refering a file in placeholder

[G. Lundy]

Hi all,

I'm bulding a web app packaged in an ear archive.
This ear is targeted to be deployed on several platforms (jetty, tomcat, jonas & weblogic).

My web.xml refers to an applicationContext.xml file.
In this file, I register a PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer bean.
I want to put the property file (registered in the "locations" property of the bean above) outside the ear.
==> I will be able to customize my application depending on each platform settings (URLs of other servers, ....)

My problem is how to define in a generic way the location of my property file.
I found a solution for Application servers based on tomcat (ex : tomcat, jonas)
==>

 <bean class="org.springframework....PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
   <property name="locations">
     <value>file:${catalina.base}/conf/myappli/myAppli.properties</value>
   </property>

It works well. But other application servers (like jetty and weblo), the system property ${catalina.base} is not defined.

One solution could be making conditional initialisation in spring beans ?
For instance :

< < < if ${catalina.base} is defined  ==> use > > >  (Tomcat based servers)
 <bean class="org.springframework....PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
   <property name="locations">
     <value>file:${catalina.base}/conf/myappli/myAppli.properties</value>
   </property>
  </bean>
< < < else if ${DOMAIN_HOME} is defined  ==> use > > > (WEBLOGIC)
 <bean class="org.springframework....PropertyPlaceholderConfigurer">
   <property name="locations">
     <value>file:${DOMAIN_HOME}/.../conf/myappli/myAppli.properties</value>
   </property>
  </bean>
< < < end if > > >

Thanks for your help.

Regards
Guillaume Lundy

[denis.zhdanov]

You can define the properties file as a classpath resource (use classpath: prefix) and then just make sure necessary file remains at the target server classpath.

[G. Lundy]

I thought about this but I think putting config files in the classpath of a Application server is not a good practice.

With EARs, remaining Class path folders are lib.ext folders. IMO, lib.ext folders are not targeted to host config files

Guillaume

[denis.zhdanov]

Why do you say that 'I think putting config files in the classpath of a Application server is not a good practice'? It's a normal practice, moreover, it allows you to use a very flexible mechanism of environment settings loading.

[G. Lundy]

Refering to
jonas.objectweb.org/JOnAS_4_7/doc/PG_J2eeApps.html,

Application servers classloaders hierarchies are complex and several levels are identified
Example for jonas/tomcat but it is the same for JBOSS, Weblo, ...

- CATALINA_HOME ( = JONAS_ROOT) are classpaths reserved for the AS binaries
(ex : JONAS_ROOT/lib/catalina/common/lib, CATALINA_HOME/common/lib )
A good practice is to avoid putting application files here

- CATALINA_BASE (= JONAS_BASE) is reseved for one instance of the server. In this one, you deploy your apps in /apps, /webapps, ... and config in /conf.
Sub folder of CATALINA_BASE added to the classpath are : CATALINA_HOME/server/lib and CATALINA_HOME/common/lib.
Their naming convention indicates that are targeted to host jar files instead of config files.
Unfortunatly, CATALINA_BASE/conf is not part of the classpath when you exectue run JONAS, TOMCAT....

Guillaume LUNDY

[denis.zhdanov]

I don't suggest to put the files to the one of ap-server specific directories. I suggest to put the files at the completely separated dedicated user-defined space and modify classpath of the AS JVM in order to include them.

[G. Lundy]

Hi, I found the solution..... which s very simple.
I looked at the jonas.sh script and I saw that the folder $JONAS_BASE/conf was sistematically added in the classpath.
So I add my property file in this folder and define it in spring like this:

<bean class="org.springframework....PropertyPlaceholderC onfigurer">
<property name="locations">
<value>classpath:/myappli/myAppli.properties</value>
</property>
</bean>

For other application servers, if a conf folder is not in the Classpath, I will add it by myself

Regards.