr, cADTConStr)
      addDataTransaction = False

      if lRecordIt = True then

         cADTUS = Replace(cADTUpdateStr, "'", "''")

         SQLStrDATA = "INSERT INTO datalog ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "update_string, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "trans_date_time, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "program_name, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "dataBaseRoot, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "trans_block_ref, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "connection_string"

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & ") values ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & cADTUS & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "#" & cNow & "#, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" ) & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & dataBaseRoot & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & " " & cTrans_block_ref & " , "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & cADTConStr & "')"

''Response.Write SQLStrDATA
''Response.End

         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )

      end if

      addDataTransaction = True
   end function




   function addEndDataTransaction()
      addEndDataTransaction = False

      if lRecordIt = True then

         SQLStrDATA = "INSERT INTO datalog ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "update_string, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "trans_date_time, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "program_name, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "dataBaseRoot, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "trans_block_ref, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "end_trans"

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & ") values ("

         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & " " & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "#" & cNow & "#, "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & Request.ServerVariables( "PATH_TRANSLATED" ) & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & "'" & dataBaseRoot & "', "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & " " & cTrans_block_ref & " , "
         SQLStrDATA = SQLStrDATA & " " & "True" & " )"

''Response.Write SQLStrDATA
''Response.End

         Set rsDATA = ConDATA.Execute( SQLStrDATA )

      end if

      addEndDataTransaction = True
   end function



%>

It creates a 'Start' entry as soon as the file is opened.

All of the individual web pages have been modified to addDataTransaction() for each transaction that makes any addition, change or deletion to database tables.

AND TO

addDataTransaction() when it is about to successfully terminate.

You will recall that the part of the Web Page that adds new entries to database tables looks like. 





    SQLStr = "INSERT INTO name ("

    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Title, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Forenames, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Surname, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Honours, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "PublicInfo"

    SQLStr = SQLStr & ") values ("

    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("TITLE"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("FORENAMES"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("SURNAME"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("HONOURS"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & " " & lPublic & ")"



    Set oRS = Con.Execute( SQLStr )

An SQL Command string is created and then it is Executed.

There are four major types of command used in my systems (the others are either not used or are not relevant to this subject) - they are :-

Only the first three are relevant for this subject. Everywhere they occur, a ne line has been inserted into the script. 





    SQLStr = "INSERT INTO name ("

    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Title, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Forenames, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Surname, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "Honours, "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "PublicInfo"

    SQLStr = SQLStr & ") values ("

    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("TITLE"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("FORENAMES"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("SURNAME"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & "'" & Replace(Request.Form("HONOURS"), "'", "''") & "', "
    SQLStr = SQLStr & " " & lPublic & ")"


    dpReply = addDataTransaction(SQLStr, "Con")


    Set oRS = Con.Execute( SQLStr )

That is the way in which the actual updates to the tables are captured.

The following line is added at the end of the script 



    dpReply = addEndDataTransaction()

That causes an 'End of Transaction' entry to be added.

It should be noted that only transactions that have a proper 'Start of Transaction' - and - 'End of Transaction' entry in the datalog table will be used to update the mirror copies of the database tables !!!

In the past, I have written such stories on one web page. One of the readers printed one out on paper - the paper was over fifty foot long. This time, Im using several pages to make it easier for readers to deal with. This page is just an Introduction to set the scene.

An index and links to the other pages is given below.