Installation and Configuration Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elaine Quintino da Silva

 

elaine@icmc.usp.br

 

 

 

Dilvan de Abreu Moreira

 

dilvan@icmc.usp.br

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Institute of Mathematics and Computing - ICMC

University of São Paulo - USP

 

The WebCoM software is concerned as a Java Enterprise Application that can be executed in all JavaTM 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE).

 

In essence, J2EE simplifies enterprise applications by basing them on standardized, modular components, by providing a complete set of services to those components. Information about the J2EE can be found in http://java.sun.com/j2ee/overview.html.

 

This document describe how to install de WebCoM software using two configurations: 1) Using Apache Web Server, Tomcat Server and JDK (Sun) and 2) Using Jetty or Tomcat Web Servers.

 

WebCoM uses MySQL database management system for store the course information.

 

Follow the instructions to install the course management tools of the WebCoM. Contact elaine@icmc.sc.usp.br for questions about the software.

 

1) Using Apache Web Server 1.3.19, Tomcat 3.2.3 (Servlet 2.2/ JSP 1.1) and JDK version 1.3.1.

 

1.        Install the JDK 1.3 or higher. The download and instructions of the JDK can be found in http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/install.html.

 

2.        Install the web server Apache. The installation and configuration documents can be found in http://httpd.apache.org/docs/. Different versions of the Apache software can be downloaded from http://www.apache.org or http://rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2html/search.php?query=apache. Set the web server for starting after reboot.

 

3.        Install a Servlet container. We suggest Tomcat Server 3.2.3 or higher (http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-3.2-doc/index.html).

 

4.        Do the Tomcat-Apache integration following the document in http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-3.2-doc/tomcat-apache-howto.html. Verify if it is working.

 

5.        Install the MySQL database management system. Set the MySQL daemon for starting after reboot. Information about the MySQL is in http://www.mysql.org.

 

6.        Copy the manager_files directory (which is into the bin directory of the distribution) into a directory in your computer (i.e.: /home/tomcat/webapps or c:\home\tomcat\webapps).

 

       P.S.: If you are installing the WebCoM in Linux, change the Web-inf directory (which is into manager_files directory) for capital letter such WEB-INF.

 

7.        Create a database for the WebCoM, executing the command in prompt:

 

   mysqladmin create webcomGeneral

 

       The webcomGeneral database stores information about the WebCoM courses and users. Change to the directory manager_files in your computer. There is a file called webcomGeneral.dump that defines the WebCoM general database. Execute the command:

 

   mysql webcomGeneral < webcomGeneral.dump

 

8.        Edit the server.xml file which is in the conf directory of the Tomcat. Search for context settings with the mark “<!---Special webapps--->” and add the lines below:

 

To linux (i.e.: /home/tomcat/conf/server.xml):

 

<Context path="/manager_files"

docBase="/home/tomcat/webapps/manager_files"

crossContext="false"

debug="0"

reloadable="true" >

</Context>

 

       To Windows (i.e.: c:\home\tomcat\conf\server.xml):

 

<Context path="/manager_files"

docBase="C:\home\tomcat\webapps\manager_files"

crossContext="false"

debug="0"

reloadable="true" >

</Context>

 

        Remenber to change the docBase parameter for the manager_files directory path in your computer.

 

9.        Edit the server.properties file which is into the WEB-INF/classes/ into the manager_files directory. Set the values for your system.

 

 

# name of the database defined in the instruction 7.

DATABASE_GENERAL=webcomGeneral

 

# name of the host where is emails manager.

HOST_NAME=host.usp.br

 

# mail of the user whose name will be used by WebCoM to send/receive messages.

EMAIL=email@host.usp.br

 

# URL for accessing MySQL. Do not change it.

SQL_URL=jdbc:mysql://localhost/

 

# JDBC driver. Do not change it.

SQL_DRIVER=org.gjt.mm.mysql.Driver

 

# Password of the user defined in EMAIL

PASSWD_EMAIL=thepassword

 

# Delay (minutes) for execute the FTPMail daemon. The daemon search for messages in inbox of the user defined in EMAIL.

#Use 0 (zero) to avoid the FTPMail.

FTPMAIL_INTERVAL=30

 

10.    ATTENTION: The server machine must have X server running. This is required because of a bug with AWT classes. Also is required that you set (in a script of initialization – we suggest the tomcat script) the following:  export display=:0

 

11.    The WebCoM can be executed both as applet and web application (Java Web Start). For applet, you have to use a browse with virtual machine 1.3 (Sun) or higher to access the WebCoM tools. Information about virtual machines for Java is in http://java.sun.com.products/j2se. For web application, you have to install the Java Web Start both in the server and clients computers. The documents about the Java Web Start application can be found in http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart.

 

12.    Reboot the computer.

 

13.    Use a browser to access http://host/manager_files/webcom.html. The host name is defined in the web server configuration (instruction 2). If you don’t have the virtual machine 1.3 (Sun) or higher, you won’t be able to execute the applet.

 

 

1) Using Jetty or Tomcat Web Servers

 

1.      Install Jetty or Tomcat Web Server. Jetty can be found at (http://jetty.mortbay.org/jetty/) and Tomcat 4 or higher can be found at (http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/).

 

2.      Copy the manager_files directory (which is into the bin directory of the distribution) into the directory /…/Jetty_Tomcat_directory/webapps or c:\…\Jetty_Tomcat_directory\webapps).

 

       P.S.: If you are installing the WebCoM in Linux, change the Web-inf directory (which is into manager_files directory) for capital letter such WEB-INF.

 

3.      Create a database for the WebCoM, as explained in step 7 above.

 

4.   Edit the server.properties as explained in step 8 above.

 

5.      ATTENTION: The server machine must have X server running. This is required because of a bug with AWT classes. Also is required that you set (in a script of initialization – we suggest the tomcat script) the following:  export display=:0.

 

6.      Start Jetty or Tomcat server

 

7.      Use a browser to access http://host/manager_files/webcom.html. The host name is defined in the web server configuration (instruction 2). If you don’t have the virtual machine 1.3 (Sun) or higher, you won’t be able to execute the applet.

 

 

Follow the instructions in the webcom.html page and create a new management area for your course. WebCoM manual is into docs directory.