Windows 7 with program files

[clintonbrits]

I created my own software application when i had windows xp to manage my website. The localhost server was installed to c:\program files\apache\apache 2.2\htdocs. This software application edited htm documents in the htdocs folder and then using my browser, i viewd it locally.

I now upgraded to windows 7 home basic when i bought a new computer but windows 7 seems to be schizophrenic with my documents. The software application opens the file i want to edit and i can change it. If i exit and come in it loads the document with my changes but these changes do not show if i open the file in notepad or if i preview the webpage in my web browser.

Can anyone provide me with any assistance to why a single file location could have two versions of a file and where i can find the one my application is using.

Thanks in advance
Clinton Brits

 

[Casca]

Windows 32 bit or 64 bit?

If 32 bit, one set of rules/tests applies. If 64 bit, maybe it is looking in the wrong path.

 

[clintonbrits]

I installed the 32 bit but it is looking in the correct path because if you delete the file and then ask it to open it, it gives an error that the file can no longer be found. If you ask the program to delete the file then it disappears from program files, if you save to file again to replace it it brings back the file that used to be there instead of the new content.

 

[zzz2496]

Own the file/folder, and make sure you have enough privilege to access the said files... (I use apache too, never had any problems with it except PHP/MySQL driver hates Windows x64).

zzz2496

 

[Casca]

I installed the 32 bit but it is looking in the correct path because if you delete the file and then ask it to open it, it gives an error that the file can no longer be found. If you ask the program to delete the file then it disappears from program files, if you save to file again to replace it it brings back the file that used to be there instead of the new content.

An issue quite similar to this was addressed in this forum last year, prior to my membership. I don't know how to search very well, but I do remember it. It is memorable to me because several advanced users thought the OP was nutsorworse.

 

[ccatlett1984]

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but after you make a change to the file are you restarting the local web server?

 

[zzz2496]

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but after you make a change to the file are you restarting the local web server?

ccat, I don't think you need to restart the web server if you only change the document... At least I don't, and I always edit on-the-fly...

zzz2496

 

[ccatlett1984]

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but after you make a change to the file are you restarting the local web server?

ccat, I don't think you need to restart the web server if you only change the document... At least I don't, and I always edit on-the-fly...

zzz2496

Some of the "consolidated solutions" i've seen lately actually cache the documents, so edits dont appear on the fly.

 

[zzz2496]

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but after you make a change to the file are you restarting the local web server?

ccat, I don't think you need to restart the web server if you only change the document... At least I don't, and I always edit on-the-fly...

zzz2496

Some of the "consolidated solutions" i've seen lately actually cache the documents, so edits dont appear on the fly.

Ahh... I see, well - I assume it's a standard apache installation, so it won't have any caching I think...

zzz2496

 

[clintonbrits]

I've tried taking ownership of the folder using the take ownership menu option after downloading the software but still no luck. I'm almost at a solution but look at this.

1. Edit document and save then it saves the changes which can only be seen in my program and does not show if you open the file in the apache folder using notepad or a web browser. The interesting thing here is that eventhough the change cannot be seen, the html file in the htdocs folder changes size so it must contain the changes.

2. If you cut the file from the htdocs folder to the desktop and then open it then it shows the changes but if you cut and paste it back to the htdocs folder then it returns to the previous state before changes were made eventhough the size doesn't change.

3. The only files which seem to be affected are the ones i copied into the htdocs folder from a backup disk and this doesn't happen if the program has created a new file. If you save the document to test.htm then
it works exactly as it should and as you would expect it to.

Strange yet true.

Thanks for the input

 

[clintonbrits]

Solved it

After much frustration i found that my program was in fact saving to the real program files folder hence the change in file size and since my application was run as administrator it had enough permissions to read and write to the real folder. When i tried to go to the htdocs folder and open the file using notepad, i get the old content. The reason was that the files were copied into the htdocs folder and i did not have enough permissions to edit or open them. Since i had no permissions, it saves a copy of the file before the changes and copies it to a folder c:\users\clinton\appdata\virtualstore\program files\apache\apache2.2\htdocs. The difference in versions is that my app saves to the real program files folder but apache and notepad open the one in virtual store.

I must say that this is the most confusing thing i've ever seen and there is nothing about this in the help.

Thanks for the inputs.

 

[zzz2496]

Ahh, I see why you got problems... I don't store my "website" in htdocs, I use another folder for that, on another volume, that's why I don't get that problem... You can edit Apache's config and move your website out of "htdocs"...


zzz2496

 

[clintonbrits]

Update:solved it

Yeah, it all makes sense now. I solved the problem initially by doing this but i kept working at the program files for the sake of understanding and future programming methods. An easy solution to using the htdocs folder is to just run your web editor exe and the httpd.exe as administrator in the compatability window.

I misunderstood the permissions as meaning that if i had administrator status with the proper permissions then this is automatically given to the software i run as well when really it just applies to what i do directly and each software application must be given special permissions.

It's a lot different from xp, i'll say that much.