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Deployable Components and Proxy Tools
Added by George Kroner, last edited by George Kroner on 18 Dec 2007 12:30 AM
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PowerLinks 101 - Deployable component structure and proxy tool deployment

Introduction
Most of the topics here are already covered by the SDK Programmer's Guide. Since the programmer's guide assumes reader with certain level of knowledge on the Java language, this page is intended to be a quick start for people who are not very familiar with PowerLinks?or/and Java. To learn more about the Deployable Component Framework, please refer to the SDK Programmer's Guide in the Documentation area: http://devnet.webct.com/docs/vista3/

Intro to Deployable Component (Authentication Module)
A deployable component is a custom authentication module create by developers to support single signon authentication between WebCT? Vista and 3rd party applications. There are three types of auth modules:

  •  inbound authentication module for authenticated users to 3rd party application access Vista without manual login.
  • outbound authentication module for redirecting authenticated WebCT? Vista users to 3rd party application using custom authentication protocol.
  • dual mode authentication module for handling both inbound and outbound requests, which is usually used to create authentication module that handles assisted configuration requests.

A deployable component should contain the following elements:

  • a base class that extends the Deployable Component Framework abstract class, which will specify how the authentication module will react to incoming/outgoing requests;
  • a DeployableComponentConfig.xml that specifies configuration and SMS settings of the authentication module.
  • (sometimes developers have their own utility classes for the base class)
  • (sometimes developers need to include their own dependent library jar files which are not included in standard WebCT? Vista installations)

Creating Deployable Component  
Every deployable component must include one class that extends one of the DCF abstract classes. You may refer to the sample applications included in your VistaSDKClient.zip file under samples/webctif/src/deployablecomponent/, the docs/javadocs/for API, and the SDK Programmer's Guide for more detailed descriptions of the methods.  You may also refer to the Contributions area for some nice DC posted by PowerLinks? developers. Note that some methods in the DCF abstract class can only be used for certain kind of authentication modules. You may check another How-to page for Methods specific to different types of Authentication Modules

The DeployableComponentConfig.xml has different required elements for different types of authentication modules as well, so you should check the sample application and documentation to make sure you got them right.

Packaging the Deployable Component
The structure of the deployable component jar file should be as the following (assuming you have a DC called myDC.jar):
myDC.jar
- DeployableComponentConfig.xml
- myPath/myAuthenticationModule.class
- myPath/myOtherClass.class

Two notes on the DC structure:

  1. the DeployableComponentConfig.xml should always be on the top level of the jar file;
  2. the "myPath" should be consistent to the package name of your classes. Eg, if your class is under subdirectory "myCompanyName/myAuthModuleName/myAuthModuleClass.class", then your myAuthModuleClass.java should have this package identifier: "package myCompanyName.myAuthModuleName". *

* Note that if you have a package name specified, the <classname> element in the DeployableComponentConfig.xml should also be <classname>myCompanyName.myAuthModuleName.myAuthModuleClass</classname>

Deploying Deployable Component
Put your jar file into the <webct_domain>/deployablecomponents/ directory, restart the server and your Deployable Component should be deployed. Several tips:

  1. Create a subdirectory under deployablecomponents/ directory to hold your myDC.jar. This is particularly important when your myDC.jar has dependency to non-standard libraries so you could have:
    <webct_domain>/deployablecomponents/mySubDirName
    - myDC.jar
    - <some_path>/myDependingjar1.jar
    - <some_path>/myDependingjar2.jar
  2. During the server restart, monitor your webct.log and webct_sdk_log.log for possible errors or warnings. It's usually helps you to narrow down the issue if you have problem deploying your DC.

Proxy Tools should be created via serveradmin GUI.

This article originally authored by JNI on the WebCT DevNet

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