eXo Platform is packaged as a deployable enterprise archive defined by the Java EE specification, and as a configuration directory. In this chapter, you will see the following topics:
Specifications which are required for running eXo Platform 3.5.
Instructions on how to start up/shut down the server, or to customize variables in Tomcat.
Steps to install eXo Platform on JBoss.
The runtime profiles which are used to enable/disable modules of eXo Platform.
To run eXo Platform 3.5, your system is required to meet the following specifications or higher:
CPU: Multi-core recommended, 2GHz Minimum
Memory: 4GB physical RAM, at least 1GB free for JVM's max heap memory (see the JVM settings detailed in the Install the Tomcat bundle section)
Disk: 1GB
Java 6 (Set the JAVA_HOME environment variable)
Browser Compatibility:
Mozilla Firefox 3.6+
Internet Explorer 7.0+
Safari 5.0+
Google Chrome 5.0+
The eXo server will run on the 8080 portal, so make sure this port is not currently in use.
See also
The easiest way to install eXo Platform is to use the Tomcat bundle. This is a ready-made package on top of the Tomcat 6 application server. First, you need to download and extract the package named eXo-Platform-tomcat-3.5.x.zip on your server.
Start up the server
eXo Platform leverages the application server on which it is deployed. This means that you only need to start and stop your application with the default commands.
On Linux and OS X:
$PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME/start_eXo.sh
On Windows:
%PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME%\start_eXo.bat
The server is started successfully when you see the following message in your log/console:
INFO: Server startup in 353590 ms
Shut down the server
On Linux and OS X:
$PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME/stop_eXo.sh
On Windows:
%PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME%\stop_eXo.bat
If you receive the message when you try to stop Tomcat as below, you must stop Tomcat by pressing CtrlC or by killing with the -9 command. To perform the kill action automatically, you can run stop_eXo.sh -force that is only available on Linux and OS X systems.
Tomcat did not stop in time. The PID file was not removed.
The server has been stopped successfully when you see the following message in your log/console:
INFO: Stopping Coyote HTTP/1.1 on http-8080
Start up eXo Platform by running built-in startup scripts
You can start up eXo Platform by running one of the following built-in startup scripts:
Linux & OS X: start_eXo.sh
Windows: start_eXo.bat
Linux and OS X in the developer mode: start_eXo.sh with the -debug option.
Windows in the developer mode: start_eXo.bat with the -debug option.
In the normal mode, the start_eXo scripts launch eXo Platform with the following JVM options:
-Xms256m -Xmx1024m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m -Djava.security.auth.login.config=../conf/jaas.conf -Dexo.conf.dir.name=gatein/conf -Dexo.profiles=default
Details:
-Xms |
Minimal Heap Size (defaults to 256 MB). |
-Xmx |
Maximal Heap Size (defaults to 1 GB). |
-Djava.security.auth.login.config
|
Path to the JAAS security file where the security domains and JAAS authentication modules are declared. |
-Dexo.conf.dir.name |
The name of the configuration directory relatively from "catalina.home", for example, gatein/conf. |
-Dexo.profiles |
List of comma-separated profiles of eXo Platform to activate. |
In the developer mode, the start_eXo scripts launch eXo Platform in the developer mode with a few JVM options.
-Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8000,server=y,suspend=n -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote -Dorg.exoplatform.container.configuration.debug -Dexo.product.developing=true
Details:
-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote |
Activate the remote JMX monitoring. |
-Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket, address=8000,server=y,suspend=n |
Enable the remote debugging. |
-Dorg.exoplatform.container. configuration.debug |
The container will log in to the console which the .xml file loads. |
-Dexo.product.developing=true |
Deactivate JavaScript and CSS merging for debugging more easily. Next, activate a special language called Magic Locale "ma" showing the property keys instead of the translations. |
Now, you can start and run the eXo Platform demo, but you will need to adjust these values for a production setup.
Customize environment variables in Tomcat
Previously, users got used to changing the gatein.sh file, but this file is no longer used since Platform 3.5.0-CR1. Now, to customize the environment variables and JVM memory parameters, you have to modify the setenv.sh file (setenv.bat file in Windows).
This file is located in:
Linux & OS X:
$PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME/bin/setenv.sh
Windows:
$PLATFORM_TOMCAT_HOME\bin\setenv.bat
The following is the content of this file:
# Sets some variables LOG_OPTS="-Dorg.apache.commons.logging.Log=org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SimpleLog" SECURITY_OPTS="-Djava.security.auth.login.config=../conf/jaas.conf" EXO_OPTS="-Dexo.conf.dir.name=gatein/conf" IDE_OPTS="-Djavasrc=$JAVA_HOME/src.zip -Djre.lib=$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib" if [ "$EXO_PROFILES" = "" -o "$EXO_PROFILES" = "-Dexo.profiles=default" ] ; then EXO_PROFILES="-Dexo.profiles=default" fi ##### For XML Parser #### # Define the preferred XML Parser # If you run eXo Platform on IBM Java, you must use the first one #EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrWriterFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrParserFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.events.ZephyrEventFactory" EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLOutputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLInputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.events.XMLEventsFactoryImpl" ######################### CATALINA_OPTS="-Xms256m -Xmx1024m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m $CATALINA_OPTS $LOG_OPTS $SECURITY_OPTS $EXO_OPTS $IDE_OPTS $EXO_PROFILES $EXO_XML" export CATALINA_OPTS
In the normal mode, the setenv scripts launch eXo Platform with the following JVM options:
-Xms256m -Xmx1024m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m -Djava.security.auth.login.config=../conf/jaas.conf -Dexo.conf.dir.name=gatein/conf -Dexo.profiles=default -Dorg.apache.commons.logging.Log=org.apache.commons.logging.impl.SimpleLog -Djavasrc=$JAVA_HOME/src.zip -Djre.lib=$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib
Details:
-Xms
|
Initial Heap Size (the default is 256 MB). |
-Xmx
|
Maximal Heap Size (the default is 1 GB). |
-Djava.security.auth.login.config
|
The path to the JAAS security file where the security domains and JAAS authentication modules are declared. |
-Dexo.conf.dir.name
|
The path where eXo Platform will start looking at configuration.properties and configuration.xml. |
-Dexo.profiles
|
List of comma-separated profiles of eXo Platform to activate. |
-Dorg.apache.commons.logging.Log
|
A simple logging interface abstracting logging APIs. |
-Djavasrc
|
The path to the JAVA source code. |
-Djre.lib
|
The path to the JRE library. |
About EXO_XML: it defines the preferred XML Parser.
If you run eXo Platform on IBM Java, you must use the following:
EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrWriterFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrParserFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.events.ZephyrEventFactory"
Otherwise, you can use the following:
EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLOutputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLInputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.events.XMLEventsFactoryImpl"
In Linux environments, the ulimit limits the system-wide resource used. When running eXo Platform, you may get the error message about "Too many open files" because the ulimit has limited the opened files. By default, the number of opened files is limited to "1024". You should execute the command: "ulimit -n 8196" as root before starting the server to avoid this issue.
See also
eXo distribution for JBoss (eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x.zip) allows you to deploy eXo Platform on your existing JBoss EAP server located in a folder named JBOSS_HOME.
Install eXo Platform on JBoss
1. Extract the content of the distribution to a local folder named eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x.
2. Copy the following folder and files from eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x/ears/server/default/deploy to $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/server/default/deploy:
Folder
gatein.ear
Files
exo-acme-website-$version.ear
exo-collaboration-extension-$version.ear
exo-default-portal-$version.ear
exo-gadget-pack-$version.ear
exo-knowledge-extension-$version.ear
exo-platform-extension-$version.ear
exo-social-extension-$version.ear
exo-social-intranet-$version.ear
exo-wcm-extension-$version.ear
exo-webos-extension-$version.ear
exo-workflow-extension-$version.ear
gatein-ds.xml
gatein-wsrp-extension-$version.ear
starter-gatein-$version.ear
3. Copy 2 files named context.xml and server.xml from eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x/ears/server/default/deploy/jbossweb.sar to $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/server/default/deploy/jbossweb.sar.
4. Copy the following files and folders from eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x/ears/server/default/conf/gatein to the folder $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/server/default/conf/gatein. You may need to create gatein folder if it does not exist.
cache
idm
jcr
jgroups
portal
configuration.properties
configuration.xml
controller.xml
portlet.xml
5. Copy the oauthkey.pem file from eXo-Platform-jboss-3.5.x/ears/server/default/data/gadgets to $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/server/default/data/gadgets. You may need to create folders if they do not exist.
6. Configure the JVM parameters.
On Linux, add these lines to the end of $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/bin/run.conf:
# Platform environment variables EXO_PROFILES="-Dexo.profiles=default" EXO_OPTS="-Dexo.product.developing=false -Dexo.conf.dir.name=gatein -Dgatein.data.dir=../gatein" IDE_OPTS="-Djavasrc=$JAVA_HOME/src.zip -Djre.lib=$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib" # Declare this variable in JAVA_OPTS to run in debug mode REMOTE_DEBUG="-Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8000,server=y,suspend=n -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote -Dorg.exoplatform.container.configuration.debug" # Here you can define your preferred xml parser - choose one or the other, or none # If you run eXo Platform under IBM java, you must use the first one #EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrWriterFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrParserFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.events.ZephyrEventFactory" EXO_XML="-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLOutputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLInputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.events.XMLEventsFactoryImpl" JAVA_OPTS="$JAVA_OPTS $EXO_OPTS $IDE_OPTS $EXO_PROFILES $EXO_XML"
On Windows, add these lines to the end of $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/bin/run.conf.bat:
rem # Platform environment variables set "EXO_PROFILES=-Dexo.profiles=default" set "EXO_OPTS=-Dexo.product.developing=false -Dexo.conf.dir.name=gatein -Dgatein.data.dir=../gatein" set "IDE_OPTS=-Djavasrc=$JAVA_HOME/src.zip -Djre.lib=$JAVA_HOME/jre/lib" set "REMOTE_DEBUG=-Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=8000,server=y,suspend=n -Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote -Dorg.exoplatform.container.configuration.debug" rem # Here you can define your preferred xml parser - choose one or the other, or none rem # If you run eXo Platform under IBM java, you must use the first one rem # set EXO_XML=-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrWriterFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.ZephyrParserFactory -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.stream.events.ZephyrEventFactory set EXO_XML=-Djavax.xml.stream.XMLOutputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLOutputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLInputFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.XMLInputFactoryImpl -Djavax.xml.stream.XMLEventFactory=com.sun.xml.internal.stream.events.XMLEventsFactoryImpl set "JAVA_OPTS=%JAVA_OPTS% %EXO_OPTS% %IDE_OPTS% %EXO_PROFILES% %EXO_XML%"
If you prefer using another implementation of SAX, change the class names in EXO_XML variable.
You can activate the debug mode of eXo Platfrom by adding $REMOTE_DEBUG to the JAVA_OPTS variable.
7. Add the eXo Platform logging categories to $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/server/default/conf/jboss-log4j.xml.
<!-- Limit the JSR170 categories -->
<category name="exo.jcr">
<priority value="INFO"/>
</category>
<!-- Limit the JSR-168 and JSR-286 categories -->
<category name="org.exoplatform.services">
<priority value="INFO"/>
</category>
8. Configure the emptySessionPath attribute.
From JBoss AS 4 or lower, to make Wiki work properly, you have to configure the emptySessionPath attribute in the server.xml file. If you are running Jboss with the "default" profile, this file will be located in $PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/default/deploy/jbossweb.sar/server.xml/ path.
Depending on the Connector you are using, you have to set the emptySessionPath attribute to "true" for that Connector respectively.
For example, if you are using the AJP Connector, the configuration should be as follows:
<!-- Define an AJP 1.3 Connector on port 8009 -->
<Connector port="8009" address="${jboss.bind.address}" protocol="AJP/1.3"
emptySessionPath="true" enableLookups="false" redirectPort="8443" />However, from JBoss AS 5 or higher, emptySessionPath="true" no longer sets the cookie path / by default. Instead, the cookie path is set via the following element in the Context element in the server/default/deploy/jbossweb.sar/context.xml file.
<SessionCookie path="/" />
Session cookies are now scoped to the context by default.
9. Start up the server.
On Linux and OS X:
$PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/bin/run.sh
On Windows:
%PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME%\bin\run.bat
The server is started successfully when you see the following message in your log/console:
INFO [org.jboss.bootstrap.microcontainer.ServerImpl] (main) JBoss (Microcontainer) [5.1.1 (build: ...)] Started in 5m:29s:259ms
10. Shut down the server.
On Linux and OS X:
$PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME/bin/shutdown.sh
On Windows:
%PLATFORM_JBOSS_HOME%\bin\shutdown.bat
The server has been stopped successfully when you see the following message in your log/console:
INFO [org.jboss.bootstrap.microcontainer.ServerImpl] (JBoss Shutdown Hook) Shutdown complete
See also
eXo Platform comes with different runtime profiles, enabling you to customize which modules you want to enable/disable in each eXo Platform instance.
Before modifying and developing eXo Platform, you should choose carefully the profiles that are suitable to your requirements. In particular, after you have done any modifications/developments on the server that you started up with your selected profiles, and then switched to another new profiles, you will not see such modifications/developments on eXo Platform.
When using Tomcat, you can use a comma-separated list of profiles.
When using JBoss, you just need to edit EXO_PROFILES in the run.conf(.bat) file.
The following profiles are supported:
| Profile | Description |
|---|---|
collaboration |
Enable the Collaboration module. |
knowledge |
Enable the Knowledge module. |
social |
Enable the Social module. |
workflow |
Enable the Workflow add-ons within the Content module. |
webos |
Enable the eXo WebOS module. |
Additionally, you can use these composite profiles:
| Profile | Description |
|---|---|
minimal |
Contain GateIn Content. |
default |
Contain all modules except workflow and webos (GateIn, eXo IDE, Collaboration, Social, Knowledge). |
all |
All available modules. |
For example:
Start default modules workflow:
./start_eXo.sh default,workflow
Start eXo Platform with GateIn, Content, Collaboration and Knowledge enabled.
./start_eXo.sh collaboration,knowledge
Start with Social, GateIn and Content.
./start_eXo.sh minimal,social
For the developer mode
Start eXo Platform with your selected profiles in Linux and OS X:
./start_eXo.sh -debug [profiles]
Start eXo Platform with your selected profiles in Windows:
.\start_eXo.bat -debug [profiles]
See also