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iPlanet Portal Server:Instant Collaboration Pack Administrator's Guide |
Chapter 3 Managing iPlanet Instant Messenger
This chapter describes how to customize and administer iPlanet Instant Messenger.This chapter contains these sections:
Configuring iPlanet Instant Messenger
Invoking iPlanet Instant Messenger
Solving Web Server Issues (Standalone Only)
Customizing iPlanet Instant Messenger
Administering iPlanet Instant Messenger Conference Rooms and News Channels
Configuring iPlanet Instant Messenger
There are two ways to configure and download (run) iPlanet Instant Messenger:
Using Java Web Start - In this configuration, users run iPlanet Instant Messenger as an application. The browser dependency is removed, and updates are automatically detected.
See the iPlanet Portal Server: Instant Collaboration Pack Release 3.0 Installation Guide for procedures on how to configure the Java software that enables iPlanet Instant Messenger.Using the Java Plug-in - In this configuration, users run iPlanet Instant Messenger as a Java applet. The browser window that launched the applet needs to stay open and unused while running iPlanet Instant Messenger.
Invoking iPlanet Instant Messenger
To invoke iPlanet Instant Messenger, you can use:
The index.html file, provided by iPlanet Instant Messenger. The index.html file provides buttons to launch both the Java Web Start and Java Plug-in versions of iPlanet Instant Messenger. This file also has links to iPlanet Instant Messenger documentation.
A modified version of index.html, which you edit to your site's preferences.
An web page of your own design that provides a link to the version of iPlanet Instant Messenger you want your users to have access to.
An valid URL for either the iim.html or iim.jnlp files, entered in the browser.
To Invoke iPlanet Instant Messenger
Use the following URL to invoke iPlanet Instant Messenger.
http://webserver:webserverport/subdirectory/filename
For subsequent invocations, you can:
Add the URL to your favorites.
Launch the application using the Java Web Start launcher icon on your desktop (Java Web Start version only).
Use the shortcut on your desktop. (Java Web Start asks if you want to put the icon on your desktop after the first or second time you invoke iPlanet Instant Messenger. Whether it asks the first or second time is a preference that can be set from the Java Web Start Edit menu.)
Solving Web Server Issues (Standalone Only)
This section contains web server issues that apply only to standalone deployments. These issues do not apply to portal deployments.
iPlanet Instant Messenger Software Not Located in Web Server Document Root
By default, iPlanet Instant Messaging Server expects to find the iPlanet Instant Messenger software (client component) installed in the web server's document root. However, you might choose to install the iPlanet Instant Messenger software files in a directory other than the web server document root. If so, there are three items you'll need to be aware of:
Web server - You either have to configure the web server to enable access to the directory where you installed the iPlanet Instant Messenger files, or create a symbolic link in the web server's document root.
URL to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger - The URL that users type for the index.html (and iim.html and iim.jnlp files) needs to reference the iPlanet Instant Messenger installation directory.
- For example, on iIM Server host iim.i-zed, if the iPlanet Instant Messenger software is installed in the /opt/SUNWiim/html directory, you could create a symbolic link iim, which points to /opt/SUNWiim/html, in the web server's document root.
Note By using a symbolic link, you do not need to change the web server's configuration.
Launching with Java Web Start- The iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files have a codebase parameter that needs to be changed to reference the web server and path to the iPlanet Instant Messenger software. The line to change is:
- For example, on iIM Server host iim.i-zed, if the iPlanet Instant Messenger software is installed in the /opt/SUNWiim/html directory, and you created a symbolic link iim, which points to /opt/SUNWiim/html, in the web server's document root, users would then type the following URL to access the iPlanet Instant Messenger main page (index.html):
- http://iim.i-zed.com/iim/
- Users could also type the following URLs to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger directly:
- Java Plug-in: http://iim.i-zed.com/iim/iim.html
- Java Web Start: http://iim.i-zed.com/iim/iim.jnlp
- codebase="http://servername:port/path/"
- You only need to include the port number of the web server if it is not using the default (80).
- For example, on iPlanet Instant Messaging server host iim.i-zed, if the iPlanet Instant Messenger software is installed in the /opt/SUNWiim/html directory, you could create a symbolic link iim, which points to /opt/SUNWiim/html, in the web server's document root. Then you would change the codebase parameters in the iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files to the following:
- codebase="http://iim.i-zed.com/iim/"
Note The iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files are used for Java Web Start configurations. If you are only using Java Plugin, you do not need to edit these files as they will not be used.
Web Server Installed on a Port Other than Default (80)
Your web server might be installed on a port other than the default (80). If so, there are two items to be aware of:
Launching with Java Web Start - Edit the iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files and change the codebase parameter to:
URL to launch iPlanet Instant Messenger - The URL that users type for the index.html (and iim.html and iim.jnlp files) needs to reference the web server port. For example, on iPlanet Instant Messaging server host iim.i-zed, if the web server is running on port 8080, the URL to access the iPlanet Instant Messenger main page (index.html) would become:
- codebase="http://webserver:webserverport"
- For example, on iPlanet Instant Messaging server host iim.i-zed, if the web server is running on port 8080, codebase parameters in the iim.jnlp and iimres.jnlp files would become:
- codebase="http://iim.i-zed.com:8080"
- http://iim.i-zed.com:8080
Customizing iPlanet Instant Messenger
This section describes the iIM Server files you edit to customize the iPlanet Instant Messenger. The files that you can customize are all located in the html directory, for example, on Solaris, in the im30_install_dir/SUNWiim/html directory.
iPlanet Instant Messenger Files
The files used to launch and configure iPlanet Instant Messenger are located in the following html directories:Table 3-1 shows the iPlanet Instant Messenger files and their function, and which ones you can customize for your site.
Customizing the index.html and iim.html Files
In customizing iPlanet Instant Messenger, at a minimum, you need to edit the index.html and/or iim.html files to meet your site's needs. You should edit these files to customize the text and title, and perhaps change the background.The index.html file provides the starting point for users of both the iPlanet Instant Messenger applet and Java Web Start application. If you will be running the iPlanet Instant Messenger applet, edit the iim.html file. This file is called by index.html, and starts the applet. Generated during installation, iim.html has an applet argument that points to the multiplexor.
Customizing the Application (Java Web Start)
If you will be running iPlanet Instant Messenger using Java Web Start, you can edit the iim.jnlp, iimres.jnlp, and iimres.jar files to customize iPlanet Instant Messenger for your site.
iim.jnlp - Provides the starting point for invoking the Java Web Start application. You can change the codebase, title, vendor, and descriptions. Figure 3-1 shows a sample iim.jnlp file, with the values that you can customize in italics.
Figure 3-1    iim.jnlp File
iimres.jnlp - This file is called by iim.jnlp. A sample iimres.jnlp file, with the values that you can customize in italics, is included below.
Figure 3-2    iimres.jnlp File
iimres.jar - Contains image and audio files used by iPlanet Instant Messenger (see "Contents Listing of iimres.jar"). You need JDK 1.3 to extract these files using the jar command, for example:
- jar xvf iimres.jar
- This creates the directory tree where the resource files are stored. You should keep the directory structure when you modify the individual files.
- You can substitute your files for the .gif files or .au files, without changing the names, then put the changed files back by using the jar command, for example:
- jar -uf iimres.jar com/iPlanet/im/client/images/*.gif
- This command updates the iimres.jar file with the modified .gif files. You could do the same with the sound files (.au files).
Contents Listing of iimres.jar
Table 3-2 contains a complete listing of the iimres.jar file, which contains the image and audio files used by iPlanet Instant Messenger.
Administering iPlanet Instant Messenger Conference Rooms and News Channels
Listed below are tasks you perform to administer iPlanet Instant Messenger's conference rooms and news channels. Unlike assigning system-wide privileges, in which you edit ACL files, these tasks are performed from within iPlanet Instant Messenger itself. See the iPlanet Instant Messenger online help for details about performing each of these tasks.
Administering conference rooms
Administering and managing news channels
Assigning conference room access levels to users
Assigning news channel access levels to users
Assigning users to conference rooms
Assigning users to news channels (subscribing)
Deleting messages from news channels
Posting messages in news channels
Granting Users Privilege to Create Conference Rooms and News Channels
As administrator, you create conference rooms and news channels for your users. However, individual users can also create conference rooms and news channels, if you grant them the proper privileges. Users who create a conference room or news channel by default have Manage access, enabling them to administer that room or news channel.
To permit users to create conference rooms, add the user(s) or group(s) to the sysRoomsAdd.acl file.
See "Managing User Privileges" for more information.To permit users to create news channels, add the user(s) or group(s) to the sysTopicsAdd.acl file.
Modifying iPlanet Instant Messenger Proxy Settings
News channels can contain embedded URLs, such as http://stocks.yahoo.com?id=sunw. To resolve such URLs, it might be necessary, depending on your underlying DNS infrastructure (if you are using proxy servers) to have clients modify their Java Web Start configuration. If, for example, users installed Java Web Start but cannot load resources over the network, the proxy setting must be modified.This is likely to happen in a network environment, which has a firewall between client computers and the internet and if the Java Web Start has not been configured with the right proxy settings.
To Modify iPlanet Instant Messenger Proxy Settings
Java Web Start can typically pick up these settings automatically by querying the system or the default browser. However, if the settings are configured using a JavaScript file this is not possible.
You can set the proxies manually by having users access the Preference panel in Java Web Start's Application manager.
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Copyright © 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last Updated March 29, 2002