MATLAB: How to configure MATLAB Builder NE 4.0 (R2011a) Webfigures on 64-bit IIS 7.5 with .NET 4.0

404.2500.23MATLAB Builder NE

I want to use Webfigures in my ASP.NET Web Application which is using .NET Framework 4.0. Further, I want to deploy this Web Application on a 64-bit IIS 7.5 server.

As I am working with a 64-bit project I cannot easily use the WebFigureControl from the Toolbox in Visual Studio. Also using .NET Framework 4.0 appears to pose some (security) restrictions. Which exact steps do I need to take to manually get Webfigures running on my server?

Best Answer

The general steps for manually installing the WebFigureService on 64-bit servers are given in the "Deploying a MATLAB Figure Over the Web Using WebFigures" -> "Advanced Configuration of a WebFigure" section in the MATLAB Builder NE documentation. A short summary is also given here:

1. Copy WebFiguresService.dll to your Web Application's "bin" directory.

2. Add the following to your Web Application's 'Web.config system.web' section:

<httpHandlers>
  <add  path="__WebFigures.ashx"
        verb="GET"
        type="MathWorks.MATLAB.NET.WebFigures.Service.Handlers.Factories.Http.WebFigureHttpHandlerFactory"
        validate="false" />
</httpHandlers>

When working with .NET Framework 4.0 on IIS 7.5 there are two more configuration settings which you need to take into account, in IIS Manager:

1. Under the server wide "ISAPI and CGI Restrictions" settings you need to enable "Allow extension path to execute" for the ASP.NET v4.0.XXXX version which you are using.

2. The Application Pool which is used by your Web Application should use "Managed pipeline mode" = "Classic". This means that if your server already has an "ASP.NET v4.0 Classic" Pool, you could assign your Application to this. Or if you want to create your own Pool, make sure you set "Managed pipeline mode" correctly to "Classic".

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Render WebFigure in Microsoft Visual Studio on Windows 64-bit System

Please follow the steps below to render "webfigure" control when using Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 or 2015 to create a website. The example here uses MATLAB R2013b(64-bit). If you use a different release, the WebFigureService version and PublicKeyToken in Default.aspx and web.config would be different but they are auto retrieved so you do not need to do anything.

Following would be the final output of following the steps mentioned in this document:

Please follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Start Visual Studio File -> New -> Web Site.

2. Select ASP.NET Web Forms Site

3. Set .NET Framework to .NET Framework 4 and click next to create project for the web site.

4. Select both the check boxes in Debug -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> Web Projects. See screenshot "web projects" attached below.

5. Change "Configuration properties" of solution. Select your solution in Solution Explorer. Set Project -> Properties -> Configuration Properties ->Platform to "Any CPU"

6. Add WebFiguresService.dll as a reference to your project from _matlabroot_\toolbox\dotnetbuilder\bin\_arch_\v4.0\WebFiguresService.dll

7. Tools -> Chose Toolbox items and select WebFiguresService.dll. Follow the steps in the link below:

http://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler_sdk/dotnet/install-webfigurecontrol-into-.html

8. Open Default.aspx in Designer view by right clicking this file in Solution Explorer. Drag and drop web figures control in your Default.aspx page.

9. Add following code to your "Web.config" file before <system.web> tag

<appSettings>
    <add key="PageInspector:ServerCodeMappingSupport" value="Disabled"/>
</appSettings>
<system.webServer>
    <validation validateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false"/>
    <handlers>
      <add name="webfigure" path="__WebFigures.ashx" verb="GET" type="MathWorks.MATLAB.NET.WebFigures.Service.Handlers.Factories.Http.WebFigureHttpHandlerFactory"/>
    </handlers>
</system.webServer>

10. Add the following code before closing tag for "assemblies" that is </assemblies>:

<remove assembly="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Loader, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>

11. Run the solution.

MATLAB: Do I get an ‘incorrect format’ error when trying to reference MWArray from MATLAB Builder NE 4.0 (R2011a)

The 'incorrect format' error usually means that some 64-bit process is trying to call a 32-bit process, or vice versa.

Unlike normal programs, web applications run on a host server. The 'incorrect format' error can be given if the host server architecture does not match the web application (or any of its dependencies) architecture. In this case, the default Microsoft Visual Studio web development server is available only in 32-bit. In order to develop 64-bit web applications, another server must be used.

A good server is Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) server, available on all Windows systems. IIS is usually disabled by default. Follow the steps below to activate it and configure it in the Microsoft Visual Studio environment (instructions based on Windows 7):

1. To enable IIS, go to Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows Features On or Off. This will start the Windows Features manager window. Selections should look like below:

Hit OK. A restart may be required.

2. Open the IIS Manager by going through Start > type 'Internet Information Services' in the search field > select IIS Manager. You should see the IIS Manager window, with the system name and server tree on the left hand side.

3. Setup the appropriate application pool (group of sites or web applications that are served by one or more worker processes). Right click on Applicatoin Pools > Add Application Pool. You should see the window below.

Give a name for the pool, select the target .NET framework version, then hit OK. Pipeline mode should be classic if Web Figures are used.

4. Set the architecture of the application pool. Select the application pool > click Advanced Settings... on the right side.

'Enable 32-Bit Applications' should be 'False' to run 64-bit applications.

5. Setup your web application in the IIS Manager. Select Sites > Right click on Default Web Site > Add Application. This should open the window below:

In the 'Alias' field, enter the name of the site. Select the 64-bit application pool you just created in the 'Application pool' field. Add the physical path of the web site into the 'Physical path' field (the folder where the web application project lives). Hit OK.

6. Confirm the site settings. Select the site > click on Advanced Settings... on the right hand pane. You should see the window below.

'Virtual Path' is the URL of the site relative to the host. In this case, it would be:

"http://localhost/WebApplication3"

7. Configure Visual Studio to use the IIS server. In Visual Studio, open the project properties > Web > Servers > select 'Use Local IIS Web server'.

In the 'Project Url' field, enter the virtual path of the web site previously set up in the IIS manager.

This should complete the process to allow Visual Studio to develop 64-bit web applications and reference 64-bit assemblies, such as MWArray from 64-bit MATLAB.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MATLAB: Render WebFigure in Microsoft Visual Studio on Windows 64-bit System

MATLAB: Do I get an ‘incorrect format’ error when trying to reference MWArray from MATLAB Builder NE 4.0 (R2011a)

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