xmlaccess deploy portlet with library reference

Question

Hi I have problem with deploying JSR168 portlet using xmlaccess. I have no problem with deploy and join to conrete page but I would like to add shared library reference automatically. Is it possible?? I added shared library named 'libshared' using IBM WS console. Can I add this reference in input xml using by xmlaccess?

Answer 1

I don't think you can do this in xmlaccess. But you may try putting a reference to the library under the Manifest.MF file of the META-INF directory of your portlet's war file.

Or could just put the shared jar file under your /shared/ext directory. Or you could put it inside your wps.ear file. Mind you, either of these two solutions would share your library with the entire portal installation, rather than just select portlets.

Answer 2

You can deploy the application using wsadmin or similar and use that to update the classpath (i.e. for the shared library), you can then use xmlaccess to deploy the portlets and reference the previously deployed application - although I think this may only work in WebSphere Portal 6.1.

Give me a shout if you need further details.

Answer 3

I encountered this as well, a while ago... and researched it to the max, including spending some time chatting with IBM's support in various levels.

The XMLAccess protocol doesn't provide for such "system-level" configuration alongside Portlet application deployment; it can only be used to install, customize and uninstall Portlet applications and related artifacts.

If your deployment strategy involves deploying WAR files directly through XMLAccess, then you will have to manually add the shared-library to the application through the WAS admin console; this will have to be done manually because, when deploying WAR files through XMLAccess, an EAR with some random name is being created by WebSphere Portal to "host" your WAR file; hence you can't script the attachment of a shared library.

(alternatively, you may wish to add the shared library to the server's (WebSphere_Portal) classpath)

If your deployment strategy, instead, involves deploying Portlet applications packaged as EARs, then you're in a better position; you could automate the shared-library attachment as part of your EAR deployment process, then use XMLAccess to inform WebSphere Portal about the location, in the EAR, of your Portlet applications (which is what Michael mentioned above; it works in WebSphere Portal 6.0 as well).

Good luck.