Install Application Client for WebSphere Application Server
Install Application Client for WebSphere Application Server
Running Application Client that communicates with WebSphere Application Server requires that elements of the Application Server are installed on the machine on which the client runs. However, if the system does not have the Application Server installed, you can install Application Client, which provides a stand-alone client run-time environment for your client applications. See the Supported Prerequisites page for more information on supported product platforms.This article describes how to install the Application Client for WebSphere Application Server using the installation image on the product CD-ROM. The steps that follow provide enough detail to guide you through preparing for, choosing, and installing the variety of options and features provided. To prepare for installation and to make yourself familiar with installation options, complete the steps in this article and read the related topics, before you start to use the installation tools. Specifically,
read these topics before installing the product:
As a general rule, if you launch an installation and there is a problem such as not having enough temporary space or not having the right packages on your Linux or UNIX systems, then cancel the installation, and make the required changes. Restart the installation to initiate your changes.
Although it is not supported or recommended, you can install this product as a non-root user on a UNIX operating system. However, use a user ID that is part of the administrator group on Windows platforms.
In Version 6, the Application Server for WebSphere Application Server is installable on a machine with a previous version of Application Clients.
However, you cannot install a Version 6 Application Client on top of a previous version of the Application Client. For example, if a Version 5 Application Clients install under the C:\WebSphere\AppClient directory, you can not choose the same install location for your V6 Application Clients installation.
Note: For Application Clients to coexist, there is a limitation on Applet client and ActiveX client on Windows that can not be coexisted with V5.0.x and V4.x of the clients. For example,
the Applet client feature in Version 6 cannot coexist with the Applet client feature in any previous release. This coexistence is not available because the installation of Applet client feature in Version 6 sets the browser default Java Virtual Machine (JVM) using the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) from the Version 6 installation, which is Java Runtime Environment Version 1.4.2.
Similarly, the ActiveX to EJB Bridge feature in Version 6 sets the Windows system path to use the JRE from the Version 6 installation.
Steps for this task
Install Application Client for WebSphere Application Server using the launchpad. The launchpad program is available on the root directory of the product CD in the program, launchpad.sh,
on Linux and UNIX platforms and launchpad.bat on Windows platforms.
Note: The free download Application Client installation is not packaged with the launchPad program.
Click Launch the installation wizard for Application Client for WebSphere Application Server from the launchpad tool to launch the InstallShield for MultiPlatforms installation wizard. This action launches the installation wizard. The Readme documentation to which the launchpad links is the readme.html file in the CD root directory. The readme directory off the root of the CD has more detailed Readme files. The Installation Guide is in the /docs directory of the CD
root directory.
Note: Readme file names are based on product offerings. When you install application clients, the current working directory must be the directory where the installer binary program is located. This placement is important because the resolution of the class files location is done in the current working directory. For example:
cd /install_root/AppClient
./install
or
cd <CD mount point>/AppClient
./install
Failing to use the correct working directory can cause ISMP errors that abort the installation.
The installation wizard does not upgrade or remove previous Application Clients installation automatically.
Application Client V6.1 can be installed together with previously installed Application Clients if their versions are lower than 6.1. However, only one instance of Application Client V6.1 can be installed on the same system. When the installer is launched, it will detect any existing installation of Application Client V6.1 and direct the install flow to the feature panels so that additional features can be added on top of the existing installation.
As indicated in the previous example, you can start the installation wizard from the product CD-ROM, using the command line.
On other Linux platforms and UNIX-based platforms, run the
./install command.
On Windows platforms, run the Install.exe command.
You can also perform a
silent installation using the -options responsefile parameter,
which causes the installation wizard to read your responses from the options response file, instead of from the interactive graphical user interface. Customize the response file before installing silently. After customizing the file,
issue the command to silently install. Silent installation is particularly useful if you install the product often.
The rest of this procedure assumes that you are using the installation wizard. There are corresponding entries in the response file for every prompt that is described as part of the wizard. Review the description of the response file for more information.
Comments in the file describe how to customize its options.
Click Next to continue when the Welcome panel is displayed.
Click the radio button beside the I accept the terms in the license agreement message if you agree to the license agreement, and click
Next to continue.
Specify a destination directory. Click Next to continue.
Ensure that there is adequate space available in the target directory.
Specify a target directory for the Application Client product.
Enter the required target directory to proceed to the next panel.
Deleting the default target location and leaving an installation directory field empty prevents you from continuing the installation process.
Choose a type of installation, and click Next .
If you use the GUI, you can choose a Typical installation type, which installs J2EE and Thin application client, Samples and IBM Developer Kit, Java 2 Technology Edition, or you can choose either Custom J2EE/Thin Client installation type, or a Custom Pluggable Client installation type.
Custom J2EE/Thin Client
(Windows Only) If you select the ActiveX to EJB Bridge feature,
then the following is displayed in a dialog box: Do you want to add Java runtime to the system path and make it the default JRE? If you answer Yes, then the Java run time is added to the beginning of the system path. If you answer No, then the ActiveX to EJB Bridge does not function from the Active Server Pages (ASP), unless you add the Java run time to the path. To add the Java run time later, see the topic ActiveX application clients or reinstall the Application Client.
(Windows Only) If you select the Applet client feature, then the following message might be displayed: An existing JDK or JRE has been detected on your computer. You chose to install the Applet Client, which will overwrite the registry entries for this JDK or JRE. Do you want to continue and install the Applet Client? If you select Yes, the installation overrides the registry on your machine. If you select No, the Applet client feature is not installed,
and you are directed back feature dialog box.
Install the Software Developer Kit feature, if you need to use any of the utilities that it provides, such as the javaccompiler, the jarutility or the jarsigner utility. The Java 2 Development Kit that IBM provides has two components, Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and a complete Software Developer Kit (SDK). The JRE sub feature is selected by default for the Custom J2EE/Thin Client installation type. The SDK component is optional; however, install the SDK component to compile the sample.
Custom Pluggable Client
Install the Pluggable Client samples if you want to make use of the Pluggable Client applications.
If Sun JRE has not been installed, the installation cannot be continued. Click Cancel to exit the installation. Install the Sun JRE, and restart the Pluggable Custom installation. The Sun JRE panel is displayed with the JRE path detected, and the Pluggable application client installation continues.
Enter the host name of the WebSphere Application Server machine. Click Next to continue. The default port number is 2809.
Review the summary information, and click
Next to install the product code or you might also click Back to change your specifications.
Click Finish to exit the wizard, after the Application Client installs.
Verify the success of the installer program by examining the Completion panel and the <install_root>/logs/WAS.Client.isntall.log file for installation status. The installer program records the following indicators of success in the logs:
INSTCONFSUCCESS indicates that the installation is successful and that no further log analysis is required.
INSTCONFFAILED indicates an installation failure that you cannot retry or recover from without reinstalling.
ResultYou successfully installed the Application Client for WebSphere Application Server and the features you selected.
What to do next
Use the installation verification utility to verify a successful installation.
If the installation is not successful, fix the error as indicated in the installation error message. For example, if you do not have enough disk space, add more space, and reinstall the Application Client.