Path mapping overview

When you integrate Crystal Enterprise with your existing web environment, mapping occurs at several levels:

• First, the virtual directory on the web server is mapped to the Crystal Enterprise "web content" directory on the web server machine. This mapping ensures that the web server can locate all of the HTML and image files required by any Crystal Enterprise request.

  For details, see Web server virtual directory mappings.

• Second, Crystal Enterprise file types are mapped to the Web Connector, so the web server knows that those files require additional server-side processing. This application mapping ensures that the web server handles the relevant Crystal Enterprise file types differently to HTML and image files.

  For details, see Web server application mappings.

• Third, a virtual path mapping is made in the Web Connector. This mapping ensures that the Web Component Server (WCS) is able to locate its own local copies of all relevant Crystal Enterprise files.

  Note:    On Windows, this third mapping is typically required only when the Web Connector and the Web Component Server are installed on separate machines.

  For details, see Web Connector virtual path mappings.

These mappings are usually configured appropriately when you first set up Crystal Enterprise. The initial installation and configuration steps are provided in the Crystal Enterprise Installation Guide. This section provides additional details to help you customize, modify, or troubleshoot your installation.

Note:    If a firewall separates your web server from the WCS or from other Crystal Enterprise components, you will need to make additional changes to your configuration. For details, see Working with Firewalls.