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Java Forum / General / December 2007configuration management application
Hello All! Anybody of you knows if there is any application (free or not) to manage the development of java applications for different evnironment? To better explain: suppose you develop a very simple application: 2 java file 2 image 2 template document 1 property file whit 1 key Suppose you have 2 customer for that application. Eache one of that has his configuration comosed by: 1 of the two java files 1 of the two imagees 1 of the two template document the proprty file with his own value for the key. The software that I am looking for has the ability to let you develop the enteir project (all .java, all the images, all the template files etc) and give you the opportunity to create patch for each customer choosing for you the right customization. I hope I explained myself... > Hello All! > Anybody of you knows if there is any application (free or not) to [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > 2 template document > 1 property file whit 1 key This seems very simple to me. Almost anything could be used for this. You might want to (re)familiarize yourself with the Java command line tools. The simplest would be to just use jar and ant to build targets. http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/tooldocs/index.html http://ant.apache.org/ If you've been developing Java programs you should already have all of these tools on your hard disc. Property files are just text files, their format can be found here: http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/java/util/Properties.html#load(java.io.I nputStream) > gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > > Hello All! [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > You might want to (re)familiarize yourself with the Java command line > tools. The simplest would be to just use jar and ant to build targets. Thanks for your reply but... Question number 1, can ant manage file different from source file, can it copy (for instance) differente image file for each target? Question number 2, can ant create something like a patch or it make a whole new jar each time? Qustion number 3, you should change the build.xml file each time you add or remove a file to your application? Question number 4, can ant manage different key value in same properties file for different targets? In other word somethinglike put the suitable connection string in the conf.properties file for each env? Thx, in advantage for you answer and excuse mefor my poor english > Question number 1, can ant [sic] manage file different from source file, can > it copy (for instance) differente image file for each target? > > Question number 2, can ant create something like a patch or it make a > whole new jar each time? The usual mode is to create a new JAR for a new build. That is not an Ant issue, that's a Java issue. You could make Ant do some kind of patch-like build using custom code, if it's something you feel you really, really, absolutely must do, but it's likely easier not to, and likely much more satisfying for deployers and users alike. Again, this isn't an Ant issue but a JAR issue. My best advice is not to do that, but use JARs the ordinary way. > Qustion number 3, you should change the build.xml file each time you > add or remove a file to your application? Not usually. The canonical build.xml for a standard project source layout would need no changes whatsoever. It is possible to construct your build file so that it is required to change it with changes to your application, should you so desire. > Question number 4, can ant manage different key value in same > properties file for different targets? In other word somethinglike put > the suitable connection string in the conf.properties file for each > env? Ant /could/ be set up to modify the properties file, but it isn't really set up to be an editor. Much easier is to use Ant to /select/ the appropriate configuration for a build. However, it is also rather unusual to create a different build for different environments. That is usually a deployment issue, not a build issue. One of Java's strengths is that you can deploy the same artifact without modification to multiple targets. You could defeat that by creating separate builds, but should you? Did you take any time at all to view the Ant documentation? <http://ant.apache.org/> <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Programming:Apache_Ant>  SignatureLew gmannelli@gmail.com wrote: >> Question number 1, can ant [sic] manage file different from source >> file, can >> it copy (for instance) differente image file for each target? Yes. SignatureLew > gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > > Question number 1, can ant [sic] manage file different from source file, can [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > modification to multiple targets. You could defeat that by creating separate > builds, but should you? First of all thanks for your replay. I agree with you but you are talking about "developing best practces" after all. My original question was different, there is an application that take help you manteinig different installation of a general java application (not necessary too much well designed) ? > Did you take any time at all to view the Ant documentation? > <http://ant.apache.org/> > <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Programming:Apache_Ant> I'll do I promise... as soon as possibile > The software that I am looking for has the ability to let you develop > the enteir project (all .java, all the images, all the template files > etc) and give you the opportunity to create patch for each customer > choosing for you the right customization. > > I hope I explained myself... As Mark has already mentioned, Ant (http://ant.apache.org/) is a great build tool. You may also want to consider Maven (http:// maven.apache.org/). Hope this helps... Mike. --- ACGNJ Java Users Group http://www.javasig.org/ (best viewed in Firefox and Safari) I don't know enough about config management tools to suggest any but I would use Apache Ant for this sort of stuff. Since this sounds like quite typical Java development, I would use Eclipse (see www.eclipse.org) for development. Then I would create a build.xml to build application / installation package. Depending more specific needs (project complexity, number of environments), I would either create separate targets in this build.xml or configure it with parameters. If the project would be more complex, I would consider using a version control system and storing separate branches for different environments. On 19 joulu, 15:37, gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > Hello All! > Anybody of you knows if there is any application (free or not) to [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > I hope I explained myself... > If the project would be more complex, I would consider using a version > control system and storing separate branches for different > environments. This actually sounds kind of yucky. Different branches are the same as different source files. You probably don't want to maintain one source file per environment. This sounds like a maintenance nightmare. What you want is a single file that does everything, in any environment. Then either configure it at runtime (some sort of config.xml in the resource file, for example) or have a much smaller set of objects which are specific to the environment, where your environment specific behavior is encapsulated. Using branches is just an invitation to make branches everywhere. You don't want to do that. >> If the project would be more complex, I would consider using a version >> control system and storing separate branches for different [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Using branches is just an invitation to make branches everywhere. You > don't want to do that. Upthread the word "connection" was bandied about as a consideration. There are five or six database systems out there that you can say, "Use one of these" and not risk losing too many customers. Load all six drivers. Add six configuration URLs to your properties files. Cycle through all known ones when the application inits - if you haven't hit one after list end, sound the klaxons. Allow customers to install a db.properties file that specifies their oddball, shoulda-gotten-Postgres discount-store piece o' De BMS, and scan said properties file if present, and hey, presto!, you don't even need to sweat those scenarios. SignatureLew > > arima...@gmail.com wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > - Mostra testo tra virgolette - That's true about the different sintax of the connection string but I was talking about the different values contained in it, host name, username etc... > That's true about the different sintax of the connection string but I > was talking about the different values contained in it, host name, > username etc... Yes? How does that impact the advice I gave? If you know the values up front, as you must to build them into the application, then you put them in the files as I outlined. Capisce? SignatureLew > gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > > That's true about the different sintax of the connection string but I [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > -- > Lew E' differente, di driver classes puoi averne al massimo cinque o sei ma di connection string poi averne anche un centinaio, sarebbero troppi 100 o piu' file da gestire. Understand? >> gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: >>> That's true about the different sintax of the connection string but I [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > ma di connection string poi averne anche un centinaio, sarebbero > troppi 100 o piu' file da gestire. Understand? No. SignatureLew >>> gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: >>>> That's true about the different sintax of the connection string but I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > No. Actually, I do, sort of. You're saying that there are many, many possibilities for the strings involved, yes? In that scenario most folks modify the deployment file in the field, i.e., on site. This turns out to be much less labor for most than separate builds. The work can be minimized by having an installer script or program that solicits significant input at installation time, like, "What is your database server?" The reason Java and other platforms seek to be "Write Once" is that rebuilds are more expensive (in human resource terms) than installer-program prompts. The fewer different builds you have to maintain, the easier it is, and therefore less expensive, to maintain the software. SignatureLew > > gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > >>> gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > -- > Lew And a software suitable to do that work is what I am looking for! The software that I am talking about is something that ask you for all the configuration once and each time you release a patch or a new version it remember your answers... Anyway compliment, you got the what I mean in the previous post > And a software suitable to do that work is what I am looking for! The > software that I am talking about is something that ask you for all the > configuration once and each time you release a patch or a new version > it remember your answers... Ant. And any IDE. Or most anything else. You give ant a build script. Most are very simple. It remembers the build scrip ('cause it lives on your hard drive). You rebuild the project, Ant remembers the configuration and rebuilds that. Tricky Ant build scripts can build multiple targets from one build script. In fact, that's normal. Most projects have at least a debug version of the project vs. a release version. Don't like Ant? Let an IDE make pretty pictures for you. Same deal though. It'll make a build script for you, which lives on the hard drive in your project folder. Open the project, click the build button, it runs the Ant script for you. You could do this easily with a bash script though. Just do it.... On Dec 19, 9:37 am, gmanne...@gmail.com wrote: > Hello All! > Anybody of you knows if there is any application (free or not) to [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > I hope I explained myself... Two possibilities: 1 Use maven (http://maven.apache.org) and maven profiles (http:// maven.apache.org/guides/introduction/introduction-to-profiles.html). Create a profile for each customer and code into different directories. You will need to check out the resources plugin and the compiler plugin to achieve what you want. 2 Just branch the whole thing on the scm. Merge into the branch regularly and just change what must be different on that branch. Saludos Marcelo Morales Free MagazinesGet these publications absolutely FREE for up to 12 months. There are no hidden fees and no obligation. Simply choose a title, complete the application form and submit it. Read more ...
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