Try the June CTP of Windows Azure AppFabric Service Bus REST API from Java, PHP

Good news for all the PHP and Java developers out there: today we are publishing some Windows Azure AppFabric Service Bus samples just for you.

Since the AppFabric Service Bus REST API can be used from almost all programming languages and operating systems, it makes it very easy for applications written on any platform to interoperate with each another through Windows Azure.

To illustrate the point, we took the chat application that is already available as part of the Silverlight samples and made sample clients in PHP and Java that can all work seamlessly together.

You can download the new PHP and Java samples, as well as all others for all other supported environments, from CodePlex.

The Java application is implemented as a stand-alone client application and these are the steps you need to follow to build it:

1. Edit the src\config\appfabric.properties file and add your Service Namespace, Issuer Name and Issuer Secret Key (obtained here).
2. Compile the source using Apache Ant: navigate to the application directory in a command prompt and run “ant”.
3. Once the build is complete, cd to the new “dist” directory and run the jar file: “java –jar AppFabricChat.jar”.

To use the PHP app, you need to:

1. Add your Service Namespace, Issuer Name and Issuer Secret Key to application\configs\appfabric.ini (obtained here). 
2. Then point your webserver at the “public” directory and browse to the site.

To set up a new site in IIS:

1. Open “Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager”
2. Click “View Sites”, then “Add Web Site…”
3. Give the site a name such as AppFabricChat and point “Physical path” to the “public” directory of the PHP application.
4. Pick port and hostname information, and click OK.
5. Click the link under “Browse Web Site” to see the application.

Note: If PHP isn’t enabled on your web server, use WebPI to install it.

We would really like to get your feedback on these Java and PHP samples, so please feel free to ask questions and provide feedback on this at the Windows Azure AppFabric CTP Forum.

Thanks!

Alessandro Catorcini
Principal Group Program Manager
Interoperability Strategy Team