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How to setup the launch of Delft-FEWS

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1. a new concept is introduced with a boot build and a local base build repository (localBaseBuildRepository). This concept is explained on the wiki page of the new Forecasting Shell Servers.
   This concept is not only used by the ForecastingShell server but extends to the Operator Clients and Config Manager application.
   
2. The Delft-FEWS boot build requires a zip / msi / rpm for installlation obtained by Delft-FEWS support. Once unzipped in a local hard disk in a directory of choice it can be used as the boot build.
3. This unzipped folder now contains the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). There is no need to install Java separately anymore for Operator Clients / Config Manager.
   
4. Also part of the boot build is a new application called the createShortcuts tool in the bin folder is to be used for setting up a Stand alone client / Operator Client and/or Config Manager.
5. If after creating a shortcut you use it to start the application, it takes an executable from your boot build to initiate the launch process. During the launch process the clientConfig, and other necessary files are downloaded from the central database.  

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1. When Deltares supplies the Delft-FEWS binaries, this is often referred to as the base build.
2. When installing a Delft-FEWS base build to run Delft-FEWS Operator client, ConfigManager or Forecasting Shell server on a host machine, it will function as the boot build.
3. In most cases, updating Delft-FEWS can be done by uploading the base build. Only in a few cases when the boot build does not work properly it is required to replace the boot build.
4. When migrating to a new release, it is possible to do so by uploading a new patch and base build via the Admin Interface. For Operator Clients and Forecasting Shell servers use the Config Manager to upload a new patch. Note: migrating to a new release will still require changes to the database schema, this needs to be done before uploading the patch and base build of the new release.
   

Linux

Use the createShortcuts application from the bin/linux directory of the boot build for setting up a Stand alone client / Operator Client and or Config Manager. It needs to be made executable first. When running the createShortcuts.exe application successfully, it will make:

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Embedding the database credentials in the URL should not be used when the database server is accessible from the internet. When the URL contains credentials the complete URL is encrypted in the shortcut file (.sh/.desktop/.lnk). This requires a build > 87619. The shortcut can be transferred to other desktops or other users without asking the (other) users for database credentials. One can also encrypt the complete database connection string through the F12 option → S-clipboard → encrypt password. In that case, use the encrypted connection string but add the @ sign before it. Note that at anytime, both encrypted and unencrypted passwords can be entered, where it is recommended to share encrypted passwords only.

Examples of possible database URLs:

1. jdbc:sqlserver://myhostdummy_hostname:1433;database=mydatabasedummy_databasename;user=johndummy_username;password=secret;dummy_password

2. jdbc:postgresql://myhost/mydatabasedummy_hostname/dummy_databasename?user=johndummy_username&password=secretdummy_password";

3. jdbc:oracle:thin:

   john/secret@myhost

   dummy_username/dummy_password@dummy_hostname:1521:

   mydatabase

   dummy_databasename

4. jdbc:vjdbc:servlet:https://

   myhost

   dummy_hostname/FewsDatabaseHttpsProxy;user=

   john

   dummy_username;password=dummy_accesskey;

When possible always enable single sign on in the database server so database credentials are not needed at all.

Multiple FEWS schemas/systems in a single database (since 2022.01)

It is now possible to have multiple FEWS schemas/systems in a single (managed) database instance. By this you only need a single database and you can use a single OC/CM shortcut to access multiple FEWS systems.

When the database contains multiple FEWS schemas and the schema is not specified in the URL the OC/CM user gets automatically a pop-up to select the desired FEWS schema.

The schema creation script should be executed for every schema. Every FEWS schema/system can use a different FEWS version.

For non-OC/CM database connections and if you want to use a non-default schema you have to add the desired schema to the database URL.

1. jdbc:sqlserver://dummy_hostname:1433;database=dummy_databasename;user=dummy_username;password=dummy_password;currentSchema=test

2. jdbc:postgresql://dummy_hostname/dummy_databasename?user=dummy_username&password=dummy_password%currentSchema=test

3. jdbc:oracle:thin:dummy_username/dummy_password@dummy_hostname:1521:dummy_databasename/currentSchema=test

Create shortcut with existing clientConfig.xml

For the third option the path to an existing clientConfig.xml file can be entered directly, obtained by clicking on the Browse button or, alternatively, a completely new clientConfig.xml can be created by clicking the New button. This last option will by default create a clientConfig.xml file for a Stand Alone application (which could be edited to make it suitable for an Operator Client application). More information on what should be included in the clientConfig.xml file can be found at: Root Configuration Files for Operator Client and Forecasting Shell Servers. When this option is selected, shortcuts can be created at three possible locations (Desktop, Start Menu and/or Region Home directory, which is the same as the location of the clientConfig.xml file).

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1. Create a new folder (somewhere on your system) where the application will be located. We'll use /FEWS/201802/ in this example.
2. Create a /bin/ folder in this (201802) folder.
3. Copy/extract the FEWS build package in this /bin/ folder.
4. Copy a (Stand Alone) application folder into this (201802) folder. This is the Region Home folder for this application. We'll use /FEWS/201802/Example_SA/ in this example.
5. Copy the patch into the Region Home folder (Example_SA). The directory structure should now look similar to this (some elements are optional):
   

6. Open the clientConfig.xml file here, if it exists, and check if it contains at minimum the configuration below. More configuration options are available (see its XML schema and/or documentation page: Root Configuration Files for Operator Client and Forecasting Shell Servers). If the file does not exist, it can either be created manually with this minimum configuration or, alternatively, it can be created automatically during step 8.

   Code Block
   language xml
   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <clientConfiguration xmlns="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.wldelft.nl/fews http://fews.wldelft.nl/schemas/version1.0/clientConfig.xsd"> <clientType>Stand alone</clientType> </clientConfiguration>

   
   

7. Navigate to /FEWS/201802/bin/windows/ and double-click createShortcuts.exe.
8. Click the option to use a clientConfig.xml file, navigate to the relevant folder (/FEWS/201802/Example_SA) using the Browse button and click on the clientConfig.xml file there. Alternatively, if it does not exist yet it can now be created automatically using the New button (make sure to place it in the same /FEWS/201802/Example_SA folder). Depending on your choices, the menu will look similar to this:
   
9. Select the location(s) to place the shortcut(s) and click on 'Create shortcuts'.
10. The next time you would like to start the application you can use any of the just created shortcuts.

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1. Create your Delft-FEWS Stand-Alone application (in Delft-FEWS terminology: Region_Home folder), anywhere on your system;
2. Add an appropriate *patch.jar in the root of this folder (if it is not in there yet. It might be there already)
3. Copy a Delft-FEWS binaries /bin/ folder INSIDE the Stand-Alone application folder;
4. Navigate into the bin/windows folder, locate the CreateShortcuts.exe and run it;
5. Create a shortcut to the clientConfig.xml in your Stand-Alone application folder (tick the box 'Region Home' only);
6. Close the CreateShortcuts.exe;
7. Test if the newly created *.lnk file works
8. Close Delft-FEWS again.
9. Use a file-packer (e.g. WinZip) to zip up the Delft-FEWS Stand Alone Application as a whole. This is now the distributable package!

Launch Delft-FEWS from a batch or so file and start a workflow

.bat

C:\fews\bin\windows\Delft-FEWS.exe -Dregion.home=d:\fews\FEWS_GW

C:\fews\bin\windows\Delft-FEWS.exe -Dregion.home=d:\fews\FEWS_GW runIfdTask=d:\temp\taskProperties.xml

C:\fews\bin\windows\Delft-FEWS.exe -Dregion.home=d:\fews\FEWS_GW runIfdTaskAutoSaveToServer=d:\temp\taskProperties.xml

.so

/fews/bin/linux/jre/bin/java -Dregion.home=/fews/FEWS_GW -Xmx100m -Djava.library.path=/fews/bin/linux -XX:ErrorFile=./jvm-error.txt -XX:-UsePerfData -cp "/fews/bin/*" Delft.FEWS runIfdTask=/temp/taskProperties.xml