[jbosstools-issues] [JBoss JIRA] (JBIDE-15162) User must install and reference an installed local EAP instance to create a remote server definition

[Rob Stryker (JIRA)]

    [ https://issues.jboss.org/browse/JBIDE-15162?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=12789845#comment-12789845 ] 

Rob Stryker commented on JBIDE-15162:
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To clarify:  When dealing with a remote server, the local copy of the installation is used for two purposes:

1) Providing jars that can be used to communicate with the remote server
2) auto-discovery of configuration details such as ports etc. 

For JBoss >= 7, the jars are not typically used for remote management anymore, as those client jars are bundled in plugins. However, we still use them for things such as launching a LOCAL server, and we also do load these jars when the user has opted to open the MBeanExplorer, as we need some of those jars on our classpath. 

For item 2), as far as I know, every setting is overwritable. We use a local JBoss instance to discover what ports will be open in the remote configuration. We do this by searching for specific xpaths in the local copy's standalone.xml (or whichever .xml file you choose). Ideally, your local configuration will match the remote one. But this is NOT necessary. You can still double-click the server to open the server editor in eclipse, and modify these ports directly. As documented in the user guide, changing the ports in the server editor does not modify your standalone.xml, neither the local nor remote version. It just adjusts what ports JBossTools attempts to use when communicating with the remote server. 

So, the question might be brought up: If we don't NEED the local server to fully match the remote, why do we require it when creating a server adapter?  The short answer is: WTP servertools is kinda crappy and buggy if your server adapter has no local runtime to point to. Several random things seem to break when used on servers without runtimes. 

The longer answer is, well, pretty long. Our servers were originally set up only for local copies and local servers, not any remote use. We kinda 'glued' the RSE behavior in to our sever adapters as a 'mode'. Mostly, this was done so that we don't have 2x or 3x as many server adapter TYPES.  If we had a remote as7 be a different server-type than a local as7, then the new server wizard would be overflowing with seemingly identical server types. 

Each server type allows a runtime type, and has a boolean for 'requires runtime', but, as I said, many wtp features seem to randomly fail when targeting servers with no runtimes. For starters, you can't create a new dynamic web project unless you have a local AS to point to for compilation purposes. Well, you CAN create one, but, you won't be able to compile any classes that require jee jars. 

There's plenty of reasons why we require the local runtime, but just know it doesn't need to match identically. Almost all settings can be overridden, and the main goal is that you have a local installation which roughly matches the remote in terms of jar versions.  
                
> User must install and reference an installed local EAP instance to create a remote server definition
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: JBIDE-15162
>                 URL: https://issues.jboss.org/browse/JBIDE-15162
>             Project: Tools (JBoss Tools)
>          Issue Type: Bug
>          Components: server
>    Affects Versions: 4.1.0.CR1
>            Reporter: Len DiMaggio
>            Priority: Blocker
>         Attachments: Van_1.png, Van_2.png, Van_3.png
>
>
> See the attached screenshots - it seems counter-intuitive for a user to have to reference an installed local EAP instance to too create a remote server definition
> -  open the "Servers" tab (where servers are stopped/started)
> -  click in the area
> -  now right mouse click and select "New->Server"
> -  select JBoss Middleware  EAP 6.1, click next
> -  this next panel requires you to enter a directory to a local EAP install

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