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Application URLs

An application URL with a specific format is used to make an initial request to a WebObjects application. The host identified in the URL receives the request and passes it to the WebObjects adaptor identified in the URL. The adaptor receives the request, repackages it into a standard format, and sends it to the appropriate WebObjects application instance. This section describes the format of this URL so that you can connect directly to an application instance from a browser. This URL is very useful for both development and deployment.

Types of WebObjects URLs

There are three ways to connect to an application instance:

Connect directly to an application instance. The browser sends requests and receives responses directly from the application—the web server is not involved. The browser is connected directly to the port used by the application. Application resources—such as images—are served by the application. This approach does not require use of wotaskd or JavaMonitor.
This is an example of a direct connect URL:
http://localhost:2001/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyApp.woa
Connect through the web server to a deployed application. The browser communicates with the web server typically using port 80. The web server passes requests to the WebObjects HTTP adaptor, which passes it to the application. The application sends responses to the adaptor, the adaptor sends them to the web server, and the web server sends them to the browser. Application resources are served by the web server. Therefore, this approach requires a split installation.
This is an example of a deployed URL:
http://host/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyApp.woa
Connect through the web server to a development application—an application that is running but not deployed. This approach is similar to accessing a deployed application except that load-balancing between instances does not occur. Use this approach to test an application through the web server without fully deploying it.
This is an example of a development URL:
http://host/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyApp.woa/-2001

Format of WebObjects URLs

The format of a WebObjects application URL depends on the type of URL connection.

The URL format for an application in direct connect mode is:

http:// host:port/ cgi-bin / WebObjects / App[.woa [/ key /  ...]]

The URL format for an application in deployment mode is:

http:// host / cgi-bin / WebObjects / App [.woa [/ instance [/ key /...]]]

The URL format for an application in development mode is:

http: // host / cgi-bin / WebObjects / App.woa / -port [/ key / ... ]

Table 7-1 describes the variables in these URL formats.

**Table 7-1** WebObjects application URL variables
Variable	Description
`host`	The host name of your computer or `localhost`.
`port`	The port number. If you are connecting directly to the application instance, include the port number.
`cgi-bin`	The `cgi-bin` directory of your server, usually `cgi-bin` or `Scripts`.
`WebObjects`	The name of the CGI adaptor, usually `WebObjects`.
`App`	The application name. The `WOApplicationBaseURL` property described in WebObjects Application Properties Reference specifies the path to the application.
`instance`	The application instance number.
`key`	The request handler key. This key specifies which WORequestHandler object should be used to process the request and is typically either `wo` (the component request handler) or `wa` (the direct action request handler).
...	Information specific to the request handler. Each WORequestHandler uses a different format for the rest of the URL. See Table 7-2 for component actions and Table 7-3 for direct actions.

The two main request handlers are WOComponentRequestHandler and WODirectActionRequestHandler for component action URLs. The rest of the format for component action URLs is:

componentName / sessionID / elementID

Table 7-2 describes the variables in a component action URL.

**Table 7-2** Component action URL variables
Variable	Description
`componentName`	Name of the WOComponent class.
`sessionID`	The session identifier.
`elementID`	The element identifier.

WODirectActionRequestHandler handles direct actions. The rest of the format for direct action URLs is:

[ actionClass | actionName | actionClass / actionName ][? key = value &amp; key = value .....]

Table 7-3 describes the variables in a direct action URL.

**Table 7-3** Direct action URL variables
Variable	Description
`actionClass`	The name of the WODirectAction class in which the action method is defined. If actionClass is not specified, class DirectAction is assumed.
`actionName`	The name of the action method. If `actionName` is not specified, the `defaultAction` method on `actionClass` is assumed.
`key`	The key portion of a key-value pair in the URL query string
`value`	The value portion of a key-value pair in the URL query string.

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