RE: DO NOT REPLY [Bug 6056] New: - RPM Installation needs to be sorted out

[GOMEZ Henri <hg...@slib.fr>]

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>http://nagoya.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=6056
>
>RPM Installation needs to be sorted out
>
>           Summary: RPM Installation needs to be sorted out
>           Product: Tomcat 4
>           Version: 4.0 Beta 1
>          Platform: All
>        OS/Version: Linux
>            Status: NEW
>          Severity: Critical
>          Priority: Other
>         Component: Installable Packages
>        AssignedTo: tomcat-dev@jakarta.apache.org
>        ReportedBy: keith@whittingham.com
>
>
>The installation from RPM doesn't work correctly. There are
>several minor problems which you can work your way around but
>they give a poor impression to the product as a whole. Second
>important thing is in point 10/ hence the "Critical" severity.

Ok, let list together the problem encountered.

>I'm relatively new to Linux so some of the following my be
>finger problems on my part. Had I not have had previous, and
>very positive, experience with Tomcat I probably would have
>given up by now.
>
>Anyway thanks for all the good work (despite my moans, Tomcat
>is a very, very good product).
>
>1/ I think that the web-apps should be wrapped up with the 
>the main Tomcat RPM as they are needed to run it correctly

You could have a tomcat4 servlet engine but with your own 
webapps, so there is no need to install Apache webapp which
are for admin/example purposes. So the webapp RPM.

>2/ The documentation on tomcat-4.0-doc/index.html does not
>mention the RPMs

Is it a blocking factor ?

>3/ Readme.txt says that the web apps are included in Tomcat

Yes, if you include webapp package

>4/ RUNNING.txt says that you should run startup.sh under Unix.
>OK I'm running Linux but I was surprised not to find it. 
>Checking the GnoRPM I found tomcat4 which I guess is what I should
>be running instead.

yes use tomcat4 instead. startup.sh is just a too general name.
I'll update TOMCAT4.README.RPM
 
>5/ Attempting to run tomcat4 says that it can't change dir to 
>/var/tomcat4 - right, it doesn't exist. Should I have created 
>a symbolic link to it?

Urg, how did you install TC RPM. /var/tomcat4 is created to host
all TC 4 datas ?

>6/ Does the tomcat4 script really serve any purpose as it would 
>be simpler for maintenance purpose to have just dtomcat4 (renamed
>to tomcat4)?

dtomcat4 allow you to run tomcat4 with YOUR own profile. tomcat4 
make you use a tomcat4 user which is better for security. Consider
that running an unix service as root is allways really dangerous...

>7/ There is no reference to the TOMCAT_CFG file, as a result the
>file references an installation by default of /opt/IBMJava2-13?

What's the problem with it. The RPM install explain that the IBM JDK
is assumed but you could change it very easy (just a little vi)

>8/ Again I feel it would simpify matters if this file was incorporated
>into tomcat4, dtomcat4 or server.xml

tomcat4.conf has nothing to do with tomcat 4 stricto-senso. It's a plus
from the packaging. Also to run as another user, you should wrap command
BEFORE it's started. User swicthing is not in current JDKs ...

>9/ The tomcat.conf file overrides the JAVA_HOME variable which it
>says in the document should be set up before tomcat. Effectively
>the variable is ignored

When you launch tomcat 4 from init.d there is no JAVA_HOME defined, so
you need it somewhere.

>10/ I really have a big problem with the tomcat install creating 
>users on my machine. This makes all kinds of assumptions as to 
>how I run security on my machine and is just not required to run
>Tomcat. I have no idea what the password is but I guess that half
>the world does and so has access to my machine!!!

You should be root to install Tomcat 4, since it's a Unix service,
and that creating a user need a root access. 
I'll update TOMCAT4.README.RPM

>11/ The home of the tomcat4 user doesn't exist

Because the tomcat4 user creation has failed

>12/ Permissions have not been set up correctly for the tomcat4
>user to access the ..../logs directory

dito

>13/ Catalina .out now contains:

dito, rigth access.

I recommand you to install Tomcat4 as root or if you can't use
a dtomcat4 which didn't use su to change the running user.
Also setup JAVA_HOME correctly in tomcat4.conf

PS: I'll close the bug report since it appears that informations
    on RPM packaging should be more present in RPM. I'll update 
    TOMCAT4.README.RPM ASAP

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