Bean Extender Guide to Features



Network Deployment


Overview

The Network Deployment architecture provides a means for deploying and accessing Java components (henceforth referred to as content) in an enterprise intranet environment. Potential users include end users who want to use content such as Java components, applets, and applications produced throughout the enterprise, and Java developers who want to build on Java components produced anywhere in the enterprise and, in turn, make their Java products available to any other developer or end user in the enterprise.

Network Deployment consists of three major functional components: a warehouse component, a catalog component and front-end client support.

Warehouse

A warehouse component is used to store and distribute items of digital content, such as Java class files and jar files, other executable files, multimedia data files, or text documents. Content can be deployed to a warehouse in units referred to as warehouse items. Warehouses enable developers to publish developed content and allows users and other developers to order the desired content. Typically in a big enterprise where different development teams are developing and using Java software in a collaborative manner, one or more departments or groups can host warehouses. All of the developers can publish or order content with these warehouses. The overall warehouse architecture can be functionally divided into four subcomponents: warehouse server, warehouse storage subsystem, warehouse agent and warehouse peers.
Warehouse Server
A warehouse server processes requests initiated by developers and users to publish or order Java content. It has a warehouse controller GUI that allows a warehouse administrator to configure and run a warehouse server. Content storage and content distribution is handled by the storage subsystem component, which is a part of the warehouse server.
Warehouse Storage Subsystem
In a simple case, the storage subsystem may support a flat-file storage system where all content is stored in a native hierarchical file system. However, in a more sophisticated implementation, a warehouse administrator may have a choice of using a relational database for content storage. The configuration and administration of such a storage system may include disk space allocation, content caching policy settings, access controls for different users, etc. The storage subsystem has been made a pluggable component of the warehouse server, so that the warehouse controller can provide ways to pick and configure a storage subsystem using its configuration UI. The warehouse controller GUI also allows the warehouse administrator to choose and configure a storage subsystem.

The content of a storage subsystem, irrespective of its implementation, consists of two types of information: the content data and the content metadata. The content data contains the raw data, whereas the metadata includes information that describes the content data. Typically such metadata includes content name, type, size, timestamp, etc.
Warehouse Agent
A warehouse agent is the part of the warehouse that resides on the client machine. It provides easy connectivity to the warehouse server so that individual client components do not have to go through warehouse connection setup. The warehouse agent uses warehouse server connection data that was specified through the Bean Extender Configuation utility, com.ibm.beans.util.Configure, on the client machine.
Warehouse Peers
A warehouse server can be connected to other warehouse servers (known as peers) across a network. This allows each warehouse server to deliver any item stored on any of the other servers. Clients do not need to know where the item is physically located; they can simply connect a warehouse agent to any warehouse server on the network, and order the item. If the item is not stored at that server, the order will automatically be forwarded to other warehouse servers until the item is found.

Note: Although retrieval warehouse items is distributed, the same is not true when adding or updating warehouse items. When adding or updating items to a warehouse, the client must directly contact the warehouse where the item is to be stored.

Catalog

A catalog component enables users to find what content exists throughout the enterprise. Although the content is physically stored in a warehouse, the catalog stores catalog items. A catalog item describes one or more warehouse items. Any client can issue a query on a catalog to find catalog items. The catalog item can be used to access the corresponding warehouse content.

The following are some of the queries available to a client:

The overall catalog architecture can be functionally divided into four subcomponents: catalog server, catalog storage subsystem, catalog agent, and catalog peers.

Catalog Terminology
Attribute
A searchable name and value pair attached to a catalog item. An example is "JAR = yes". A catalog item can have zero, one, or many attributes. An unnamed attribute is a keyword.
Catalog Item
The basic unit of storage for the catalog. See the section on "Catalog Item" for details.
Keyword
Searchable token attached to a catalog item. An example is "executable". A catalog item can have zero, one, or many keywords. A keyword is an attribute which only has a value; it has no name.
Hierarchy
The collection of all the paths from all the catalog's items.
Navigational Searching
A form of search performed on a catalog to expose part of its hierarchy of catalog items. The catalog items are presented in terms of their paths. See the example under "Path" for an example of a navigational search.
Path
A navigational aid attached to a catalog item. A catalog item can have zero, one, or many paths. The collection of all the paths from all the catalog items forms the catalog's hierachy. The following is an example from the client GUI. The sfdsaf bean has no paths associated with it. The Herb's Widgets bean has the "software.java.widgets" path. Both the Bert's and Joe'sButtons beans each have the "software.java.widgets.buttons" paths.

Catalog Item

Catalog information is logically represented as catalog items, which consist of:

Catalog Server
A catalog server accepts and retrieves catalog information for client applications and other catalog servers (peers). A catalog server GUI allows a catalog administrator to configure and run a catalog server. Item storage and retrieval is handled by the catalog storage subsystem component.

Each catalog item contained in a catalog is locale specific, but not all catalog items need be for the same locale. Thus a single catalog can accept and retrieve catalog information from clients in any number of locales.

Catalog Storage Subsystem
A catalog storage subsystem is a JavaBean which implements the CatalogTableFactory interface. The PersistentCatalogTableFactory bean is used as the default. This bean provides a simple storage subsystem implemented using the Java persistence model. A JDBCCatalogTableFactory bean is also provided, which provides a storage susbsystem that can be used with any relational database for which a JDBC driver is available. This subsystem is not the default since it requires the separate purchase and installation of a database and its JDBC driver.

The catalog server GUI also allows the catalog administrator to choose and configure a catalog storage subsystem. See the Storage System Settings section of the catalog configuration for details on how to choose your storage subsystem.

The content of a catalog storage subsystem, irrespective of its implementation, consists of catalog items.

Catalog Agent
A catalog agent is the part of the catalog that resides on the client machine. It provides easy connectivity to the catalog server so that individual client components do not have to go through catalog connection setup. The catalog agent uses catalog server connection data that was specified through the Bean Extender Configuation utility, com.ibm.beans.util.Configure, on the client machine.
Catalog Peers
A catalog server can be connected to other catalog servers (known as peers) across a network. This allows each catalog server to locate any item stored on any of the other servers. Clients do not need to know where a catalog item is physically located; they can simply connect a catalog agent to any catalog server on the network, and search for content. This search will be forwarded automatically to other catalog servers.

The search distributed to other catalogs is timed; the search will not last forever. Results from this distributed query are returned piecemeal to a "holder" containing all the search results. Any duplicate catalog items will be removed by the holder before the results are returned to the client.

Note: Although searching for catalog information is distributed, the same is not true when adding or updating catalog information. When adding or updating information to a catalog, the client must directly contact the catalog where the information is to be stored.

Client

While the Network Deployment Catalog and Warehouse components both have client-side classes, both operate more or less independently. The Network Deployment Client ties these two together from the end user's perspective in the form of a graphical front end which can be used to deploy warehouse and catalog content, browse the catalog for warehouse content, and to order browsed warehouse content. Ordered content can be subscribed, so that the content is refreshed on a periodic basis. The refresh is initiated by the Client component. Whenever content is downloaded, all warehouse content identified as a dependency is also downloaded, if necessary.

The Network Deployment Client component also provides additional function, such as management of catalog and warehouse content ordered or added by the end user. This avoids multiple copies of the same content in one client environment.

Also, the Client component includes a network class loader, which Java programs can use to dynamically download and load classes stored as warehouse content.

Network Deployment Setup And Configuration

As of now Network Deployment software is installed as a part of Bean Extender. A machine that has the Network Deployment package installed on it can be be used as a warehouse, a catalog or a warehouse/catalog client, or any combination. Before starting any Network Deployment component, run the Bean Extender Configuration program: com.ibm.beans.util.Configure.

To do so, type:

java com.ibm.beans.util.Configure

Using this program, specify the name of the Bean Extender working directory, where various files used by Network Deployment will be saved. Also, specify the host names of the warehouse server and catalog server which the client component is to connect to by default. The specific connection information should be obtained from the server administrator. If the server administrator specifies default connection values, a user only has to know the host name of the server.

Finally, the client component uses a daemon process which must be running when any client operations are performed. In the configuration program, specify the connection information in the manner as the warehouse and catalog servers. On single user machines, the defaults provides should always be sufficient. On systems with multiple concurrent users, you can choose a connection name which will not conflict with other users. The client daemon and client GUI will both use the connection name you specify.

The warehouse and catalog components each require component-specific setup. For this information, refer to the following usage sections for the respective components.

Configuration And Usage

Servers and daemons can be started through the Bean Extender configuration utility or by entering java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.Start from a command line once the configuration has been completed through the configuration utility. Servers can also be started individually from the command line. This section describes the latter method.

Warehouse Server Configuration And Usage

It is necessary to start the rmiregistry utility before a warehouse is started. To do this, type the following command at a command-line prompt:

rmiregistry

The rmiregistry utility does not return to the command line, and must be left running.

To configure and start a warehouse server, type:

java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.warehouse.WarehouseImpl -s

The optional "-s" flag causes the warehouse server to autostart. A warehouse customizer will appear, as shown in the following figure:



When the warehouse is brought up for the first time, the server connection information must be filled in.

Server Connection Information
The server connection settings are needed so that a warehouse can be bound in the Java RMI registry running on the warehouse server machine. The host name will automatically be filled in by the warehouse server. Enter the domain name, server name and port number in the appropriate fields. Typically, the defaults provided are sufficient. Only if you run the rmiregistry utility with other than the default port number of 1099 or run multiple warehouse servers on one machine should you need to deviate from the defaults. The host name, however, must always identify the local host. The settings may be also restored from a previous session by pressing the Read From File... button.

Once the settings have been filled in, press the Apply Settings button to apply these settings to the warehouse server. To save the warehouse server settings for use in later sessions, press the Save To File... button.
Storage System Settings
The storage system, which is a part of the warehouse, performs content storage and content distribution. Storage System settings allow warehouse administrator to choose a particular storage and configure it. By default, the warehouse uses a base storage system which is built on top of the native flat file system. In this storage system the warehouse content is stored in separate files and no authentication or authorization check is necessary to access the content.



When the Next button is pressed, a UI panel for customizing the selected storage system is displayed in the controller. For example, the customization for the base storage system looks as follows:



Warehouse Peers
Warehouse Peer settings allow administrators to add or remove peer warehouses that this warehouse needs to know about. If a client machine requests certain warehouse content that is not present in the warehouse storage system, then the warehouse forwards the content request to the peer warehouses that it knows about. The following figure shows the configuration of peer warehouses.



Once the warehouse setup is completed, the warehouse can be started or stopped by using the Start Server and Stop Server buttons on the main customizer panel. You may also exit the server by using the Exit Server button.

Catalog Server Configuration And Usage

It is necessary to start the rmiregistry before a catalog is started. If the rmiregistry has not already been started, type the following command: rmiregistry

The rmiregistry utility does not return to the command line, and must be left running.

To configure and start a catalog type:
java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.catalog.CatalogImpl -s

The optional "-s" flag causes the catalog server to autostart. The catalog server GUI appears as shown in the following figure:

When the catalog is brought up for the first time, configuration should be performed. Configuration consists of three panels that include Status settings, Storage system settings and Catalog peer settings.

Once the catalog configuration is completed, the catalog can be started or stopped by using the Start server and Stop server buttons on the Status panel.

Once the catalog is stopped, the administrator can terminate the catalog server by going to the Exit panel and pressing the Terminate server button.

The CatalogInit utility can be used to easily create part of the catalog hierarchy.

Status Settings
RMI settings are needed so that a catalog can be bound in the Java RMI registry running on the catalog server machine. Enter host name, domain name, server name and port number in the appropriate fields. Typically, the defaults provided are sufficient. Only if you run the rmiregistry utility with other than the default port number of 1099 or run multiple catalog servers on one machine should you need to deviate from the defaults. The host name, however, must always identify the local host.

Storage System Settings
The storage system settings allow a catalog administrator to choose a particular storage and configure it. By default, the catalog uses the PersistentCatalogTableFactory system which uses the Java persistence model and the native file system. No additional configuration is needed to use this default storage system. If a relational database and its JDBC driver have been installed, the administrator can choose to use the JDBCCatalogTableFactory storage system. The configuration GUI for this storage system is shown below.

If this is the first time the relational database is used as the catalog storage subsystem, then check the Create new catalog tables option. Due to a limitation of JDBC, you will need to supply the actual SQL name used for LONGVARBINARY data. The Database entry field can be used instead, and the customizer will attempt to fill in the SQL name for that database's LONGVARBINARY data.

The Drop existing catalog tables choice provides a convenient way to remove all the catalog tables from your database. It can be used in conjuction with the Create new catalog tables choice to ensure a totally empty catalog.

Catalog Peer Settings
The Catalog peer settings allow administrators to add or remove peer catalogs that this catalog needs to know about. If a client machine searches for catalog information, this catalog will automatically forward the search request to these peers. Enter the RMI information for each catalog peer.

Catalog Termination
The catalog server must be stopped before the administrator can exit from the server. Stopping the server allows any current operations to complete, but prevents any new client requests from being processed. To stop the server, press the Stop server button on the
Status panel.

Once the catalog server is stopped, the administrator exits the server by going to the Exit panel and pressing the Terminate server button. The state information for the catalog server is saved in the file specified.

Using the 'CatalogInit' Utility
The CatalogInit utility can be used to easily create any part of the catalog hierarchy. This utility uses a file as input. The file specifies the
path information and, optionally, a brief title associated with that path.

To invoke the CatalogInit utility, type:
java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.catalog.CatalogInit CatalogInit.data

In the command above, the CatalogInit.data file might contain something similar to the following:

Hardware (Computer related hardware)
  Systems (Complete desktop systems)
    Dell (based in Austin, Texas)
    Compaq (based in Houston, Texas)
    IBM (based in Armonk, New York)
    Gateway (based in Souix Falls, South Dakota)
  Graphics Cards
    Diamond (Monster 3D)
    Number 9 (Revolution, Imagine)
    Canopus (3D accelarator based on VooDoo 3dfx chip)
    ATI (All-In-One, Wonder)
  Disk Drives (Fixed and removable)
    IOMEGA (Zip, Jaz)
    Seagate
    Maxtor
    Western Digital (Caviar)
    Quantum (Bigfoot)
Software (Computer related software)
  Applications
    Productivity
      Word (Microsoft)
      Excel (Microsoft)
      Access (Microsoft)
      WordPro (Lotus)
      Paradox (Corel)
      Suites
        Office (Microsoft)
        SmartSuite (Lotus)
        WordPerfect Suite (Corel)
  Data Bases
    Paradox (Corel)
    Access (Microsoft)
    FoxPro (Microsoft)
    DBase (Corel)
    Sybase (Oracle)
    DB2 (IBM)
  Games
    Action
      DOOM (id Software)
      Uprising (3DO/Cyclone)
    Business
      Monopoloy (Parker Brothers)
      Zapitalism!
    Simulation
      Comanche 3 (TerraNova)
      F-22
    Strategy
      X-Com Apocalypse
      Total Annihilation
  Compilers
    C
    Cobol
    Fortran
    GLUE
    Java
    Oberon
    NetRexx
    Pascal
    PL/I
  Interpreters
    Forth
    GLUE
    Java
    NetRexx
    Perl
    Rexx

Client Usage

Starting the Client Graphical Interface
The client component inclues a "daemon" which must be started and left running while the client graphical interface is being used. It is necessary to start the rmiregistry before the client daemon is started. To do this, type the following command:

rmiregistry

The rmiregistry does not return to the command line and must be left running.

To start the client daemon type the following command:

java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.client.ClientImpl

This program does not return to the command line and must be left running.

Now the client graphical interface can be run. To start this program type:

java com.ibm.beans.netdeploy.client.ClientMain

The panel that appears is shown in the following figure:

The client panels use a "wizard" style approach, so that you are guided through a succession of panels for the selected operation. You must fill in all necessary data before you can advance to the next panel.

Adding content to a warehouse or catalog is referred to as stocking, and updating content is referred to as restocking. By default, all stock and restock operations will be issued to the configured default warehouse or catalog specified in the Network Deployment Setup And Initialization. section. These defaults can be overridden by Set Warehouse Server Connection and Set Catalog Server Connection dialogs. These dialogs can be accessed via the Options menu item. For order operations, the specific warehouse or catalog being connected to is not important, so long as the warehouse or catalog with desired content can be accessed directly or indirectly from the server to which you are connected. If it is, desired content is located and obtained for you irrespective of its particular location.

To exit the client graphical interface, select Exit under the File menu item at any time.

Stocking Warehouse Content
Adding content to a warehouse is referred to as stocking a warehouse. To stock a warehouse, select Stock Warehouse Content on the main panel and press the Next button. This will begin a series of panels for the stock operation. The first panel is shown below.

In this panel, enter the name of the content being stocked. Content would typically be a Java class file or jar file. After the content file name is specified, press the Next button, and you will be advance to the following panel:

From this panel, you can specify fully qualified class names that can be referenced externally, similar to exports in libary files. Specifying these names allows the network class loader included with the Network Deployment client component to locate your content when the exported class is referenced.

When all of the necessary class names have been entered, press the Next button to advance to the next panel, shown below.

The above panel allows you to specify dependencies you have on any other warehouse content. It is important to specify all dependencies so that all dependent content is also downloaded to a client along with the base content being ordered.

It is assumed that you already ordered the warehouse items upon which you are dependent, or have published them to the warehouse yourself. In either case, they will appear in the client registry of warehouse items. To view the registry press the Browse Client Registry button, and select any dependent items from the ensuing registry list dialog window shown below.

When you have made the necessary selections and exited the dialog panel, press Next to advance to the next panel, shown below.

At this point, confirm that you want to actually perform the operation by clicking the button entitled Commit Current Content & Perfrom Operation. Processing will begin as soon as you press Next. Upon completion of the operation, a panel similar to the one shown below will appear.

From this panel, press the Next button to return to the main panel from which you began.

Stocking Catalog Content
The catalog provide a means for other potential users to learn about Java components, applications, or other content that you have deployed to a warehouse. Before reading this section, you should first read the section, Catalog in the Overview section to gain an understanding of catalog terms and concepts.

To create a catalog listing, select Stock Catalog Content on the main panel and press the Next button. This will begin a series of panels for the catalog stock operation. The first panel is shown below.

From this panel you specify what paths catalog browsers can traverse in order to reach your content. You can specify new or existing paths. At any point in an existing path, you can branch off and create new paths. The path elements should represent logical organizations under which your content can be classified.

To add new path entries, press the Browse Navigator button to bring up the Catalog Navigator dialog, shown below.

You can browse the catalog to find paths that already define catagories to which your catalog entry belongs. Using existing paths will make catalog browsing more productive than having many unique paths that lead only to one piece of content. Enter in the desired path info in the fields below the tree view. When users browsing the catalog run the mouse button over your entry, the title is displayed as fly-over info. If the user clicks on an entry, the description information is displayed. The description can be tailored to the context of the path and should be very brief. You will have the opportunity to enter more detailed information in a subsequent panel. When the OK button is pressed from the Catalog Navigator dialog above, you are returned to the list of specified paths. The panel below shows how the above entry would be listed.

When all of the desired paths have been entered, press to Next button to advance to the next panel, shown below.

In the panel, enter the catalog item title, description. If you have a web page that you want readers to visit, enter it in the URL field. In the Contact URL field, enter , e-mail URL, home page URL, etc., so users can contact you. A catalog entry can be added for each locale desired. Catalog browsers only see entries for their locale. After this form is completed, press the Next button to advance to the next panel.

Catalog items typically refer to one or more warehouse items. In the panels shown so far, the sample entries describe a Jar file. It is assumed that you have stocked (or ordered) the warehouse item already, which means there is an entry for it in the Client Registry. To select the warehouse item or items that are to be downloaded when a user orders through this catalog item, press the Browse Client Registry button. The registry list on your machine should appear similar to the example shown below.

From this list, select all content associated directly with this catalog item and press the Done button. The original panel will show the items selected, as in the panel shown below.

Press the Next button to advance to the next panel, shown below.

From this panel, specify attributes that apply to the warehouse content being catalogued. For example, you can allow catalog browsers to filter out all entries which do not describe Java components. There is no pre-defined set of attribute-value pairs. However, with use, a defacto set of commonly used attributes should emerge.

When you have finished entering attributes, press the Next button to advance to the Keywords panel, shown below.

In this panel, specify all keywords which are relevant to the content being catalogued and press the Next button to advance to the next panel, shown below.

Catalog items can reference other catalog items. This feature is designed to facilitate directly navigating from one catalog entry to another related one. An example of how this might be useful is if the item you are cataloging depends on some other item which is also catalogued. Creating such a reference would make it easy for catalog browsers to visit related catalog entries. This should aid them in making order choices. Reference information is stored to the catalog, but this feature is not yet being exploited in the client graphical interface.

When finished with this panel, press the Next button to advance to the next panel to commit the stock operation. From here, proceed as described in the paragraph on the Perform Current Operation panel shown in the warehouse item stock sequence described above, until you are returned to the main panel.

Retocking Warehouse Content
From the Client main panel, select Restock Warehouse Content and press the Next button to proceed to the first restock panel, shown below.

The Network Deployment client assumes you have already published or ordered the warehouse item that you want to restock. This means that an entry for it exists in the Client Registry. To select the warehouse item to be restocked, press the Browse Client Registry button to view warehouse entries registered in the Network Deployment client registry. The client registry should appear in the Client Registry View with items shown in catalog item stock sequence. From this Client Registry dialog, select the item to restock and press the Done button to return to the original panel. Then press the Next button to proceed. From this point on, the sequence is exactly like the warehouse stock sequence described above, except that all of the values are already filled in. Any of them can be changed as desired.

Restocking Catalog Content
Restocking a catalog item can be done more quickly through the client registry if you have already published or ordered the catalog item, since a client registry entry for it exists. To select the catalog item to be restocked, press the Browse Client Registry button to view catalog entries registered in the Network Deployment client registry. A view of the catalog entries in the Client Registy is shown below.

Select the desired entry and press the Done button.

Alternatively, you can use the Catalog Navigator to choose the catalog item to restock.

Press the Next button to proceed to the next panel. From this point on, the sequence is exactly like the catalog stock sequence described above, except that all of the values are already filled in. Any of them can be changed as desired.

Ordering Warehouse Items
With the Network Deployment graphical interface a user can browse the catalog and order any warehouse content listed. When an order is placed the catalogued warehouse item or items are downloaded to the client machine to the specified subdirectory, as well as all warehouse items identified as dependencies. This includes dependencies of dependencies, and so on. All of the content downloaded to the client machine is recorded in the Client Registry.

If a warehouse item included as part of an order, either as part of the base order or as a dependency, is already on the client machine, it will be removed from the total list of warehouse items to be ordered and will not be downloaded again.

Once the order is complete, and invoice file is stored in the order directory, or appended to the existing invoice file. This invoice information provides all of the details on what content was actually downloaded to the client machine, as well as a listing of content that already resides on the client machine and was thus not downloaded.

The sequence of order panels is described below. After selecting Place Order on the main panel and press the Next button, you will advance to the following panel.

In this panel, press the Browse Navigator button to view the Catalog Navigator Dialog. The title of the path being viewed is shown when cursor is over a catalog item icon. For more detail, click on the item's icon. The information will be shown in the lower portion of the dialog window. After locating a catalog item of interest, click on it to select it, and press OK. The Catalog Navigator Dialog is shown below.

The selected catalog item will appear in the originating panel, as shown below.

To continue, press the Next button. The next panel is shown below.

In this panel, specify the subdirectory where you want to place the order. If the content being ordered consists of Java class files, this directory should be specified in the CLASSPATH. If the content is packaged in a Jar or Zip file, it is extracted into the specified order directory. The original Jar or Zip is not deleted, and remains in the order directory.

After specifying the order directory, press the Next button. The next panel appears as shown below.

In this panel, specify whether you want to subscribe to the content or not. If you subscribe to the content, it will be updated daily. Content is actually downloaded only if it has changed. For subscriptions to be processed, the client daemon must be running. If you do not subscribe, you can always manually initiate updates, as described later.

After choosing a subscription option, press the Next button. The next panel is the Perform Current Operation panel that was described in a previous section. After pressing Next in this panel, the order is processed, and you advance to a panel that shows the order status. This panel is shown below.

At this point, order processing is complete. Press Next to return to the main panel. With an ordinary ASCII text editor, you can view the invoice file, located in the specified order directory, for order details. The name of the file is INVOICE. An example invoice is shown below.

****************************************************
Invoice for new order
Order Title:  Bert's Buttons
Order subdirectory:  /u/wme/Orders
Time: 21-Nov-97 4:56:26 PM
****************************************************

Items ordered
-------------
Name: buttons.jar


New items downloaded
--------------------
Name: utils.jar
Item ID: 7f2b9d96679ac243bd2de6e0664f5e1b
Item type: dependency

Name: buttons.jar
Item ID: 2938a9dcfc4bce7dceec0378fdf937d8
Item type: base item


Items already installed (not downloaded)
----------------------------------------
None

Refreshing Previously Ordered Warehouse Items
Updates to any previous order can be initiated manually. It does not matter whether a subscription was placed on the order. Content is actually downloaded only if it has changed since the last download. All dependencies of the base order are included in the order referesh. When the referesh is complete, the INVOICE file is appended with details, such as what new files were downloaded, what files were updated, and what files are already up-to-date.

To udpate a previous order, select Refresh Previous Order from the main panel and press Next. The first panel is shown below.

From this panel, you press the Browse Client Registry button to view the list of orders that have been placed previously. This dialog window is shown below.

Select the order to be refreshed and press Done. The original panel is updated with the order selected, as shown below.

At this point, press Next to advance to Perform Current Operation panel that was described in a previous section. Pressing the Next button starts the actual update process. When processing completes, you advance to the next panel, shown below.

At this point, the order refresh is complete. Press Next to return to the main panel.

The invoice file is appended with the order update details. An example order refresh invoice listing is shown below.

****************************************************
Invoice for refreshed order
Order Title:  Bert's Buttons
Order subdirectory:  /u/wme/Orders
Time: 21-Nov-97 5:04:57 PM
****************************************************

Items ordered
-------------
Name: buttons.jar


New items downloaded
--------------------
None


Items updated
-------------
Name: utils.jar
Item ID: 7f2b9d96679ac243bd2de6e0664f5e1b
Item type: dependency
Pathname:  /u/wme/Orders/utils.jar


Items up-to-date (not downloaded)
---------------------------------
Name: buttons.jar
Item ID: 2938a9dcfc4bce7dceec0378fdf937d8
Item type: base item
Pathname:  /u/wme/Orders/buttons.jar


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