Re: Lilypond Server

[Szabó Árpád Zoltán]

Ciao Giancarlo,

The php solution you are speaking about is the very same idea I was speaking
about. It can be used to process not just short snippets (transmitted as
form-data), but whole bunch of ly files (maybe even zipped), and this is
where the HTTP upload method comes in the picture.

It's main advantage against the email based service is the fast response
(depending on server's bandwidth and computing power - this latter one is
one of the point where socket connections can be very useful: to outsourcing
the tasks) , which is crucial: imagine the situation when you try to process
a file with syntax errors. You wait while the response email arrives, and it
contains lots of error messages. this can cause disappointment.

Of course, the email method can be fast as well. So it can be a feasible
solution, or it can be provided alternatively.

Only the fact that it is based on email, won't solve the security issue
related by the usage of Scheme.

--
Árpád
(who doesn't count himself in the lilypond developers - at least yet)


----- Original Message -----
From: "Giancarlo Niccolai" <address@hidden>
To: <address@hidden>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 12:57 AM
Subject: Re: Lilypond Server


Alle 08:26, domenica 13 marzo 2005, Szabó Árpád Zoltán ha scritto:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joshua KooOOoOOo" <address@hidden>
>
> > Possibles of disadvantages of HTTP upload method I think of is 1) Slower
>

Hello. Plz forgive me for jumping in, but I have noticed a strange attitude
of
the lilipond developers in being able to turn easy things into complicated
ones.

Installing lilipond from scratch is hard. Installing it on a non-updated
linux
system is harder. Installing the bleeding edge lilipond requires a Wizard
(having a lot of time to spend at that). Installing the bleeding edge
lilypond on windows is a nightmare, and a Warlock may not be enough.

With this in mind, I sense it is quite essential for lilipond to survive and
grow to provide this service.

I have seen a similar thing implemented for LUTE tabulature (don't have the
reference handy; search lute tabulature email service). Actually, they have
provided a mail service: you send the source lute tabulature file (which
are,
btw, a little less fuzzy in grammar than ly) as an attachment via e-mail to
a
bot. Then, it makes the .PDF (or .PS on request via some e-mail body
command), and it sends it back to you via e-mail.

This method has the advantage to allow very sparse CPU power at server side,
and zero on-line responsiveness. Actually, all the process (from input to
the
final rendered service) is done batch, by a bot that can be configured with
a
few perl (or even bash) commands, using the preferred account.

Also, IMHO the on-line PHP method may go, but it would require bandwitch,
CPU
and higher security constranits... and after all, it would be probably less
useful to final users, unless they need ly to get a 3 bar test score. But
for
a serious composition (i.e. 8 page orchestration at least), you are probably
better trying to offer the service via mail.

HOWEVER, doing that via HTTP would be quite cool, if the requirements are
met.
I heard someone talking about java enabled browsers (?), and socket servers
(??) but I don't think anything like that is needed. A single PHP script can
get the upload, have it parsed by lilypond, remove the temporary files and
send the result as a application/x-pdf or anything MIME reply, having the
user to save it for later view or to display it in its integrated PDF viewer
(windows, konqueror, mozilla, you name it).

Bests,
Giancarlo Niccolai.


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