Importing RAR files or connectors

 

Importing RAR files or connectors

Importing a resource adapter archive (RAR) file, or connector, migrates the RAR file to an assembly tool.

This article assumes you have assembled a RAR file and want to work with it in an an assembly tool such as the Application Server Toolkit (AST) or Rational Web Developer.

This article also assumes that you have started the assembly tool and have configured the assembly tool for work on Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) modules.

Importing an existing RAR file into an assembly tool migrates the RAR file to the assembly tool so you can further configure and assemble define a connector module.

  1. Click File > Import > RAR file > Next . Alternatively, you can right-click Connector Projects in a view such as the Project Explorer view and click Import > RAR file . Or, on Windows platforms, you can drag the connector Java archive (JAR) file and drop it on a view.

  2. In the Import dialog, define a connector project:

    1. Specify the name of the RAR file to import. Use Browse to locate the RAR file and specify its full path name.

    2. Specify a connector project name. For example, if you are importing the HelloWorld.rar file, you might name the project HelloWorld. Click New , specify HelloWorld for the project name, and click Next.

    3. Optional: Specify whether to overwrite and delete existing resources without warning.

    4. Select a target server. To use an application assembly service of WebSphere Application Server, select the WebSphere Application Server v6.0 target server. Available assembly services include ActivitySession, Application profiling, Internationalization, and Last participant support.

    5. If you want to add connector components to an enterprise application (EAR file), select Add module to an EAR project . If you want the connector project to stand alone, do not add the module to an EAR project.

    6. Specify a new or existing enterprise application (EAR) project to be associated with your connector project for purposes of deployment. Select an existing enterprise application project from the drop-down list or type a new project name. Or, click New and create a new enterprise application. The name must be unique among EAR files in the directory.

    7. Click Finish .

ResultA new connector project is created. Files for the connector project are shown in the Project Explorer view under Enterprise Applications and Connector Projects .

 

What to do next

After importing a RAR file, you can edit connector deployment descriptors as needed and deploy the module or its application to an application server.

When deploying the RAR file onto a server, WebSphere Application Server looks first for the connector module manifest (manifest.mf) in the _connectorModule.jar file and loads the manifest from the _connectorModule.jar file. If the class path entry is in the manifest from the _connectorModule.jar file, then the RAR uses that class path. After deployment, to ensure that the connector module finds the classes and resources that it needs, check the Classpath setting for the RAR on the console Resource adapter settings page.

For more information, see the online help for the assembly tool. Similar information is in the Application Server Toolkit information center available with this information center. Click Application Server Toolkit > J2EE applications > Working with projects > Connector projects .

Related concepts
Assembly tools

Related tasks
Assembling resource adapter (connector) modules