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Extending the WHS remote access website RRS feed

  • Question

  • I'd like to see some way for hobbyists and 3rd party developers to extend the WHS Remote Access website, so that they can add more tabs for various things.

    For instance, suppose I have a tool for home automation running on my WHS. I could create a web interface for that tool, so that I can turn on the lights or the heating even when away from home. Naturally, I don't want just anybody to be able to turn my lights on and off over the internet, so this should be password protected. Rather than create a whole new username/password store, I'd rather use the ones that WHS already uses, and perhaps even have my home automation web interface appear as part of the WHS remote access website.

    It could be so that when you navigate to http://<your public IP>, and log in to the WHS remote access website, a custom-made 'home automation' tab could appear next to the 'home', 'computers', and 'shared folders' tabs, and then have the home automation interface appear in the tab.

    Will there be any documentation on how to do this? It could be just a matter of adding a tab (via an xml file?) and having it link to some custom .aspx file.

    Tuesday, March 20, 2007 9:30 PM

Answers

  • The remote access web site is an ASP.Net application. If the source code for the app is included with the SDK that Microsoft has said they will be releasing, then yes, it absolutely will be possible for third parties to implement their own add-ins.

    As for home automation, that's been mentioned in various interviews (web and video) with WHS team members as a possible add-on for WHS. Developing a web interface would be something for the ISV to do.
    Wednesday, March 21, 2007 3:21 AM
    Moderator

All replies

  • The remote access web site is an ASP.Net application. If the source code for the app is included with the SDK that Microsoft has said they will be releasing, then yes, it absolutely will be possible for third parties to implement their own add-ins.

    As for home automation, that's been mentioned in various interviews (web and video) with WHS team members as a possible add-on for WHS. Developing a web interface would be something for the ISV to do.
    Wednesday, March 21, 2007 3:21 AM
    Moderator
  • Interesting, I was not aware that they are releasing an SDK.

    I'm aware that Home Automation was mentioned several times as a 3rd party extension, that's why I used it as an example. It would be great if hobbyists themselves could somehow extend the website to accomodate their own, custom home automation webapplication. I guess with the SDK that's absolutely possible.

    Wednesday, March 21, 2007 8:11 AM
  • An SDK would be essential for anyone to create an add-on application for WHS that's integrated with the provided tools.
    Wednesday, March 21, 2007 11:38 PM
    Moderator