Re: EXT: Looking for documention on deploying roundup with mod_wsgi

John,

Answers below.

By the way, I found the instructions for using mod_wsgi-express on the mod_wsgi pypi page (https://pypi.org/project/mod-wsgi/) pretty straight forward.  In fact, the Getting Started section of the full mod_wsgi documentation on readthedocs says, "For a simpler way of running a Python WSGI application using mod_wsgi, also checkout mod_wsgi-express, details of which can currently be found at: [the pypi page]"   You might be able to save having to explain a lot of details by reference that page.

Thanks for your work on this.  I've been enjoying working with Roundup.

Garth

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
> Sent: Monday, October 7, 2019 7:48 PM
> To: Jensen, Garth (SolarDevelopment Non-GE) <[email protected]>
> Cc: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: EXT: [Roundup-users] Looking for documention on deploying
> roundup with mod_wsgi
> 
> Hi Garth:
> 
> In message
> <[email protected]
> 101.PROD.O
> UTLOOK.COM>,
> 
> >I'm attaching Markdown notes I made while successfully deploying my
> >first Roundup tracker via mod_wsgi last week.
> 
> I have converted them to reST (let's hear it for pandoc) and shifted them so
> they will drop into the existing installation doc.
> 
> I am doing some light editing right now.
> 
> >I did it on an Azure VM running Ubuntu.  My notes may be overly
> >specific and long -- maybe someone can simplify them for the docs and
> >put the full version in the wiki.
> 
> We are in the middle moving the wiki, I am not sure if either the new or old
> instance is open for new page creation.
> 
> I assume the web interface tested out ok. Have you tried the rest interface
> under wsgi? We had a report that it had issues under wsgi. See:
> https://issues.roundup-tracker.org/issue2551047.

The web interface is working great.  I had no idea there was a REST API for roundup.  I can't find any mention of it in the Docs.  If you can direct me to some info about it, I can give a try testing it.

> 
> Also Thomas mentioned that you can install mod_wsgi using:
> 
>   sudo apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-wsgi
> 
> You document using the pip method. Is there some reason you went the pip
> route rather then the packaged mod_wsgi? Was use of mod_wsgi-express to
> make an apache config part of your decision?

I did find the option to ` sudo apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-wsgi`, but I was worried it might not give me mod_wsgi-express and I believe I ran across warnings that some precompiled mod_wsgi packages were very out of date.  I have no idea if either of those fears were justified, but pip seemed super easy and guaranteed to work.  I'm a total Apache neophyte and liked the idea of not having to climb up the Apache configuration learning curve.

> 
> Also are you using release 1.6.1 or the current development head?

The stable 1.6.1 release.

> 
> Also in your docs you say:
> 
>     you'll need to configure a UNIX group with appropriate privileges
>     as described elsewhere in the Roundup docs.
> 
> do you mean the UNIX Environment Steps section of installation.txt?

Yes, exactly.

> 
> Also did you configure systemctl to start the server at port 80, or do you have
> to login to run sudo /etc/mod_wsgi-express-80/apachectl
> start?

Not sure I understand the question.  I believe the command " mod_wsgi-express setup-server wsgi.py --port=80 --user www-data --group www-data --server-root=/etc/mod_wsgi-express-80" creates the directory at /etc/mod/_wsgi-express-80 with all the required configuration files in it.  I didn't have to do any other configuration.

> 
> >One thing to note is that the WSGI Handler section of the current
> >Roundup docs is not only cryptic but wrong -- it should be rewritten or
> >removed.
> 
> I have changed the wsgi code in that section. We have had reports that it
> wasn't correct. I replaced it with the one Thomas sent a little after your mail.
> 
> In that section, I am not sure how to interpret:
> 
>   To test the above you should create a demo tracker with
>   ``python demo.py``. Edit the ``config.ini`` to change the web
>   URL to "http://localhost:8917/".
> 
> Was that something else you considered misleading?

Yes.  Creating a tracker with "python demo.py" made no sense to me.  Also the code sample provided may have worked in a specific scenario with an older mod_wsgi, but the comments I found elsewhere pointed out:
(1) tracker_home should be an absolute path 
(2) mod_wsgi looks for the name "application" not "app"
(3) the last two lines shouldn't be needed.

> 
> I hope to have the wsgi section expanded to use gunicorn or uwsgi execution
> environments, but I am having issues with those (see the rest issue above).
> 
> Have a great day.
> 
> --
> 				-- rouilj
> John Rouillard
> ================================================================
> ===========
> My employers don't acknowledge my existence much less my opinions.