Being new to the blog-o-verse, I am learning the tools of the trade.

I spent the better part of today fumbling with a combination of BlogJet, Community Server, MetaBlog API’s, Windows 2003 NTFS Permissions, IIS Configurations, and finally, ISA 2004. Why????

Well, I purchased BlogJet on the advice of two co-workers of mine (Kevin and Keith) as a means of managing my blogs posts more easily. Installing it was easy enough, but configuring it to work with Community Server 1.1 was another matter. First you have to download the MetaBlog API 1.1 which is not easy to find. Then you can actually choose the MetaBlog API in the BlogJet config or the .Text if you have FTP access to your blog directory. Once I was able to connect with the MetaBlog API, I decided I wanted to be able to use FTP to upload pictures via BlogJet. So I started fumbling with the FTP side of things…..

Let me go tangent for a moment….

If you read back to my first blog post, you will note I mentioned being freakish about control of my machines. I want to control every aspect myself that I can. I run my own firewall servers, DNS servers, web servers, the whole thing. Which means when configuring something new I am used to bouncing around to different machines, changing settings to accomodate access, blah, blah, blah….. What it comes down to is this – by demanding the control I am also forced into knowing or learning what has to be configured and how. I like it that way. It keeps me on my toes.

But sometimes things fall out of my head now and then……(grew up in the 70’s)

Back on track now……I set up my FTP server with a new virtual directory pointing to a newly created folder on the blog site for storing pictures that will be uploaded. I then proceeded to grant myself appropriate NTFS permissions to the directory and limit everyone else. I then verified the FTP site was set to WRITE access. Dropped to a command prompt, opened up the FTP site and….voila!….I can READ the site. Decided to test in IE 6.0 as well and I am all good.

Fire up BlogJet and configure a new account for .TEXT posting and hit a wall right here…..

BlogJet_small

Just so ya know…..I don’t get past this screen for another 3 hours…….

When clicking “Test this configuration” I recieved a pretty standard Access Denied message. Problem is – I shouldn’t be! I spend the next 2 hours or so poking around in IIS, NTFS permissions, searching the web, cruising the knowledge base, and of course, getting sidetracked by a variety of interesting articles or newsbytes I run into in my search for an answer. I make a few changes here and there but the result is always the same – Access Denied.

I went so far as to whip out Network Monitor to see what was up…..and this is where I started to catch on. Ya see……I tested logging into the FTP site at the command prompt and thru IE, but I never tested uploading a file which is exactly what happens when you click the “Test this Configuration” link in BlogJet. The BlogJet app attempts to drop a “test.gif” file in the assigned directory and then attempts to retrieve it. I saw this happening in NetMon and also saw it was giving up an access denied. I repeated the test at the CMD prompt and within IE with the same results.

This is when I remembered a very inconspicuous setting in ISA 2004.

I am publishing my FTP site from behind ISA. ISA uses a built in FTP Filter to manage the additional control channels used by FTP client apps to send/recieve files after the initial connection is made. By default, this FTP Filter has a setting of READ ONLY for file uploads. Until this is unchecked, nothing gets uploaded – doesn’t matter how correct all the rest of your settings are…..

I think you can put two and two together now…….So…….this is my first post using BlogJet to edit and upload a picture……

Cheers!

I am clicking “Post and Publish"…..now!