Install Application Client for WAS

Install Application Client for WAS

This topic describes how to install the Application Client for WAS using the installation image on the product CD-ROM. Running client applications that communicate with a WAS requires that elements of the Application Server are installed on the system on which the client applications run. 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.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 topic and read the related topics, before you start to use the installation tools. Specifically, read these topics before installing the product:

Installing WebSphere Application Client from an i5/OS Qshell command line

Best practices for installing

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.
You can install WAS by a non-root user on a UNIX operating system and non-administrator user on a Windows operating system. However, the following functions are not enabled on Windows if the product is installed by a non-administrator user:

ActiveX to EJB bridge

Applet Client

Launching Java Web Start from browser

In V6.x, the Application Client for WAS is installable on a machine with a previous version of Application Clients. However, you cannot install a V6.x Application Client on top of a previous version of the Application Client.
For example, if a V5 Application Clients install under the C:\WebSphere\AppClient directory, you can not choose the same install location for your V6.x Application Clients installation.
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 V6.x cannot coexist with the Applet client feature in any previous release. This coexistence is not available because the installation of Applet client feature in V6.x sets the browser default Java Virtual Machine (JVM) using the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) from the V6.x installation, which is Java Runtime Environment Version 1.4.2. Similarly, the ActiveX to EJB Bridge feature in V6.x sets the Windows system path to use the JRE from the V6.x installation.

Procedure
Install Application Client for WebSphere Application Server using the launchpad.

See Install Application Client for WAS using the launchpad.
The launchpad program is available on the root directory of the product CD in the program, launchpad.sh.

The launchpad program is available on the root directory of the product CD in the program launchpad.bat.
The free download Application Client installation is not packaged with the launchPad program.
Click Launch the installation wizard for Application Client for WAS 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.
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 /APP_SERVER_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.
Run the ./install command.

Run the Install.exe command.

You can also perform a silent installation using the -options responsefile -silent 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.

The installation wizard checks the system for prerequisites. Click Next if you see a success message on the wizard panel. If a warning message is displayed on the panel, click Cancel to exit the installation wizard and install the proper prerequisites to the system.
Application Client may be fully functional even if some prerequisites are not installed on the system, however it is recommended you update your system to the required level.

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 the custom installation type. For Windows, there are two custom installation types: Custom J2EE/Thin Client and Custom Pluggable Client. For other platforms, there is only one custom installation type.

Custom J2EE/Thin Client

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.

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 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.

Install the Administration Thin Client, if we need a runtime jar that is customized to enable client applications to perform WebSphere administration tasks. The Administration Thin Client is installed into app_server_root/runtimes.

Install the Web Services Thin Client, if we need a JAX-RPC Web services runtime JAR that is customized to enable JAX-RPC client applications to communicate with the Application Server through Web Services. The Web Services Thin Client is installed into app_server_root/runtimes.

Custom Pluggable Client

Install the Pluggable Client samples if you want to make use of the Pluggable Client applications.

Custom

Install the Software Developer Kit feature, if 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.

Install the Administration Thin Client, if we need a runtime jar that is customized to enable client applications to perform WebSphere administration tasks. The Administration Thin Client is installed into app_server_root/runtimes.

Install the Web Services Thin Client, if we need a JAX-RPC Web services runtime JAR that is customized to enable client applications to communicate with the Application Server through Web Services. The Web Services Thin Client is installed into app_server_root/runtimes.

(Pluggable Client installation type only) Click Next to accept the detected Sun JRE, or click Browse to select the location of the installed Sun JRE. The Sun Software Development Kit installation location is optional. However, if the installation location is not provided, the installed Samples do not compile.

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 app_server_root/logs/install/log.txt 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.
Results
You 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.

Best practices for installing Application Client for WebSphere Application Server

Installing Application Client for WAS silently

Uninstall Application Client for WAS

Related tasks

Use the launchpad to start the installation
Running an unmanaged Web services JAX-RPC client
Use the Administration Thin Client

Related information

WAS detailed system requirements