How to run Websphere Portal/portlets locally from within RAD to debug

Question

I have been looking around on the internet how to setup a local Portal environment together with the RAD IDE, I found threads like this but that's a thread of the ancient history (speaking in IT terms) or only refers to optimizing Portal with RAD (here). Currently I have RAD 8.0.4.1 running and I can run a WAS-instance, but I can't manage to get the Portal-environment run locally. I read that in the past there was some sort of specific Portal Test Environment, but with the newer RAD do I have to install a full Portal? And where to get it? I cannot find a good reference anywhere.

I want to debug my portlets locally in as local Portal-context. Currently the portlets are deployed on a remote Portal-server. This costs time (package WAR, upload, refresh nodes et cetera). So I want to run our Portal locally including its portlets.

In RAD I can define new servers and can see the option "WebSphere Portal v6.1 Server on WAS 7", but it requires me to define a Server runtime environment. This opens a new popup where I have to specify:

• WebSphere Portal Location
• WebSphere Application Server Location

I have my runtimes installed in "IBM\SDP\runtimes" which contains the following folders "base_stub, base_v6_stub, base_v7, base_v7_stub, base_v8_stub, base_v61_stub, portal_v61_stub, updi_v7x, updi_v70, wsdk". Whatever location I try to point to, it keeps giving an error message: "The Portal Server installation is not correct".

I have the following questions:

• what do I need to run/debug my portal with its portlets locally?
• the fact I see portal_v61_stub in my runtime directory, means a Portal server is not installed? My IBM installation manager doesn't specifically show an option to install a Portal Server.
• is it possible to run portlet/portal locally and use hotswapping to immediately see the changes in the code/view?
• where can I download/install the required software?
• I heard that you need a very heavy machine to do portal/debug stuff locally (I am running on a 8 GB/Intel E8400 at 3.00 GHz.)
• how can I transfer the current Portal-setup which is running on a remote server to my local system (mirroring/just copy files?)

Answer 1

Few things,

RAD is a tool to develop application developed on Eclipse. It doesn't come with any server application. You need to install your WAS/Portal Server.

RAD supports Portal development and hence it has got stubs but you wont be able to deploy an application without a server.

what do I need to run/debug my portal with its portlets locally?

You need an Application server installed on your machine. Or Connect to a remote server.

the fact I see portal_v61_stub in my runtime directory, means a Portal server is not installed? My IBM installation manager doesn't specifically show an option to install a Portal Server.

No. Server is not installed. You dont need IBM Installation Manager for installing server. It's for RAD.

is it possible to run portlet/portal locally and use hotswapping to immediately see the changes in the code/view?

Yes it is, if you have a server installed.

where can I download/install the required software?

You can download the express version of server. But if otherwise if you are IBM business partner you can download from their website.

I heard that you need a very heavy machine to do portal/debug stuff locally (I am running on a 8 GB/Intel E8400 at 3.00 GHz.)

3 GB is fine for running RAD and IBM Websphere Portal Server. ( I am running it right now with many other applications ) But for best result use 4 GB RAM.

how can I transfer the current Portal-setup which is running on a remote server to my local system (mirroring/just copy files?)

You need to open your RAD and attach a server to it. Go to windows->preferences->servers->Webpshere