MetaBoss Configuration Guide

1. Download the latest binary archive, which is usually named like MetaBoss-MM.mm.bbbb.zip, where "MM" is a major version number, "mm" is a minor version number and "bbbb" is a build number.

2. Extract all contents of the archive to any location you like. Given that Windows has a 255 character limitation on total length of file path and name, the recommended location on Windows is a root directory (e.g. C:\). The root directory in archive is also named MetaBoss-MM.mm.bbbb, where "MM" is a major version number, "mm" is a minor version number and "bbbb" is a build number. So, if you have extracted files properly, you should now see this directory. For example if you chosen C:\ location and have extracted files from MetaBoss-1.2.0234.zip, you should now be able to see c:\MetaBoss-1.2.0234 directory. All MetaBoss's files are stored in various subdirectories of this directory.

3. Set up METABOSS_HOME environment variable and point it to the directory you have just extracted MetaBoss to (eg. c:\MetaBoss-1.2.0234 directory).

4. Download and install Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) Development Kit (in case if you do not have it already). The J2SE JDK is required for practically all MetaBoss related activities with the exception of reading the documentation. The J2SE JDK is available free of charge from http://java.sun.com. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. MetaBoss includes a number of batch files and scripts where JAVA_HOME environment variable is required. All these files execute either METABOSS_HOME/bin/setenvironment.bat or METABOSS_HOME/bin/setenvironment.sh or METABOSS_HOME/examples/HatMaker/setenvironment.bat or METABOSS_HOME/examples/AlmaMater/setenvironment.bat. You will need to change the value of JAVA_HOME in these files to point at the exact location and version of the JDK you have installed.

5. That's all !

Following third party products may need to be installed before you can use MetaBoss:

• Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) Development Kit.
  The J2EE JDK is required only for building systems targeting j2ee deployments. This includes building MetaBoss's own examples. It is not required for modelling work. The J2EE JDK is available free of charge from http://java.sun.com. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. The file build.properties in METABOSS_HOME/examples/HatMaker directory contains sun_j2ee_lib property setting. It needs to be set to the exact location of the j2ee.jar which is a part of J2EE JDK
  
  
• Apache Ant Build Tool.
  The Ant is required to for building systems and testing them. It is not required for modelling work. Ant is available free of charge from http://www.apache.org. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. MetaBoss examples include a number of batch files and scripts where ANT_HOME, ANT_ARGS environment variables are required. All these files execute METABOSS_HOME/examples/AlmaMater/setenvironment.bat or METABOSS_HOME/examples/HatMaker/setenvironment.bat. You will need to change the value of ANT_HOME in there to point at the exact location and version of the Ant you have installed.
  
  
• Oracle Database.
  The Oracle is one of the available database choices. The database is required for testing and running the systems. Some times matching JDBC driver is required during building of the systems (only in cases where code generator uses driver's non-standard proprietory features). Database is not required for modelling work. Oracle is available for development and evaluation purposes free of charge from http://www.oracle.com. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. MetaBoss example includes a number of batch files, ant scripts and property files where Oracle JDBC driver and Oracle database connection information is defined. You will need to change all these files to point at the exact location and version of the JDBC driver and/or Oracle database server you have installed.
  
  
• MySQL Database.
  The MySQL is one of the available database choices. The database is required for testing and running the systems. Some times matching JDBC driver is required during building of the systems (only in cases where code generator uses driver's non-standard proprietory features). Database is not required for modelling work. MySQL is available for non-commercial use free of charge from http://www.mysql.com. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. MetaBoss example includes a number of batch files, ant scripts and property files where MySQL JDBC driver and MySQL database connection information is defined. You will need to change all these files to point at the exact location and version of the JDBC driver and/or MySQL database server you have installed.
  
  
• JBoss J2EE Application Server.
  The J2EE Application Server is required only for deploying and testing J2EE deployments. This includes deploying MetaBoss's own example application. It is not required for modelling work. JBoss is available free of charge from http://www.jboss.com. Please refer to Compatibility Notes for version information. MetaBoss example includes a number of batch files, ant scripts and property files where JBoss client libraries and JBoss server connection information is defined. You will need to change all these files to point at the exact location and version of the JBoss server you have installed.
  

#
# Semicolumn separated path to look for the component implementations.
#
com.metaboss.naming.component.ComponentImplPath=${MetaBoss.Home}/plugins

package mypackage;

import com.metaboss.util.MetaBossSpecificUtils;
/**
* This is the main class of the custom utility.
* It accesses MetaBoss configuration properties
*/
public class MyUtility
{
    public static void main( String [] args)
    {
        // Read metaboss installation specific properties as early as practical
        MetaBossSpecificUtils.setupSystemProperties();
        ...........................................
        ...........................................
        // Access property
        String lBuildDate = System.getProperty("com.metaboss.release.id.builddate","unknown");
        ...........................................
        ...........................................
    }
}