VX-Rexx program running as an applet
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in is a Netscape based plug-in that enables Rexx programs
that are downloaded from the internet to run on client machines.
The Rexx Plug-in runs command line type Rexx programs along with DrRexx,
VX-Rexx, GPF Rexx, VRexx2 and Rexx/TK (version 1.2 only) programs.
VX-Rexx program running as an applet
The plug-in will work with Netscape v 4.04 and 4.61, Opera 5.12 and Mozilla based browsers, which includes IBM's web browser. The plug-in will not work with WebExplorer since that browser does not support the plug-in API.
| Types of Rexx Programs | ||
| Installing the Plug-in | ||
| Updating the Plug-in | ||
| Rexx Run-times | ||
| Security | ||
| Approved Site List | ||
| Prompting for Permission | ||
| When there are Bugs | ||
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in can run command line types of Rexx programs, or visual type Rexx programs built with (or using) one of the visual Rexx development tools/libraries.
Rexx command line type programs can run either in an OS/2 Command Prompt window, or in an area on the HTML page. Visual Rexx programs can also run in a separate window or they can run in an area on the HTML page as an "applet". (VRexx2 and Rexx/TK type programs must always run in a separate window). All visual Rexx type programs require a run-time or Rexx function library in order to run. The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in bundles the DrRexx run-time with the plug-in installation; other run-times must be downloaded to your machine if they are not already installed.
Example of a Rexx Program Running in a Command Prompt Window
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in can also install software that uses the WarpIN installer, packaged either a *.WPI or *.EXE type files. The web site must specify the Rexx Plug-in on the HTML page before it will take over the WarpIN install.
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in comes in two different install packages:
If you have WarpIN installed on your machine download the smaller file. If you do not have WarpIN already installed, you will need the larger file. Both packages are available here along with detail instructions.
Once the install completes you will have a folder on your desktop that looks like this.
WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in Desktop Folder
The Security Configuration Tool is what you use to control what which sites you will allow Rexx programs to run from, and how those programs will run.
The Debug icon enables you to turn on debugging for Rexx programs running in the plug-in on your machine. The debug output is usually needed by the author of the Rexx program when things go wrong, and will need to be sent to WarpDoctor to diagnose bugs in the plug-in.
The Uninstall icon starts WarpIN so that you can remove the Rexx Plug-in from your machine.
The version of the Rexx Plug-in can be determined in the Help - About - Plug-ins menu option for Netscape and Mozilla, or File - Preferences - Plugins in Opera. This menu option will open a screen that shows all the plug-ins installed for that browser. The WarpDoctor Plug-in lists its version number the its title.
In order to run visual type Rexx programs - DrRexx, VX-Rexx, GPF-Rexx, VRexx2 or Rexx/TK - you must have the run-time for that type of program installed on your machine. The Rexx Plug-in comes bundled with the DrRexx run-time; if you want to run any of the other types of visual Rexx programs - VX-Rexx, GPF-Rexx, VRexx2 or Rexx/TK - you will need the run-times for those environments. You can click here for the install page for those run-times. That installation program will check you machine for copies of the needed run-times that you have selected before downloading any files.
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in, like all plug-ins, has complete access to the your hard drive and system. While this is beneficial because it enables the Rexx Plug-in to work, it also introduces the possibility of a program causing mischief with your system. To help prevent that from happening the WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in implements security using the most basic, and most reliable tenets of computer security, namely:
The WarpDoctor Rexx Plug-in implements those tenets with an approved site list, and by asking for premission before running a Rexx program.
The Approved Site list is a list of sites that you have determined to be "safe" sites - meaning sites that you trust. Before the plug-in runs a program it checks the site the program came from against the list of approved sites. If the program is not on the list then you are asked premission to run the program. If the program comes from a site that is on the list the program is run without prompting you for permission, unless you have specified that prompting is to occur.
Prompt for Permission to Run a Rexx Program
Sites get on the list two ways:
Every time a plug-in instance is started the plug-in checks the URL of the Rexx program against the list of approved sites. If the program is from a site that is not in the list you are prompted for permission to run the program. You can also specify that you are always to be prompted before running all Rexx programs, or that you are to be prompted before running a Rexx program from a particular site.
Each site in the Approved Site List has a Always Prompt field that designates whether you are to be prompted before running any program from that site. A value of YES means that you will be prompted before the program is run. Alternately the Security Configuration Tool has a Prompt for every Rexx program checkbox, which when checked will cause the plug-in to prompt you for permission before running any Rexx program from any site.
When a site is added to the list, either by the plug-in when you click the Run+Add to list button or when you use the Configuration Tool, the default settings determines the value of the Always Prompt field for that site.
The Security Configuration Tool can be used to manually add new sites to
the Approved Site List, delete sites from the list, or change the settings for a
site on the list. The tool can be started by clicking on the
icon in the WarpDoctor folder.
The main screen for the Security Configuration Tool tool is shown in the figure below. You can delete a site by highlighting the site and pressing the Delete key. You can change the settings for a site by Alt-clicking on the field you want to change and typing a new value. You add a site by right-clicking on the list and selecting Add Site from the pop-up.
Rexx Plug-in Security Configuration Tool
When you right-click on the list a pop-up menu appears with an entry called Settings. Settings brings up a dialog box where you can change the default settings used when new sites are added to the list, and where you can backup and restore the security configuration file.
Settings Dailog
The Rexx Plug-in comes with a facility for capturing debug output. This debug output can be essential for finding out what is causing a problem with a Rexx program on your machine, or for tracking down a bug in the Plug-in itself.
If you use just one browser on your system you open the
Debug Control Window
by double-clicking on the
bug icon in the WarpDoctor folder.
If you use multiple browsers drag the debug icon onto the browser you are using
to open the
Debug Control Window.
Mozilla based browsers (at least up to version 1.2) and the IBM Web Browser (up
to version 2) do not support drag and drop, so you must open the file
debug.htm located in the x:\WarpDoctor directory
(x:\WarpDoctor is the location where the Rexx Plug-in is installed)
when using one
of those browsers.
The Debug Control Window is used to select the level of debug output you need. There are three levels of debug messages, each level producing more verbose output (the Load DLL setting does not produce any debug messages.) When you select a debug level the PmPrintf32 Debug Capture Window opens to capture the debug output.
You must leave both debug windows open the entire time you are capturing debug output.
Rexx Plug-in Debug Control Window
When debugging is turned on debug messages from all Rexx programs run in the plug-in are sent to the capture window. Each Rexx program runs in a instance of the plug-in, and each plug-in instance is assigned a unique "instance number". Messages are associated with a particular Rexx program by the plug-in instance number that appears in all debug messages.
PmPrinf32 Debug Capture Window
You can use the Actions - Display messages - Write to log menu
option on
the Capture Window to write the messages displayed in the window to a file. The
messages are written to the file c:\pmprintf.log, where c:\ is your boot
drive. You should attach the log file to any email message reporting trouble.