z2-Environment

h1. How to run a sample

Various z2-based sample system configurations have been prepared as Git repositories. 

Assuming you know the repository URL these three steps (with or without Eclipse) are all there is to do.

h1. Eclipse users (recommended)

Most likely you will want to look at code or configuration files of a sample. That is why we recommend to start from within the Eclipse IDE. If you prefer the command line or another IDE, please proceed to [[How to Run a Sample#From the command line|From the command line]].

Open Eclipse with a new workspace in a new folder, say *sample*. Note: We will clone repositories as siblings to your workspace. So let's assume your workspace is *sample/workspace*.

h2. 1. Prepare a z2-base installation

As the location where repositories are cloned to matters, it is simplest you open the Git tab in the Eclipse preferences and enter "${workspace_loc}/.." as default repository location.

Open the Git Perspective and clone the "z2-base.core":http://redmine.z2-environment.net/projects/z2-base/repository/core repository from this URL *http://git.z2-environment.net/z2-base.core*. For convenience choose to import all projects into the workspace or do so after cloning has completed. You should end up having a project *core* in your workspace. That project is the z2 core that will fetch dependency resources as needed later on.

h2. 2. Clone the sample repository

Now repeat the same with the repository for the specific sample. It is important that the repository is cloned as a sibling to the core, So that the core can pick up modules defined in the sample.

h2. 3. Start and introspect

You can launch Z2 from Eclipse by the _launcher_ file in the root of the *core* project (or by navigating to *Run* / *External Tools* / *External Tools Configurations...* and pick the launcher). A GUI wrapping the console should open up and you are ready to go.

Once it is running, import the projects from the sample repository into your workspace, so that you can have a look at them. If you have previously installed the Eclipsoid plugin (see [[Step_3_-_First_steps_with_Z2_on_Git#Installation-of-the-Eclipsoid-plug-in]]) you can conveniently resolve all compilation dependencies with one click from within Eclipse.

h1. From the command line

All you need is Java Runtime Environment (JRE) of at least version 6. Other pre-requisites, for example some database setup may be required based on the specific example, i.e. stuff that cannot be covered here.

h2. 1. Prepare a z2-base installation

Create a folder to hold the installation. We will assume that folder is called *sample*

In *sample* execute

<pre>

git clone -b master http://git.z2-environment.net/z2-base.core

</pre>

Go into *sample/z2-base.core/run/bin* and run 

<pre>

./gui.sh

</pre>

or 

<pre>

gui.bat

</pre>

depending on your operating system. A simple graphical console should open up that displays the console log output of the z2 <home> and worker processes - as explained in http://www.z2-environment.eu/check_it_out.

At the first start, the environment will download required resources, which may take a few minutes - depending on your network bandwidth. Subsequent starts will be much quicker. Eventually the server should be up and you can go to the basic admin view at http://localhost:8080/adm (use z* with password z) to verify everything is cool. You do actually not need to start before completing step 3. But checking things are working doesn't hurt either.

Stop the environment again by either pressing Ctrl+C on the console where you started the GUI or by clicking the Exit button on the GUI.

h2. 2. Clone the specific sample repository

Given the sample repository is called *z2-samples.sampleX*, go into *sample* once more and run 

<pre>

git clone -b master http://git.z2-environment.net/z2-samples.sampleX

</pre>

h2. 3. Start 

Now start the environment again as described above. The environment will now run with the sample configuration and all required dependencies.

In other words: That's it.

h2. Why does that actually work?

If you care, here is how everything falls into place:

The z2-base.core repository contains a z2 core installation that is bound to a remote "system repository" at "http://git.z2-environment.net/z2-base.base":http://redmine.z2-environment.net/projects/z2-base/repository/base?rev=master. As it is by now best practice with z2, that repository contains an *environment* module that describes system specific settings such as other repositories.

By cloning the sample repository you put an override of *environment* module into view of the _dev repository_. That is, the local server will take your local definitions with preference over the remote definitions. These may include other remote component repositories such as *z2-addons.spring*.

In addition the sample repository contains all the modules holding code and other resources that implement the actual sample.

If you already understand how the _dev repository_ works, you will not be surprised to find files called LOCAL in the module folders of cloned repository's workspace.

h2. References

* Dev Repository: http://www.z2-environment.eu/v20doc#Workspace%20Development%20Using%20the%20Dev%20Repository