Changing the TomCat Directory structure...

[Vishy Kasar <vk...@borland.com>]

Hi,

We are thinking of embedding TomCat4.0  in our app server. We have
limited number of top level directories and want to rearrange the TomCat
files in that directory structure.

Specifically we want the common/lib to be present as lib/common and
server/lib to be present as lib/server. This will reduce the top level
directories from three (lib, server, common) to just one.

Here are a few options that are available to me. Can you folks suggest a
good one for this situation?

1. Make the change only in our copy of bootstrap.java and remember to do
this change each time we get a new version of tomcat from apache.

2. Make the directory names configurable by adding 2 more variables
CATALINA_SERVER_LIB and CATALINA_COMMON_LIB and contribute the change
back to apache.

3. Assume that reducing top level directories is a good idea in general,
do the change suggested in #1 above and contribute it back to apache.

--
Cheers!

Re: Changing the TomCat Directory structure...

["Craig R. McClanahan" <cr...@apache.org>]

On Fri, 15 Jun 2001, Vishy Kasar wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> We are thinking of embedding TomCat4.0  in our app server. We have
> limited number of top level directories and want to rearrange the TomCat
> files in that directory structure.
> 
> Specifically we want the common/lib to be present as lib/common and
> server/lib to be present as lib/server. This will reduce the top level
> directories from three (lib, server, common) to just one.
> 

Actually, you'd need at least two ("/classes" and "/lib") for this
strategy to completely replace the current model.  The complete current
model looks like this:

  classes/           Unpacked classes for "Shared" classloader

  common/
    classes/         Unpacked classes for "Common" classloader
    lib/             JAR files for "Common" classloader

  server/
    classes/         Unpacked classes for "Catalina" classloader
    lib/             JAR files for "Catalina" classloader

  lib/               JAR files for "Shared" classloader
  
An alternative based on your desires might look like:

  classes/
    common/
    server/
    shared/

  lib/
    common/
    server/
    shared/

> Here are a few options that are available to me. Can you folks suggest a
> good one for this situation?
> 
> 1. Make the change only in our copy of bootstrap.java and remember to do
> this change each time we get a new version of tomcat from apache.
> 
> 2. Make the directory names configurable by adding 2 more variables
> CATALINA_SERVER_LIB and CATALINA_COMMON_LIB and contribute the change
> back to apache.
> 
> 3. Assume that reducing top level directories is a good idea in general,
> do the change suggested in #1 above and contribute it back to apache.
> 
> --
> Cheers!

I don't see "reducing the number of top level directories" as a very
compelling goal, and prefer to see the stuff sorted at the top level based
on which classloader it's going to go into.

Note also that having a top-level "lib" directory for user application
classes is getting pretty common.

What do others think?

Craig