[Version 5.0.2 and later]Assembling applications with the Assembly Toolkit

Assemble enterprise application modules (EAR files) from new or existing Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) Version 1.2 or 1.3 modules, including these archives: Web application archives (WAR), resource adapter archives (RAR), enterprise bean (EJB) JAR files, and application client archives (JAR). This packaging and configuration of code artifacts into application modules or stand-alone Web modules is necessary for deploying the applications onto the application server.

Before you begin

The Assembly Toolkit replaces the Application Assembly Tool (AAT). The Assembly Toolkit consists of the J2EE Perspective of the WebSphere Studio Application Developer product. With the Assembly Toolkit, you can create and modify J2EE applications and modules, edit deployment descriptors, and map databases.

The Assembly Toolkit is one of the tools provided by the Application Server Toolkit (ASTK). Follow instructions available with the ASTK to install the Assembly Toolkit.

[Version 5.0.2]Visit the Web site http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&context=SSEQTP&q=ASTK&uid=swg24005125&loc=en_US to download the Application Server Toolkit (ASTK) product, which offers the Assembly Toolkit and other products.

Why and when to perform this task

Gather the code artifacts that you want to package into one or more assembled modules. Code artifacts include these items that you have created and unit tested in your favorite integrated development environment:

The Assembly Toolkit provides extensive online documentation. The articles on Assembly Toolkit provided in the information center supplement that documentation.

Steps for this task

  1. Start the Assembly Toolkit.
  2. (Optional)   Read the online documentation for the Assembly Toolkit.
    • Read the section Assembly Tool on the Welcome to the Application Server Toolkit page. To access this page, click Help > Welcome > Application Server Toolkit.
    • Click Help > Help Contents > Assembly Toolkit information. The displayed documentation provides extensive information about the Assembly Toolkit.
    • Press F1 to access information specific to an Assembly Toolkit view or window.
    • Visit the information center for IBM WebSphere Studio Application Developer at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wsphelp/index.jsp . Click WebSphere Studio Application Developer > J2EE development. The documentation in the information center for WebSphere Studio is similar to that in the Assembly Toolkit online information.
    • See the article "Assembly Toolkit: Resources for learning" for additional sources.
  3. (Optional)   Open the J2EE perspective to work with J2EE projects. Click Window > Open Perspective > Other > J2EE.
  4. (Optional)   Open the J2EE Hierarchy view. Click Window > Show View > J2EE Hierarchy. Other helpful views include the Project Navigator view (Window > Show View > Other > J2EE > Project Navigator) and the Navigator view (Window > Show View > Navigator).
  5. Migrate EAR, WAR, enterprise bean JAR files, application client JAR files, or resource adapter RAR files created with the Application Assembly Tool (AAT) or a different tool to the Assembly Toolkit. To migrate files, import the files to the Assembly Toolkit.
  6. (Optional)   Migrate a project from J2EE 1.2 to J2EE 1.3 using the J2EE Migration wizard. As part of the migration, you can migrate CMP 1.x beans to CMP 2.x beans. The J2EE Migration wizard is similar to the earconvert batch utility or the File > ConvertEar option of the AAT.
    1. In the J2EE Hierarchy view, right-click the enterprise application project (EAR file) you want to migrate.
    2. Click Migrate > J2EE Migration Wizard.
    3. Follow the instructions in the wizard.
  7. Create an enterprise application project to which you can add archive files. You can create an enterprise application project separately or when you create archive files such as the following:
  8. Edit the deployment descriptors as needed. You can edit deployment descriptors for enterprise application, Web, application client, and enterprise bean (EJB) modules.
  9. (Optional)   Generate enterprise bean (EJB) to relational database (RDB) mappings for EJB modules.
  10. Verify the archive files.
  11. Generate code for deployment for EJB modules or for enterprise applications that use EJB modules.
  12. Generate code for deployment for Web services-enabled modules or for enterprise applications that use Web service modules.
  13. (Optional)   Test your completed module on a WebSphere Application Server installation. Right-click a module, click Run on Server, and follow the instructions in the displayed wizard. Note that Run on Server works on the Windows, Linux/Intel, and AIX operating systems only; you cannot deploy remotely from the Assembly Toolkit to a WebSphere Application Server installation on a UNIX operating system such as Solaris.

    Important: Use Run On Server for unit testing only. Application Server Toolkit controls the WebSphere Application Server installation and, when an application is published remotely, the Toolkit overwrites the server configuration file for that server. Do not use on production servers.

    For instructions on remote testing, see the article "Setting Up a Remote WebSphere Application Server in WebSphere Studio V5" at http://www7b.boulder.ibm.com/wsdd/techjournal/0303_yuen/yuen.html .

What to do next

After assembling your applications, use a systems management tool to deploy the EAR or WAR files onto the application server. The systems management tool follows the security and deployment instructions defined in the deployment descriptor, and enables you to modify bindings specified within the Assembly Toolkit. The tool locates the required external resources that the application uses, such as enterprise beans and databases.

Select a tool to use:

If you are uncertain of which systems management tool to use, try using the administrative console.

If your application has a large number of modules, it might not install successfully onto a server. Package your application so that the .ear file contains necessary modules only. Modules can include metadata for the modules such as information on deployment descriptors, bindings, and IBM extensions.

Use the administrative console at installation to complete the security instructions defined in the deployment descriptor and to locate required external resources, such as enterprise beans and databases. You can add configuration properties and redefine binding properties defined in the Assembly Toolkit.


Related concepts
EJB modules
Enterprise applications
Web applications
Web modules
Application clients
Resource adapter archive file
Related tasks
Assembling application clients
Assembling EJB modules
Assembling resource adapter (connector) modules
Assembling Web applications
Developing Web applications
Securing enterprise bean applications using the Assembly Toolkit
Securing Web applications using the Assembly Toolkit
Related topics
Developing and testing a complete J2EE "Hello World" application with WebSphere Studio V5
Developing and Deploying an End-to-end J2EE Application to JBoss Application Server using WebSphere Studio V5
Getting to know WebSphere Studio Application Developer: Its capabilities, technologies, and relationship to the open-source Eclipse IDE
Setting Up a Remote WebSphere Application Server in WebSphere Studio V5



Searchable topic ID:   tatk_assembling
Last updated: Jun 21, 2007 9:56:50 PM CDT    WebSphere Application Server for z/OS, Version 5.0.2
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