The installation root directory, represented as as-install, is the parent of the directory that embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server uses for configuration files. This directory corresponds to the base directory for an installation of Enterprise Server. Configuration files are contained in the following directories in the base directory for an installation of Enterprise Server:
domains
lib
Specify the installation root directory if any of the following conditions applies:
You require Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server to create the directory for configuration files at a specific location.
You are using an existing domain that is at the default location, that is contained in the domains subdirectory of the installation root directory. The domains subdirectory must contain only one domain directory. This domain can be part of a nonembedded installation of Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server.
If the domains subdirectory contains multiple directories, or if you are using a domain at a non-default location, you must also specify the instance root directory.
If the instance root directory is also specified, configuration files for the domain are obtained from the instance root directory, not the domains directory under the installation root directory.
How embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server uses the installation root directory depends on the content of this directory:
If the installation root directory contains domain configuration files, embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server reads the configuration files.
If the installation root directory does not contain domain configuration files, embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server copies configuration files into this directory.
If the installation root directory does not exist, embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server creates the directory and copies configuration files into the directory.
If the installation root directory is not specified, embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server creates a directory named gfembedrandom-numbertmp in the current working directory, where random-number is a randomly generated 19-digit number. Embedded Sun GlassFish Enterprise Server then copies configuration files into this directory.