[Jboss-dev-forums] [Design of Mail Services] - Good progress on IzPack installer

[<aco...@jb...>]

So I'm working like a dog on the izPack installer  http://jira.jboss.com/ji=
ra/browse/JBMAIL-60.  The new installer has a way to output a automated scr=
ipt.  That's how we'll do normal dev builds yet not have divergent jboss-se=
rvice.xml files.  The experience has made me put even more thought into som=
ething I'd been a lot thinking about (http://linuxintegrators.com/acoliver/=
code/?permalink=3Dx-0018.html http://linuxintegrators.com/acoliver/code/200=
5/07/10/x-0022.html)... configuration and wiring..  I've a new way I want t=
o do things in the future.  I'll go on about this probably tomorrow but my =
eyes are feeling buggy as I'm working on 2 other [top secret open source li=
ke Gavin does ;-)] projects at night as well. =20

The new installer is based on the the extensions and the JBoss installer (i=
f you haven't checked out the JBAS installer go to downloads and try it now=
!).  It uses velocity for the jboss-service.xml file which is a lot cleaner=
 than the big piece of crap I fermented called Cheese (someone asked if I w=
rote cheese to prove I couldn't do gui programming -- ha ha).  While it is =
a lot prettier, I don't think it is saving me a great amount of time frankl=
y.  One thing that was better about Cheese is that it was just ant tasks.  =
izPack is a bit too sophisticated for its own good in places....  Moreover =
the debug cycle is painful...  Screw something up?  You'll find out after y=
ou create the install and RUN the whole blasted thing.  (I swear their ough=
t to be a way to verify stuff.  And the JB Extensions don't help either, I =
think maybe it should run through the templates with velocity as a "test ru=
n" to make sure they all parse at least so I can have compile-time checking=
 rather than install-time checking)

It'll get easier once I get everything integrated into the build.  I plan t=
o put this "in your face" so there won't be a way to build JBMS without it.=
  Fortunately, it won't require a GUI for normal developer stuff and I thin=
k it will actually make things easier there.

Doing this also points out that JBossDNA er I mean JEMS will need a way to =
do linked installers of a sort.  The new JBMS installer will come in two fl=
avors: Big and little...ha ha.  Meaning the Big will include JBossAS and th=
e little will assume you have it.  Actually it may end up coming in 4 flavo=
rs (big java web start, little java web start, big standalone, little stand=
 alone).  Well, I really don't want to replicate the work on the JBoss inst=
aller that lets you pick what features of the AS you want.  I want to reuse=
 that work... I do need to say "x,y,z are required for JBMS so disable the =
abillity to unselect them" but leave the rest up to the user...  Maybe as a=
n "advanced" install. =20

The first cut for M3 won't secure or trim down JBAS at all.  I'll just incl=
ude it all.  We'll put a warning and a link to the securing wiki page in th=
e readme.

This will mean all-in-all that out of the box installation will be as simpl=
e as a click on a web page and some questions about what all you want (POP,=
 POP/SSL...SMTP..etc) and what ports you want it on, your servername, etc..=
  The biggest pain is this business with the ssh key generation.  I'm still=
 working on that.  That was the most brittle part in the cheese install as =
well. =20

Probably early next week I'll put out a preliminary "try me" before I start=
 integrating it into the build.  I had origninally estimated this all at 2 =
days...its taken a bit more than that..sssheesh.

Meanwhile I really need help in clearing the remaining open M3 issues and b=
ugs so we can kick that branch off and start M4. =20

PS thanks for the guys at JBoss who found izPack and did the extensions.  T=
hanks to Scott the infallible (http://linuxintegrators.com/acoliver/blog/20=
05/07/29/x-0033.html) for his help getting it all working.

Thanks

-Andy

View the original post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=3Dbb&op=3Dv=
iewtopic&p=3D3887392#3887392

Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=3Dbb&op=3Dpostin=
g&mode=3Dreply&p=3D3887392