[Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming
Hello, folks! Based on my readings, it seems that most people running Tomcat on dedicated boxes. Unfortunately, I'm in a shared environment running multiple instances of Tomcat, one for each client. My problem is that some clients like to update their own static content via ftp, while letting me, the programmer, handle the more complex stuff. What stinks is that if they ftp content to the server, then I've got to merge their new and changed stuff into my development box because when I deploy my war file (I'm developing in a separate environment), it overwrites all of their stuff. My content providers aren't technically savvy, so I can't expect them to learn to use CVS. They're probably using some GUI program like Dreamweaver to create their pages. Does anyone have a suggestion to help streamline the battle of content providers versus programmers? I've thought of having them upload to a alternate directory and then running some ant script to copy new and changed files into the Tomcat directories, but that still won't help with the merging process. To make things even more complicated, and we're also using Tiles so my content providers have to ask me to add entries into struts-config.xml and tiles-defs.xml when they create a new page. Is anyone else dealing with this kind of inefficiency, or do you all work with just other programmers? Thanks for your opinions, -Anthony Carlos - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming
Sounds like it's a case where using a war file is causing the problem. I would drop the war files altogether and just distribute their contents. That way you can distribute just the bits of the webapp that you have changed. Sounds to me like you own the JSP/servlet/config files and they own the static files. So they can just ftp the files to the server, and you copy them to your machine when you need to, but you only ftp back up the files that you own. Or another approach is to put all static content in a webserver directory that is not part of the webapp. That way it won't be in the war file. I know this somewhat defeats the object of a warfile, but you have a situation here where a compromise is required. -Original Message- From: Anthony E. Carlos [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday 22 October 2004 18:24 To: 'Tomcat Users List' Subject: [Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming Hello, folks! Based on my readings, it seems that most people running Tomcat on dedicated boxes. Unfortunately, I'm in a shared environment running multiple instances of Tomcat, one for each client. My problem is that some clients like to update their own static content via ftp, while letting me, the programmer, handle the more complex stuff. What stinks is that if they ftp content to the server, then I've got to merge their new and changed stuff into my development box because when I deploy my war file (I'm developing in a separate environment), it overwrites all of their stuff. My content providers aren't technically savvy, so I can't expect them to learn to use CVS. They're probably using some GUI program like Dreamweaver to create their pages. Does anyone have a suggestion to help streamline the battle of content providers versus programmers? I've thought of having them upload to a alternate directory and then running some ant script to copy new and changed files into the Tomcat directories, but that still won't help with the merging process. To make things even more complicated, and we're also using Tiles so my content providers have to ask me to add entries into struts-config.xml and tiles-defs.xml when they create a new page. Is anyone else dealing with this kind of inefficiency, or do you all work with just other programmers? Thanks for your opinions, -Anthony Carlos - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming
Anthony E. Carlos wrote: Hello, folks! Based on my readings, it seems that most people running Tomcat on dedicated boxes. Unfortunately, I'm in a shared environment running multiple instances of Tomcat, one for each client. My problem is that some clients like to update their own static content via ftp, while letting me, the programmer, handle the more complex stuff. What stinks is that if they ftp content to the server, then I've got to merge their new and changed stuff into my development box because when I deploy my war file (I'm developing in a separate environment), it overwrites all of their stuff. My content providers aren't technically savvy, so I can't expect them to learn to use CVS. They're probably using some GUI program like Dreamweaver to create their pages. Does anyone have a suggestion to help streamline the battle of content providers versus programmers? I've thought of having them upload to a alternate directory and then running some ant script to copy new and changed files into the Tomcat directories, but that still won't help with the merging process. To make things even more complicated, and we're also using Tiles so my content providers have to ask me to add entries into struts-config.xml and tiles-defs.xml when they create a new page. Is anyone else dealing with this kind of inefficiency, or do you all work with just other programmers? Don't war it and update the server with your changes via cvs. Then you can check if there are updates on the server, if so commit them and then update locally. best, -Rob Thanks for your opinions, -Anthony Carlos - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming
On Fri, Oct 22, 2004 at 01:24:00PM -0400, Anthony E. Carlos wrote: I've thought of having them upload to a alternate directory and then running some ant script to copy new and changed files into the Tomcat directories, but that still won't help with the merging process. To make things even more complicated, and we're also using Tiles so my content providers have to ask me to add entries into struts-config.xml and tiles-defs.xml when they create a new page. Sounds like you need to impose some structure on how your clients upload things. Since you have more than one person/group of people working on the same stuff _someone_ needs to do the merging, but there's no reason to do it by hand. Since you're using CVS, let CVS do some of the work for you. 1: Have your clients upload to a checked out copy of your sources This assumes your source layout and your installed layout are fairly similar. This can be made easier if you declare that all of their stuff needs to go in some subdirectory that maps to the installed layout in a well define manner. 2: To satisfy their immediate update requirement, write a script that watches for new files and copies them to the webapps directory when they appear. 3: Before you install a new war file, go into the upload directory, run an update, merge changes, check in those changes. Then re-update your development box and rebuild. If you define a branch for the client upload changes you can import each of their changes to the branch and then do all of your merging work on your development box. In fact, you could even automate the checkin using the afore mentioned script. Branches are extremely useful for things like this. eric - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Somewhat OT] Content vs. Programming
You must be saying that you are using an instance of Tomcat and that your content providers are putting pages into your application in that instance. If so, since you are only in development, why don't you forgo the war file and just bounce your application with manager to catch the differences? Michael McGrady Anthony E. Carlos wrote: Hello, folks! Based on my readings, it seems that most people running Tomcat on dedicated boxes. Unfortunately, I'm in a shared environment running multiple instances of Tomcat, one for each client. My problem is that some clients like to update their own static content via ftp, while letting me, the programmer, handle the more complex stuff. What stinks is that if they ftp content to the server, then I've got to merge their new and changed stuff into my development box because when I deploy my war file (I'm developing in a separate environment), it overwrites all of their stuff. My content providers aren't technically savvy, so I can't expect them to learn to use CVS. They're probably using some GUI program like Dreamweaver to create their pages. Does anyone have a suggestion to help streamline the battle of content providers versus programmers? I've thought of having them upload to a alternate directory and then running some ant script to copy new and changed files into the Tomcat directories, but that still won't help with the merging process. To make things even more complicated, and we're also using Tiles so my content providers have to ask me to add entries into struts-config.xml and tiles-defs.xml when they create a new page. Is anyone else dealing with this kind of inefficiency, or do you all work with just other programmers? m Thanks for your opinions, -Anthony Carlos - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
