Using Apache Tomcat 4
Contents
Following is a summary of how you would install and
configure Tomcat 4 for use as a standalone Web server that supports
servlets 2.3 and JSP 1.2. Integrating Tomcat as a plugin within the
regular Apache server or a commercial Web server
is more complicated (for details, see
http://jakarta.apache.org/tomcat/tomcat-4.0-doc/).
Integrating Tomcat with a regular Web server is valuable
for a deployment scenario, but my goal here is to show how to use Tomcat
as a development server on your desktop. Regardless of what deployment
server you use, you'll want a standalone server on your desktop to use
for development.
The examples here assume you are using Windows, but they can be easily adapted
for Solaris, Linux, and other versions of Unix. I've gotten reports of
successful use on MacOS X, but don't know the setup details. Except
when I refer to specific Windows paths (e.g., C:\blah\blah), I use URL-style
forward slashes for path separators (install_dir/webapps/ROOT). Adapt
as necessary.
The information here is adapted from More Servlets and JavaServer Pages
from Sun Microsystems Press. For the book table of contents, index,
source code, and information on basic and advanced
servlet and JSP short courses, please
see http://www.moreservlets.com/.
To report errors or omissions in this writeup, please contact Marty
at hall@coreservlets.com.
I give extremely detailed instructions in the following sections. If
you're pretty experienced and just want a short summary, this
section will probably be enough for you.
- Install the JDK.
Make sure you have JDK 1.3 or 1.4 installed.
- Configure Tomcat.
- Download the software.
Go to
http://jakarta.apache.org/builds/jakarta-tomcat-4.0/release/ and download
and unpack the zip file for the latest version.
- Change the port to 80.
Edit install_dir/conf/server.xml and
change the
port attribute of the Connector
element from 8080 to 80.
- Turn on servlet reloading.
Edit install_dir/conf/server.xml and
add a
DefaultContext
subelement to the main
Service element and supply true for
the reloadable attribute.
- Set the
JAVA_HOME variable.
Set it to refer
to the base JDK directory, not the bin subdirectory.
- Change the DOS memory settings.
If you get an "Out of Environment Space" error message
when you start the server, right-click on
install_dir/bin/startup.bat,
select Properties, select Memory, and change the Initial Environment entry from
Auto to at least 2816. Repeat the process for
install_dir/bin/shutdown.bat.
- Set the
CATALINA_HOME variable.
Optionally, set CATALINA_HOME to refer to the top-level
Tomcat installation directory.
- Test the server.
-
Verify that you can start the server. Double-click
install_dir/bin/startup.bat and try accessing
http://localhost/.
-
Check that you can access your own HTML & JSP pages.
Drop some simple HTML and JSP pages into
install_dir/webapps/ROOT and access them with
http://localhost/filename.
- Set up your development environment.
- Create a development directory.
Put it anywhere except within the Tomcat installation hierarchy.
- Make shortcuts to the Tomcat startup &
shutdown Scripts. Put shortcuts to install_dir/bin/startup.bat
and install_dir/bin/shutdown.bat in your development directory
and/or on your desktop.
- Set your
CLASSPATH.
Include the current directory ("."),
install_dir/common/lib/servlet.jar, and
the main development directory.
- Bookmark the servlet & JSP javadocs.
Add install_dir/webapps/tomcat-docs/servletapi/index.html
to your bookmarks/favorites list.
- Compile and test some simple Sservlets.
- Test a packageless servlet.
Compile a simple servlet, put the .class file in
install_dir/webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/classes, and
access it with http://localhost/servlet/ServletName.
- Test a servlet that uses packages.
Compile the servlet, put the .class file in
install_dir/webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/classes/packageName, and
access it with http://localhost/servlet/packageName.ServletName.
- Test a servlet that uses packages
and utility classes. Follow the same procedure as the
second step above. This third step verifies that the
CLASSPATH
includes the top level of your development directory.
- Establish a simplified deployment method.
- Copy to a shortcut.
Make a shortcut to install_dir/webapps/ROOT. Copy packageless
.class files directly there. With packages, copy the entire directory
there.
- Use the
-d option of javac.
Use -d to tell Java where the deployment directory is.
- Let your IDE take care of deployment.
Tell your IDE where the deployment directory is and let it
copy the necessary files.
- Use
ant or a similar tool.
Use the Apache make-like tool to automate copying of files.
Your first step is to download and install Java.
The servlet 2.3 specification requires Java 2; I suggest JDK 1.3 or later. See
the following sites for download and installation information.
Once you've installed Java, confirm that
everything is configured properly by opening a DOS
window and typing "java -version" and "javac -help". Or, if
you use an IDE, compile and run a simple program to confirm that
the IDE knows where you installed Java.
Reprinted with permission from
Marty Hall. This tutorial is also available at
http://www.moreservlets.com/Using-Tomcat-4.html
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