This is simple right? - so how come it is so hard?

[mnatz]

I am a little frustrated. I have some basic questions but I have some comments too. I'll make my comments, but first explain that if they sound sarcastic (as email often sounds) they are not, it's just my frustration. I offer the comments in the hope that someone there at Jboss will tap the guy or gal responsible for your startup guide on the shoulder and have them do a little more work.

Second, I would assume that since the startup guide exists someone at some point thought that such a document was needed and important enough to dedicate resources to it's creation.

So could you make the installation section a little more verbose and accurate? I would really help first time users like me. The rest of the document might be great. I don't know yet because I cannot get past section 1.1

I am trying to load Jboss Application Server on an Athlon/FC4 because it supports 64 bit. I have used Java but I am not an expert. The last time I approached a Java project was a over a year ago and I'm over 40 -- so I've already forgotten most of what I use to know. Besides this was not suppose to be a Java project I just wanted to try a web application that required a 64 bit application server.

Reading the download and installation section. I am told to check my Java installation yup -- jre is 1.5.0_06-fcs

Next I am told that the best way for a beginner like me -- is to run the Web Start Installer.
So I click on Run Installer and my browser (Firefox) presents me with a window saying that the file (a new type of file -- a *.jnlp file) is coming my way. jems-installer-1.2.0-beta2.jnlp and I select "open it" in the Firefox browser, Firefox instead saves the file to my default download location. My other browser option is to "save to disk" which does the same thing. So now I have a .jnlp file on my disk. What do I do with that?

I assume that if I can open it with some application code my problem would be over?
Yes, maybe my browser is lacking a definition for a MIME type but, if I wanted to fix it what do I attach it to? That's a pretty generic thing, not really browser specific and given what this .jnlp file is apparently about to do, seems like it might even be good security. I'll probably remove that MIME type after using it. If I knew what to attach it to. Yes, I could go a googling, but I have this nice startup guide...


So I move on to the binary version as I am told in the next paragraph. Download the .zip version and unzip it. I am told that I should do this in a "suitable location" followed by discussion of where I would put this on a Windows system. The discussion about Windows "Program FIles" directory implies that this unzipping should take place in the location where I intent to run the server.

Please excuse me, but that's just lazy.

If I run the installer in my home directory is that where it is going the run from? Or will it install the server in another "suitable location"? If the installation/server runs from my home directory is that going to break some other installations by setting the classpath to somewhere else etc..? And where is that suitable location in my Linux file system? /opts /usr/share, /usr/local/share, don't care? Do I need to be root to install this properly? Could you give me a clue? Yes I can go a googling, which I might have to anyway but, I have this nice startup guide....dedicated to answering questions like this?

So I am told that all these unzipped files should end up in jboss-4.0.4. but mine is in jboss-4.0.4.GA - just a typo I think.

Moving on to the next paragraph I am told that the installer versions are also available as a .jar file and that they also can be launched from the web site. Well that did not work last time and how do I execute that .jar file?

I think it's java foo.jar but I'm not sure. I did it once a couple of years ago and did I mention I'm over 40 now, so I've forgotten. Yes I know, I could go a googling but I have this nice startup guide...

So I go to the website again to get the .jar installer. But wait -- the .jar file is a patch installer. Don't I have to install Jboss before I patch it? Or is this really a minor release. Yes I can go a googling but I have this nice startup guide ...


Could someone help me?
Answer some of my questions above?
Point me to a more full installation set?
While writing this it has dawned on me that Jboss may in fact be installed in my home directory by virtue unzipping it there. I should just call run.sh to start the server. But this is not really what I want.

[peterj]

The problem with developers writing documentation is that they are so used to knowing how it is supposed to work that they read things between the lines that just aren't there. After having this fact pounded into my head various documentors specifically assigned to convert my technical ramblings into English suitable for consumption by people who don't have my insight into the application, I came to greatly respect documentors (or product information specialists, as they are know at my company) and the service they provide to turn code into a product.

But enough for my ramblings. On to your problem.

First, you are almost there. You have a capable JVM from Sun, I hope. (You didn't include the entire output from running 'java -version', and I would have been happier to see a '-b05' suffix on the version you posted. I'm not sitting at my Linux box, it's at work by I am at home, so I can't verify it at this time.) I assume you have set JAVA_HOME to the location where the JMV is installed.

You also downloaded the jboss zip file and extracted the jboss-4.0.4.GA directory. Once again, you did not say where you placed this directory. I could assume your home directory. That is fine. I usually place it at /opt/jboss-4.0.4.GA. The place doesn't matter, really. Anywhere you like that makes sense to you is fine. Hence, a "suitable location."

Only one thing left to do. Run it. There is a bin directory under jboss-4.0.4.GA. Go to that directory and enter:

chmod 755 *.sh
./run.sh

Now open your browser and enter the URL http://localhost:8080. You should see the JBoss Home page.

[mnatz]

Thank you Peter for your help. While I did not get many of my other questions answered - I do seem to now have a JBoss application server running in my home directory.

WIll move to /opt and run again.

Had to load JDK first though. The run.sh refused to run with just jre. Another small detail missed in section 1.1

The rest of the guide I will have to say - does seem to be more complete then the very first section.