VS2005 Debugging Error on Local Machine

[keats76]

Anyone encounter this exception before?

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]
CommerceBuilder.Services.AbleCommerceHttpModule.Init(HttpApplication context) +108
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitModulesCommon() +95
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitModules() +72
System.Web.HttpApplication.InitInternal(HttpContext context, HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers) +706
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetNormalApplicationInstance(HttpContext context) +301
System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetApplicationInstance(HttpContext context) +131
System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestInternal(HttpWorkerRequest wr) +353

I copied the instance from my development/staging server to my local PC for development. The first time I tried to fire up the debugger, I ran into the encryption issue with the database string (so I replaced the encrypted connection string with the plain text version). I passed that hurdle, but now I'm receiving the above. Any thoughts?

Thanks!
Mike

[keats76]

Hmmm ... OK, I guess I might not be able to run two instances against the same DB. I thought I could just do a quick code migration to my VS2K5 environment, point it to the same DB that my Dev server is running against and start debugging.

Honestly, I don't need to use the same DB. Would it be possible to point to the bundled DB with AC7 and kick start the debugger, or do I somehow have to run the install wizard on my local development machine?

Thanks!
Mike

[AbleMods]

You're not going to be able to use a live DB instance in a local development environment unless you're hosting SSL locally.

The admin side forces SSL connectivity and that switch is stored in the DB. Turning it off for local would turn it off for live as well. Only way around it would be to have an SSL cert installed in your local IIS server instance.

You can run a local copy and a live copy each with their own separate DB instances, that's how I do it. But you have to have separate license keys from Able. The CommerceBuilder engine forces the hostname in the license key upon connection by the browser.

[bobr2k]

Do you have a license for your local machine? I believe that's a requirement.

[keats76]

Thanks for the replies. I sent a note to AC about requesting a license for my local machine. I thought I saw an earlier post where AC said that they would always allow an instance to run on the localhost without the need for a key, but I could be wrong.

Thnx, Mike

[keats76]

OK, I decided that the easiest thing for me to do was to port my VS installation to my dev/staging server and do my development there. I'm able to point VS to the AC7 instance (Open Website -> IIS -> AC7) and I'm able to start the debugger.

However, when I try to access the homepage I get an "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" error. Does this have something to do with the debugging domain/port?

Thanks,
Mike

[AbleMods]

No idea, thought the debugging port was the same just in a different instance of IE - perhaps I'm mistaken though.

You really want to program/debug on the live copy of your install?

[keats76]

Not really, but it takes weeks for my product requisition orders to go through ... in other words, if I want a new license, I have to wait a while. As luck would have it, my deadline won't wait .

This is more of a stopgap, until I can get another license. Oh well, I'll play with it some more on Monday.

Thanks!

[bobr2k]

if I want a new license

Maybe I'm misunderstanding ... Ablecommerce provides a license for local and server - one purchase covers both licenses. We had a problem on one site and they provided a replacement license in a few hours. Have you seen this: http://www.ablecommerce.com/crmTree.aspx?&TopicId=430