Best tool to use for j2ee deployment ?

Question

Hi,
I've developed j2ee apps using NetWeaver Developer Studio. I am not using the component model in my applications yet.
I use the deploy tool or the Netweaver Developer Studio to deploy my application. I've read that the deploy tool will be removed from the standard tools and that SDM should be used instead for j2ee application deployment.
The problem is that with SDM you canot configure such things as Environment Ressource References or other informations contained in the ejb jar.
Also, I don't like changing the source to make a deployment in NetWeaver Developer Studio as most deployment configs are associated with the runtime environment variables.
What is the proposed solution for this ? Will SDM be adjusted in order to allow more customization in the ear file before deployment ?
Are there any other suggestions ? What do you use ?
Thanks.
Thierry Dagnino
Systems Architect
Hydro Quebec

Answer 1

Hi Thierry,
I understand that you want to configure your apps in a way that you don't have to edit the deployment descriptors before the actual deployment, am I right? Then you can use substitution variables. A substitution variable is referenced as <i>${subst.var.name}</i>, e.g.[code]<env-entry>
    <env-entry-name>myEnvEntry</env-entry-name>
    <env-entry-type>java.lang.String</env-entry-type>
    <env-entry-value>${my.subst.var.name}</env-entry-value>
</env-entry>[/code]For more information on configuring substitution variables, please refer to the following two links:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/85/fa673ba8ecf22fe10000000a11402f/frameset.htm
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw04/helpdata/en/35/1cd66947184aa8915ca1831c59b6c1/frameset.htm
Hope that helps,
Vladimir