Installing Oxygen XML Developer using the Java Web Start (JWS) Installer

Oxygen XML Developer provides the tools to create your own JWS distribution that can be installed on a custom web server. The advantages of a JWS distribution include:
  • Oxygen XML Developer is run locally, not inside a web browser, overcoming many of the browser compatibility problems common to applets.

  • JWS ensures that the most current version of the application will be deployed, as well as the correct version of JRE.

  • Applications launched with Java Web Start are cached locally. Thus, an already downloaded application is launched on par with a traditionally installed application.

  • You can preconfigure Oxygen XML Developer and the rest of your team will use the same preferences and frameworks.
Important: If you want to create your own JWS distribution package, please contact Syncro Soft for permission through a Value Added Reseller Agreement.
Note: A code signing certificate is needed to sign the JWS distribution. The following procedure assumes that you already have such a certificate (for example, Thawte™, or Verisign™).

The following schematic depicts the Oxygen XML Developer Java Web Start deployment procedure:

Figure: Java Web Start Deployment Procedure

To deploy an Oxygen XML Developer installation on a server.

  1. Go to https://www.oxygenxml.com/InstData/Developer/All/oxygenDeveloper.tar.gz and download the All Platforms Installation package to a local drive.
  2. Expand the archive to a temporary location.
    The oxygenDeveloper folder is created.
  3. Optionally, you can customize your own framework.
  4. Edit the oxygenDeveloper\tools\jwsPackager\packager.properties configuration file. Adjust the following properties appropriately for your server:
    • codebase - Represents the location of the future JWS distribution.
    • keystore - The keystore location path.
    • storepass - The password for keystore integrity.
    • storetype - The type of the certificate file, such as PKCS12 or JKS.
    • alias - The keystore alias.
    • optionsDir - Points to the options directory that may be distributed with the JWS installer. If the directory contains an XML document named options.xml or default.xml containing exported options, these options will be used. Otherwise, the structure of the options folder has to match the structure of a stand alone application options folder.
      Note: This property is optional. It is provided only if custom options need to be delivered to the end users.
    The values of keystore, storepass, and alias properties are all provided by the code signing certificate. For more information, see the documentation for your jarsigner tool.
  5. If you want to modify the default settings, edit the JNLP oxygenDeveloper\tools\jwsPackager\dist\javawebstart\author\developer.jnlp template file. You can specify the list of files opened at startup by modifying the <argument> list. To pass system properties directly to Oxygen XML Developer when it is started, add the oxy prefix to them (for example: <property name="oxyPropertyName" value="testValue"/>). The system property is passed to Oxygen XML Developer with the prefix stripped.
  6. Open a command-line console and run ant in the oxygenDeveloper\tools\jwsPackager folder.
    The ant process creates the oxygenDeveloper\tools\jwsPackager\dist\InstData\authorJWS.zip archive that contains the actual remote JWS installer.
  7. Copy the expanded content of the archive to the folder specified in the codebase property, previously set in the packager.properties file.
  8. Using your favorite web browser, go to the address specified in the codebase property or to its parent folder and start the remote installer.
    Important: When running the Java Web Start distribution on OS X, due to changes in the security release, clicking the link to the JNLP file does not start the application. The selected JNLP is downloaded locally. Right-click it and choose to open the resource.