ScriptWorx Overview

In order to install a php script with traditional web hosts, the website administrator has to go through a lengthy and sometimes daunting process to install the scripts on his server.

First, he or she has to (1) download the script to the server from the script provider’s website. If the website owner does not have ssh access or the download site is using php or cgi authentication for downloading, the package must first be downloaded to the website administrator’s personal computer and then uploaded via FTP or secure FTP to the web server. Because many of these download packages are sizable this can take quite a bit of time, especially for users with dial-up Internet.

Once the script is (2) uploaded to the appropriate directory on the server, the files must be (3) decompressed and moved into their proper positions in the website home directory or subdirectory. This is much harder if the website owner does not have ssh access or is unfamiliar with Lunux commands.

If the script is database driven, the website administrator must then (4)create a database and (5) database user and (6) assign the proper privileges on that database to the database user. Sometimes this can be done from a control panel of some kind, other times it must be done from the shell.

Then it’s time to actually (7) install the script. Some scripts provide a fancy installer where all you have to do is point your browser to www.mysite.com or www.mysite.com/install or whatever and answer a few simple questions. For many scripts, however you have to read sometimes complicated instructions and edit configuration files and (8) add the tables to the database by hand before your script will work. YUCK!

With ScriptWorx, all of that is automatic. The website owner (1) logs into SiteWorx, (2) goes to the ScriptWorx screen, and (3) clicks on the install button next to the script he or she wants to install. Then (4) fills in a few fields such as where they want the script installed in relation to the site root, first username and password and whatever else it asks and ScriptWorx AUTOMATICALLY moves the files to the right area, creates and propagates the database, and assigns the user edit access, and edits the files need. Finally, ScriptWorx provides a link to the location of the script installation. Voila!

The server administrator has complete control over what scripts -- if any -- are made available to the website administrators on the server and what users have access to ScriptWorx and which do not. For example, some clients with less expensive hosting packages can not have access and others with higher ones can. The server administrator can even charge extra to enable ScriptWorx if they choose. Or the server admin can decide not to allow anyone to install a particular script, but does allow access to others.

Shortly after a new version comes out, we (or in a few cases the script developers themselves) create a new ScriptWorx module and make it available on the donwload server. The server administrator can choose what scripts to upgrade and which ones to leave in their current state.

The server administrator also has “at a glance” access to who has installed what ScriptWorx scripts and where it has been installed.

Other competing control panels offer similar functionality, but only through modules or add-ons that cost the server administrator extra money. We are proud to offer this value added feature with every license.

• List of Available Scripts
  

One of the most exciting new features is that with a little bit of php programming the server administrator can add their own custom scripts. For some administrators this means giving their clients access to scripts that InterWorx hasn’t decided to add (yet), and for others it means being able to offer their own custom script auto installing for their hosting clients.

• Adding a Custom Script to ScriptWorx
  
• Testing and Debugging your Custom Script
  

Another exciting feature is that scripts are now available on demand! How this works: New and revised ScriptWorx packages are stored on our updates server. From time to time, we will decide to add a new script. Other times we will update an existing ScriptWorx package a few days after the script vendor releases a new version.

Every day ScriptWorx checks for updated scripts and notifies the administrator via NodeWorx that they are available for download if they so choose. Then as they are made available, the server admin can set to auto download or manually download the scripts/revisions at their leisure so there is no need to wait for an InterWorx upgrade to gain access to the newest version of a particular script. It is always 100% up to the server admin which scripts or revisions he/she wants to offer.