which application server should i use

[Arun Kumar]

I just want to try out some EJB applications ,I use Eclipse as my ide my question is which application server should i use JBoss or Sun one? .it is purely for studying

[Jaikiran Pai]

Both JBoss and Sun application server are J2EE standard servers, so it does not matter which one you use(more so because you mention its only for studying). I have been using JBoss application server without any issues.

[Arun Kumar]

Thanks for the answer but i was wondering which one will be easier to start with? i have worked with sun server but there i had to create a war file for deployment(unlike tomcat) so i was checking whether any easy method is available

[Jaikiran Pai]

I am not aware about Sun server, but in JBoss you need not create war archives. You can delpoy your application in a Exploded Form

[Mark Spritzler]

"Arun",
Welcome to the JavaRanch.

We're a friendly group, but we do require members to have valid display names.

Display names must be two words: your first name, a space, then your last name. Fictitious names are not allowed.

Please edit your profile and correct your display name since accounts with display names get deleted.

Mark

[Arun Kumar]

Thanks jaikiran pai i will go with jBoss thak you for your help

Sorry Mark Spritzler(Sheriff) for not following the rules i have changed my name

[Chris Johnston]

I would suggest going with Sun if all you want to do is to learn. Get a copy of the Sun Java App Server and the J2EE 1.4 or Java EE 5 Tutorial that is specific to the app server that you downloaded. This will provide you with about 1500 pages of app server specific documentation. Along with the rest of the documentation that comes with the Sun app server.

The biggest problem with JBoss is the complete lack of documentation, so when it comes to learning, you are basically on your own.

Good luck.

P.S. I personally learned on WebLogic, another excellent app server with even better documentation.

[Mark Spritzler]

The biggest problem with JBoss is the complete lack of documentation, so when it comes to learning, you are basically on your own.

Really, the Admin guide is right there at jboss.org.

Anyway, JBoss is really simple that to start-off you don't need any documentations.

Here is what you need to know.

In Jboss there is a bin directory, in it has a run.bat or run.sh use it to start up your App Server.

In this case it runs the "default" server So in the server/default/deploy directory is where you copy you archive files to deploy. If you want expanded, juut create a directory with the name of the archive you would have created if you created one, and copy your classes there.

So know you can run anything. And that is the only JBoss specific stuff you would need that is different than what you would need to know with Sun's App Server.

Also note, that even though I had this opinion for 6 years, I work for JBoss, started 2 months ago.

Mark

[Arun Kumar]

Thank you Mark Spritzler that was Relly a great post Thank you very much

Now may i ask one stupid question can I deploy EJB in expanded form if yes then what is the directory structure that I should follow
I find it that in all tutorials ejb's are deployed as jar files

[Jaikiran Pai]

Again, you can deploy the ejb in an exploded form. Create a folder that ends with .jar (Let's say, the folder name is helloworldejb.jar). Place this in the %JBOSS_HOME%/server/default/deploy directory. The contents of the folder will be(assume that your bean is org.myapp.ejb.MyBean)

helloworldejb.jar
  |
  |---------- META-INF
  |               |
  |               |------- ejb-jar.xml
  |               |
  |               |------- jboss.xml
  |
  |------------ org
  |               |---- myapp
  |                       |----- ejb
  |                               |----- MyBean.class
 
   

[Arun Kumar]

Thanks jaikiran pai and Thank you Mark Spritzler your posts were just what i needed Thank you very much

[Mark Spritzler]

Your welcome. Sorry I didn't see the last question till now, but what jaikiran is correct. Just note that if you have the expanded directory, and make some change to code, you need to touch the corresponding config xml file to have it redeploy. So for a jar file expanded you have to change the ejb-jar.xml just so the date for the file changes to a later date than it currently has. Not to a date before, because JBoss only checks for a newer version based on a later date.

Mark