4.2. Testing the XXE applet, a step by step description

The procedure below is identical to the one used to deploy XXE using Java™ Web Start. The only difference is that you need to use different options for the deploywebstart command-line utility.

  1. Install a Java™ 1.5+ JDK (a JRE is not sufficient) on the deployment server. Example: let's call this server rapido.

    Important

    Make sure that the $JAVA_HOME/bin/ directory is referenced in $PATH because deploywebstart needs to run command line tools such as keytool and jarsigner.

  2. Install XXE on the server. Example: /opt/xxe/.

  3. Customize XXE if needed to. Example:

    • Create directory /opt/xxe/addon/custom/. This directory will contain all the add-ons you want to deploy.

    • Unzip one or more add-on distributions in /opt/xxe/addon/custom/.

      You'll find the add-on distributions packaged by XMLmind in http://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/addons.shtml.

      Tip

      This customization of the XXE distribution can be done by hand by unpacking add-on distributions anywhere inside /opt/xxe/addon/, or more simply by using the integrated add-on manager (OptionsInstall Add-ons).

      In the latter case, just make sure to check "Install add-ons in XXE installation directory" in the Preferences dialog box (OptionsPreferences, Install add-ons section) before using the add-on manager.

  4. Test your customized distribution by running /opt/xxe/bin/xxe on the server.

    Note

    If you use the RenderX XEP plug-in, make sure that you have finished its installation by converting at least a document to PDF or PostScript®.

  5. Run the deploywebstart command-line tool:

    /opt/xxe/bin$ ./deploywebstart -applet xxe -index
    • -applet xxe is used to generate in /opt/xxe/webstart/ a xxe.jnlp file describing the deployment of XXE as an applet rather than using Java™ Web Start.

    • -index is used to generate a simple index.html file in /opt/xxe/webstart/. This file contains the applet element.

    • Jars are signed using a self-signed certificate issued by the person who ran deploywebstart. If you want to sign the jars with an actual certificate, you need to use all the four -storepass, -keystore, -keypass, -alias options.

  6. Publish your customized distribution on your intranet using a HTTP server. Apache example:

    1. Add a similar snippet to /etc/httpd.conf:

      <Directory /opt/xxe/webstart/>
        AllowOverride None
        Order Deny,Allow
        Deny from All
        Allow from my_company.com
      
        Options Indexes Includes
      </Directory>
      Alias /xxe /opt/xxe/webstart/
    2. Restart apache:

      # cd /etc/rc.d
      # ./apache restart
  7. Point your Web browser to http://rapido.my_company.com/xxe.