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Just checking stuff when I got home today and I am getting a server down error for wifi.genetrysolar.com. Guessing regular maintenance but just figured I would toss a message up here when I noticed to see if others are having issue too.
Yeah. I'm pulling my hair out over the exasperating mess of web design stuff. I'm quite aware of the issue......
Believe it's back online now.
Thanks Man. All is well!
If you need some help with any of it can toss it over I can check it out and see if I can help. Maybe a git repository.
Well, we desperately need a fully redesigned website that fully integrates the entire Genetry Solar process (purchase, forums, and unit access) under one unified web server/setup/login/GUI. I'm kinda patching the current mess along until that happens.
To be technical...the cloud server ran out of space...and so I had to add more space. Then decided to clean the system up--and it deleted a key component of Mosquitto, which I then had to find, recopy and symlink...before things started working again.
On 2/15/2022 at 1:22 AM, Sid Genetry Solar said:Well, we desperately need a fully redesigned website that fully integrates the entire Genetry Solar process (purchase, forums, and unit access) under one unified web server/setup/login/GUI. I'm kinda patching the current mess along until that happens.
And which system would you foresee being the master of login information? All three are going to have independent tablesets. While this is doable, you'll notice its quite rare - even for websites of major companies, you'll have separate logins for separate areas - they then associate the different logins with a customer or license of some kind.
The simplest way to do it would be to destroy the 'create account' functions of the non-masters, and convert their account tables into drop-in compatible views. But that requires a lot of coincidental compatibility between things like password hashing, etc.
The other way is to use single-login systems like OAuth, but that still requires maintaining technically separate accounts. You could also go scorched earth and design everything from scratch using a single login system - by no means a practical solution.
Getting everything on one server is cake, comparatively, though. A simple approach to this would be be to rent a VM (VPS/VDS) for < 10$/mo, install opencart (buy a plugin for authorize.net, paypal or square for <100$) and phpbb, and whatever you're using for the inverter management stuff - then use nginx/php-fpm to connect it all under one domain. Still would have separate logins, though - that isn't a straight forward change.
And which system would you foresee being the master of login information? All three are going to have independent tablesets. While this is doable, you'll notice its quite rare - even for websites of major companies, you'll have separate logins for separate areas - they then associate the different logins with a customer or license of some kind.
I am quite aware of that. Yes, most "big websites" (Microchip, etc.) have what seem like 3 planets in one solar system--multiple logins (which I find more annoying than anything!) for different sections, etc., etc.
The problem is that at least the e-commerce AND inverter remote server need to be tied together--as the goal is that as soon as the inverter is purchased, the inverter ID is registered your account before shipment. Then you just need to click on that inverter ID to get the status page--from the MQTT remote server.
Dumping forums into the bucket is simply so there's one less login...and make a fully unified system. Hey, no reason we shouldn't settle for following the status quo--how about upending it altogether??
Well sounds like we got one answer. You want the eCommerce software to be the master - a good choice IMO.
Unfortunately, i'm unsure what you use for your inverter remote server. Is that a custom solution you wrote?
It should be fairly easy [with opencart] to add some custom order states and add a custom required field ('shipped' -> inverter id) in there that you can reference from the other system. Use session cookie data to retain authentication with the "remote server".
IMO, first step is to choose your software suites and install them on a VPS. Like it or not, custom code will be necessary, there's no getting around it that i can see.
FWIW, you'd probably save money switching to a free eCommerce suite. Square has pretty hefty fees. You can still use square for payments, but there are cheaper payment processors out there.
I will say that you guys intrigue me. You really like making the extra effort to do something "well." Not an attitude i'm used to seeing in the eCommerce industry.
Well sounds like we got one answer. You want the eCommerce software to be the master - a good choice IMO.
Doesn't REALLY matter which is the master auth source--though the "main website" likely would be the easiest choice for this.
Unfortunately, i'm unsure what you use for your inverter remote server. Is that a custom solution you wrote?
Basically yes. It's the Eclipse Mosquitto server, with a customized auth plugin to determine which user credentials are allowed to access which inverter topics ("ownership", etc.) This plugin could be easily edited to access a user database with inverter IDs tied to usernames, etc.
The "remote inverter access page" is on a separate webserver right now--but there is no reason that it couldn't be integrated into the main website as a subpage. The Mosquitto broker is embedded in the page (actually a client-side JS), only needing the authentication and access info from the main DB.
IMO, first step is to choose your software suites and install them on a VPS. Like it or not, custom code will be necessary, there's no getting around it that i can see.
Right, I fully understand--and expect custom coding requirements. That's why it's not very commonly done 😉.
FWIW, you'd probably save money switching to a free eCommerce suite. Square has pretty hefty fees. You can still use square for payments, but there are cheaper payment processors out there.
Yah, agreed. But it's better to keep spending money on a (rather useless) solution that works--rather than save money and end up with something that doesn't work at all. My web design skills are nil to nonexistent when it comes to being relevant today...