How do we install one Tomcat server to share it between many users?
After default (with default parameters offered by an installation program)
installation of Tomcat for single user you get such directory structure under
$CATALINA_HOME directory:
bin - contains startup and binary files
common - contains all the external libraries which are used by
Tomcat (not Tomcat classes here, look for them at server directory)
common/classes
common/endorsed
common/i18n
common/lib
conf - all major configuration files are here
logs - here you find "famous" catalina.out log file and saved
previous catalina.out and more logs, like manager.log, admin.log,
host-manager.log
server - here are Tomcat class files, packed in jar files and plus
configuration files for host-manager and manager. Who are them? Read later
shared - here shared classes should be
temp - place for some temp things... Do not know exactly what it
is. On my machine I see bugzilla37035-safeToDelete.tmp file with 0
bytes length here.
webapps - place where your web applications are/will be.
work - here Tomcat will place class files after the compilation.
As you probably know, Tomcat "compiles" first JSP pages into servlet java code
and then compiles those servlets into class files. That's why Tomcat named
servlet container, not JSP container 
Now, when you got an overview on Tomcat structure, we are ready to go further.
Tomcat has the variable $CATALINA_BASE which is in case of single user is
equal to $CATALINA_HOME. Just add the argument "-Dcatalina.base=$CATALINA_BASE"
to startup file and $CATALINA_BASE variable must contain files for
'personal' Tomcat instance.
As you can probably assume Tomcat sharing between multiple users requires that
every user have own configuration and own applications.
Usage of this argument will force Tomcat to use relative references for files in
the following directories based on the value of $CATALINA_BASE instead of
$CATALINA_HOME:
conf - Server configuration files (including server.xml)
logs - Log and output files
shared - For classes and resources that must be shared across all
web applications
webapps - Automatically loaded web applications
work - Temporary working directories for web applications
temp - Directory used by the JVM for temporary files
(java.io.tmpdir)
Finally you get what you need to get a freedom and feel free from other guys
If you do not pass the "-Dcatalina.base=$CATALINA_BASE" argument to the
startup command, $CATALINA_BASE will be default to the same value as
$CATALINA_HOME, which means that the same directory is used for all relative
path resolutions.
For troubleshooting of Tomcat server installation please look at
Troubleshooting section below:
The administration and manager web applications, which are defined in the
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/Catalina/localhost/admin.xml
and
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/Catalina/localhost/manager.xml files, will not run in
that configuration, unless either:
- The path specified in the docBase attribute of the Context element is made
absolute, and replaced respectively by $CATALINA_HOME/server/webapps/admin
and $CATALINA_HOME/server/webapps/manager
- Both web applications are copied or moved to $CATALINA_BASE, and the
path specified in the docBase attribute of the Context element is modified
appropriately.
- Both web applications are disabled by removing
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/Catalina/localhost/admin.xml
and
$CATALINA_BASE/conf/Catalina/localhost/manager.xml
Troubleshooting section
There are only 3 things likely to go wrong during a stand-alone Tomcat
installation:
(1) The most common hiccup is when another web server (or any process for that
matter) has laid claim to port 8080. This is the default HTTP port that Tomcat
attempts to bind to at startup. To change this, open the file:
$CATALINA_HOME/conf/server.xml
and search for '8080'. Change it to a port that isn't in use, and is greater
than 1024, as ports less than or equal to 1024 require superuser access to bind
under UNIX.
Restart Tomcat and you're in business. Be sure that you replace the "8080" in
the URL you're using to access Tomcat. For example, if you change the port to
1977, you would request the URL http://localhost:1977/ in your browser.
Remember, that all URLs (pointing to your pages, for example from one to
another) that are used in application also must have a port number in every URL
to work properly, including forms if they post towards your server. It is good
idea to move that port to web.xml file as a parameter which is read during start
up of your application. Web xml is default configuration file which is used by
every application on Tomcat. You can find it under
webbaps/yourapplicationpath/WEB-INF directory.
(2) An "out of environment space" error when running the batch files in Windows
95, 98, or ME operating systems.
Right-click on the STARTUP.BAT and SHUTDOWN.BAT
files. Click on "Properties", then on the "Memory" tab. For the "Initial
environment" field, enter in something like 4096.
After you click apply, Windows will create shortcuts which you can use to start
and stop the container.
(3) The 'localhost' machine isn't found. This could happen if you're behind a
proxy. If that's the case, make sure the proxy configuration for your browser
knows that you shouldn't be going through the proxy to access the "localhost".
In Netscape, this is under Edit/Preferences - Advanced/Proxies, and in Internet
Explorer, Tools - Internet Options - Connections - LAN Settings.
In Internet Explorer here: Tools - internet Options - Connections - LAN
Settings.
In Firefox: Tools - Options - General - Connection Settings
Alexandre Patchine publishes Java Programming Tips on JavaFAQ.nu site and offers free "1000 Java Tips" e-book on his site. You can find
many free Java books and Java tools on his site. If you are learning Java the
JavaFAQ.nu is best place to start
with.
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