Multiple environments on one workstation

Has anyone come across an official statement from Oracle stating that More than One Environment on a Developer Workstation is NOT supported any longer?

Not that I have seen. The last MTR for 8.9x clients was 4/1/11, and that doesn't say anything about it. The latest installation guides for the web dev client are dated from September 2008, and the only update to the manual is a mention that Windows 7 is now supported in TR 8.98.4.2.

As far as I know, SNAPSHOT, plus my old method (batch files that switch to path-code-relevant INI files), still work.

Hi Jeremy,

To use multiple environments/Pathcodes on same workstation i ssupported using snapshot. As, per the oracle recommendations multiple pathcodes in same client installation are not supported.

Regards,
--
Ankur

Is this something new with the later TRs? I am using E8.11sp1 TR 8.97.2.1 and have 3 pathcodes on each of our fat client computers - all without using snapshot or any bat files. I have used snapshot before when I was using two different installations on the one computer.

Or have I misunderstood this thread completely?

Hi Peter,

Yes, from 8.96 tools release it is recomended to use snapshot to install/use different patcodes on same development client. Because each pathcode uses the different local database (ex. JDELOCAL_DV900, JDELOCAL_PD900).
So, if you are not using the same client, and install the webdev feature, then everytime it will connect to the same database and same environment/pathcode, as defined in jas.ini and jdbj.ini files.
You can use different set of these ini files also to get the correct specs on Local web.

I hope this explains, why it is recommended.
Regards,
--
Ankur Mahendra

Hi Jeremy,

I've heard the quote, "Oracle does not support multiple Environments..." a couple times, now. However, I haven't seen the statement from Oracle that they do not recommend Multiple 'Environments from the same installation'.

Having worked many migrations for the last ten years, I have always had a DV and PY Environment, from the same installation. However, I have never had multiple environments pointing to different installations of E1 (I have been told that the use of Snapshot is required for such setup).

In 9.0 / Most recent tools releases - there seems to be a misconception about multiple environment (same installation) setup. I'm not sure when it actually occurred - but, when you attempt to install a second pathcode and the SSE for the prior instas is not shutdown - the installation of the second can have some foundational issues (basically corrupt both installations).

I've had 9.0 with a recent tools release installed with DV and PY with no issue - until a Full Package was attempted without remembering to shutdown SSE, first. The resolution was to reinstall both pathcodes/environments and remember to shutdow SSE

Again
- I've understood that Multiple Installation is not supported and requires Snapshot (example: 8.12 Live/Production and 9.0 Sandbox)
- I've understood that Multiple Pathcode is Supported and does not require Snapshot (example: DV812 and PY812 from same Live/Production system)

I too would like to see if there has been an official 'rewording' of what's supported, an official quote, from Oracle about Multiple Environments/Pathcodes of the same Installation on a developer box.

Anyone have an ear inside Oracle that would like to make this water a little less muddy?


(db)

Ankur,

I need an interesting read.... Can you point us to the documentation where Oracle / JDE state that Multiple Pathcodes 'from the same installation' is not supported?

When a Developer logs into their Web Development Client (Fat, Thick or whatever we call it, today) - they are greeted with four boxes.
- User ID:
- Password:
- Environment:
- Role:

Now, why would Oracle still have that 'Environment' option - if only one environment was permitted per workstation?

(db)

Hi

JDE recommends to keep just one environment because of
the local Web engine.
There just one set of JDBJ.INI/JAS.INI/JDELOG.PROPERTIES
files per machine.
So, if you want to run more than one JDE environment
(on local Web mode) you'll have to manually change
these 3 files. That's why.

I have been told this several times, I find it incredibly frustrating, of course in the JAS.INI commas work for the path code installed entry: PathCodes=('DEHYDV812','DEHYPY812','DEHYPD812','DV812','PY812','PD812')

I cope by building a machine if I have to.

Tom

Dan,

When using the web development feature, you dont actually log in to the web session - you log in to Solution Explorer and select the "EnterpriseOne Menu" option form the "Tools" menu and it starts a web session already logged in. Well, that's the way it works in E811.

Ankur, Sebatsian,

Thanks for that information. So instead of:

[ QUOTE ]
More than One Environment on a Developer Workstation is NOT supported

[/ QUOTE ]

it should probably be:

[ QUOTE ]
More than one Pathcode using the Web Development feature on a single fat client is NOT supported

[/ QUOTE ]

Which would remove any confusion.

Is there any documentation at all on this from Oracle? (I know - I haven't looked on the My OracleSupport website yet.)

Our tools release is an incarcation of 8.97 - ie. after 8.96 - and I do not remember reading or being informed of anything along these lines. Possibly that was because, with our configuration (see below), we would never have two pathcodes using the web development feature at all, let alone having that on one fat client.

Our configuration involves two installations of JDE (with separate Enterprise Servers, Deployment Servers and Web Servers) - one for Production and the other for Test and Development (test/dev). In the Production install, there is only one pathcode and two environments - PD811 and JPD811 (same as PD811, but for the web). In the test/dev install, there are four pathcodes - PS811 (Pristine), DV811 (development), PY811 (CRP), PD811 (quality assurance etc.). Three of these (PS811, PY811 and PD811) have two environments - one "normal" (PS811, PY811 and PD811) and one web (JPS811, JPY811 and JPD811), the other has only the one "normal" environment (DV811). DV811 is the only pathcode that uses the web development feature. We have a test/dev web server for access to the web environments (JPS811, JPY811 and JPD811) for the other pathcodes.

Hi Peter,

More and more organizations are calling the 'Fat Client' the 'Web Development Client'.

Apparently, that's Oracle's new terminolagy for the Developer's FAT Client. Logging into your Developer Client, Fat Client, Thick Client or Web Developer client (whatever we call it) - still requires the filling of the four values. User/Pass/Env/Role.

Sorry I was misleading... when you upgrade, you might have to learn the latest lingo....



(db)

Dan,

Hopefully we will be upgrading next year. I will probably have a lot more to learn as well as new terminology.

So with the new terminology, is the new 'Web Development Client' accessed via a web browser instead of a new type of Solution Explorer application (whatever the new terminology is for it)? Does it work completely differently to:

[ QUOTE ]
you log in to Solution Explorer and select the "EnterpriseOne Menu" option form the "Tools" menu and it starts a web session already logged in

[/ QUOTE ]

Have OMW and the various design aids now been converted to web applications accessed via Internet Explorer (or another supported browser)?

When a pathcode is installed in the newer installations, does it install what was known the "web development feature" automatically, without having to specify it when assembling the full package?

If it still works basically the same way the new terminology would be rather confusing.

Peter,

From a development standpoint - you may not notice any real changes. OMW has the same look, feel and quirks. Enhancement-wise, an XE developer can step into a 9.0 developer client - and wonder what all the fuss is. If there is a dramatic change - I haven't found it.

When testing Applications - you 'may' have two options. Open them as Fat Applications or in the Web Client. If the Application is marked as Web Only - only the Web options is available. Powerforms are Web Only.

I guess, they are calling it the Web Dev Client - because you are using the traditional 'GUI/Fat' tools to develop applications that run on the web.

As a few others have commented... the Local Web is installed, either during or after the fat client. The last pathcode/environment to be installed 'rules' which web environment is installed. If you install PY last, then, by default you have PY Web. If DV last you get DV Web. There are a few hacks on the local JAS settings to mix things up - nothing that you would find overly challenging.

(db)

And for people who understand what is happening, making those changes to the various INI files is no big deal. That's why this is my preferred way of changing a web development client as needed to point to the proper path code. To be really picky about it, all this fuss is about the path code and not an environment.

The relevant entries in the INI files all point to the path code that needs to be used, and these entries haven't changed since TR 8.96. If you look at any JAS.INI and JDBJ.INI file from before Server Manager came out, you'll recognize how the local versions of these files look.

I still haven't found any official word from Oracle about this issue, but I have been at a few sites that told me that Oracle recommended using SNAPSHOT to switch between 2 different environments when needing the web development piece in both. Notice that what is going on behind the scenes, besides the renaming of the different directories, is that the INI files are switched out.

Well, rather than go through the whole rigmarole with SNAPSHOT (because I know how much <b><i>fun</i></b> we've all had using SNAPSHOT ), why not just cut to the chase and manage the INI files yourself?

This is probably the heart of what people have heard of Oracle's reluctance to support multiple path codes on a single web development client. It's too much hassle to show people what to do, and takes too much time to teach them why it works. Of course, for those who have already learned why it works, it shouldn't be much effort to get it to work the way you want.

Hi Daniel,

Its not environment, its pathcode.
I found the following note in 8.97 web client guide:
--
Note
You should not install multiple path codes on the Web Development Client. Instead, use the SnapShot
tool to save an installed path code, then install a new path code in its place. You can switch between
these installed path codes using the SnapShot tool.
--
The only problem is with the local database, which we define in jdbj.ini. So, if 2 environments are sharing the pathcode and using the common local database, then there will be no issue in using both of those environments on the same development client.

I hope it helps.
Regards,
--
Ankur

I am with Ken on this one.

I have for the last couple of years been using my own batch files to copy different versions of the jde.ini / jas.ini / jdbj.ini / jdelog.properties and jdeinterop.ini (for those using a BSSV server) files from a saved area into the correct locations for each file. The ini files have the correct settings for each pathcode / security server / local db / glossary text server / etc.

I do the same when using the web generator.

As Ken says if you understand your ini settings then it should become very clear what values need to be maintained for each pathcode.

Pre Development Web Client this was not so important but now it is.

Base jde.ini / jdbj.ini etc when deployed to fat clients should be quite rightly setup to work correctly straight off for developer fat clients (without CNC intervention) and should automatically kick off a web developer web session for JDV when required by a developer. This may not be what you want if you are using a CNC fat client with multiple path codes.

The other advantage to maintaining your own ini files instead of using snapshot comes from when you eventually need to deploy a new full package to your multiple pathcode fat client. The process will give you the base setup ini files again (which may be DV - and the package could be for PD) so you need to again manually change them all before you snapshot again otherwise you will be using the wrong ones again. With you maintaining your own - you just run your batch file again and all is back as it should be.

Have confidence in your own abilities - it ain't rocket science.....

For clarity: What is the difference between Environment and Pathcode?

I've always considered them 'interchangeable'....


Ankur,

as the others have stated: If one has multiple copes of the config files - they can swap them out (which is MUCH safer than the buggy Slapshot tool).

(db)

Pathcode = the set of programs you and your users execute
Environment = pathcode+datasources (database)

Just expanding on what Sebastian said, this is going back to my first JDE classes:

Path Code = Central Objects + Versions + source code directories (include and source)

Environment = Business Data + Control Tables + Path Code

You can have multiple environments based on the same Path Code. I have had several clients where I created a "Training" environment based on the PY path code, but with different data from the PY environment. This was used for internal classroom training, and would be refreshed after the class was done. The implementation team would continue doing work in PY, with neither side interfering with each other, except for maybe new versions popping up as they were created.

For people on Xe and ERP8, this is the difference between the TS and DV environments. The TS (Test) environment had Business Data and Control Tables mapped to the same place as DV, but its Path Code was PY. The rationale was that you could check that the objects survived promotion to the PY Path Code, and you could test them against known data, the same as when it was tested in DV.