In order to verify that the installation of Apache and the Archive Portal was successful, you must start both software. Initially it is better to start the executables manually, and when everything works as expected, it will be better to switch to automatic execution via Windows Services.

In the following examples in the documentation, we will assume that Apache was installed under c:\Apache24\.

Starting the Apache server

Please open a command window and navigate to the directory where Apache was installed (c:\Apache24\). Enter the bin directory (cd bin) and run the command httpd.exe:

If no errors appear in the window, everything went well. You can stop the Apache server by pressing Ctrl-c twice in the command window.

Starting the Archive Portal server

Please use Windows File Explorer and navigate to the directory where Apache was installed (c:\Apache24). Please then open the cgi-bin and CTArchivePortal sub-folders. You should now be able to view the following 3 files:

Launch the Archive Portal server by double clicking on the CTServer.exe executable. A startup window should appear immediately:

Select Start CTServer as regular application then press OK. The Archive Portal Server window appears and after a few seconds, the messages displayed in the console should stop scrolling: 

The last message, in red, simply indicates that the administrator has not yet accepted the user license agreement. This is completely normal at this stage of the installation. Do not hesitate to browse the messages displayed in the console in search of errors (in red) or warnings (in yellow).

You can stop the Archive Portal server by selecting the Quit entry in the File menu. 

Communication between Apache server and Archive Portal

The Apache Web server (httpd.exe) and the Archive Portal server (CTServer.exe) communicate through the CTGate.exe executable using Windows IPCs. This executable is a cgi script that is attached to Apache. It therefore inherits execution rights from Apache:

We never launch CTGate.exe by hand because Apache starts it based on the connections it receives. In order for CTGate.exe and CTServer.exe to exchange data, Apache and CTServer must be launched with the same rights. If both executables are launched by hand, make sure that both are launched under the same conditions. If one of the two is launched in Administrator mode, the second must also be. Likewise, if one of the two executables is launched as a Windows Service, the second must also be. If the two executables do not have the same Windows privileges, Inter-Process communication will not work and you will have an empty portal or error messages in the CTServer console.

Launching Apache in Windows Service mode

Please open a command window in administrator mode, then navigate to the Apache installation directory (c:\Apache24). Enter the bin directory (cd bin) and run the command httpd.exe -k install:

You can check the presence of Apache in the Windows Services list:

The service launch properties must be adjusted if necessary:

In the Log On tab, you must check the box Allow the service to interact with the desktop:

You can then launch the service manually.

Launching Archive Portal in Windows Service mode

Please use Windows File Explorer and navigate to the directory where Apache was installed (c:\Apache24). Please then open the cgi-bin and CTArchivePortal sub-folders. Launch the Archive Portal server by double clicking on the CTServer.exe executable. A startup window should appear immediately, please select Install CTServer as a Windows service:

Confirm your choice by pressing OK. The window is updated and now the Start CTServer as a Windows service option becomes available:

Select Start CTServer as a Windows service and press OK. CTServer is now started as a Windows service.

In the properties of the Windows Service linked to CTServer:

You need to check two things:

• Apache and CTServer Services must use the same session identity (Local Account or other User Account) in order to communicate.
• The Allow service to interact with desktop option must be checked: