Glen Mazza wrote: > Peter Crowther wrote: > >>> From: SOA Work [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> Check the Servlet Spec (version 2.4 is at >> http://www.jcp.org/aboutJava/communityprocess/final/jsr154/ >> ) for questions of this kind. >> >>> From memory in both cases (so treat with caution): >> >> >> >>> 1.) am I allowed to call main methods or programms in my web >>> applicatio? >> >> >> >> If you wish to be spec-compliant, no. However, it should work depending >> on Tomcat's security settings. >> > > Really? I thought you could do anything within a Servlet that you can > do within normal Java code. Also, a restriction on calling the > "main()" method within a class seems nonsensical, because one can > simply rename that method. > > >> >>> 2.) am I allowed to write files on the disk from within an web >>> application? If I am, something went wrong while trieing ;-) >>> Can i write anywhere or have I to write to my application dir or to >>> temp dir or something. >> >> >> >> >> If you wish to be spec-compliant, you can only write to a temporary >> directory that you ask the context for. However, this may or may not be >> enforced depending on Tomcat's security settings. >> > > This point I'm less sure on, but I would think it's the role of the > *servlet container* to be spec-compliant, not the programmer of a > servlet. But FWIW, the Tomcat Administration Web Application > (separate download in 5.5.x[1]) does alter the XML files located in > the Tomcat /conf directory. If the original questioner is having > problems altering text files located on the server, perhaps the code > for the Admin application would be a good reference for him. > > Glen > > [1] http://tomcat.apache.org/download-55.cgi > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > I know this is a late response in this thread, but I think the point is still relevant....
Writing data is a perfectly normal operation in web applications. Admittedly the servlet spec is centered on writing to a database service instead of the filesystem. Webapp designers need to consider one or two things from the beginning if writing to the filesystem. The first being deployment from a web archive (.war file) is intended to be read-only by the servlet spec. Best practice is to configure a path to a place outside the webapp for writing data. If the data needs to be made available to the client, write a basic servlet to read the data and write it to the client. It'll make updating the webapp sooo much easier when you don't have to worry about sorting out basic material in the webapp from all the uploaded/dynamic material. The second item to consider is path. Relative paths are going to be relative to the current working directory when tomcat was started, not the webapp. It'll cause loads of confusion trying to figure out where that uploaded file went until you realize how the relative path was computed. ServletContext.getRealPath may help if you really want to write to the webapp's folder, but this method only returns a path if the webapp is deployed from an uncompressed folder (not a .war file). Ok. I miscounted. Item three to consider: Writing to the filesystem limits portability. Not a problem if this is intended to be an in-house solution, but might be something to consider when trying to sell your solution to customers. -- David --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
