Using additional jars in portal (jregex1.2_01.jar ) and use of javabeans

Question

Hi
I want to use code that parses regular expressions with java and to that end I would like to use jregex1.2_01.jar (if there is a native jar file in oracle that does the same, that woule be good, but I could not find anything that refers to regex or jregex).
I tried to put that new jar file in two locations in the portal area under WEB-INF\lib, namely in:
C:\oracle\ora9ias\j2ee\OC4J_Portal\applications\portal\portal\WEB-INF\lib
where there are a lot of other jar files and also in:
C:\oracle\ora9ias\j2ee\OC4J_Portal\applications\jpdk\jpdk\WEB-INF\lib
However, when I try to compile my code, it fails on the import line:
import jregex.util.io.*;
(the line itself is correct)
Obviously the jregex1.2_01.jar file is not in my classpath, but when oracle was installed, it did not create a CLASSPATH environment variable, so I would not like to make one that may exclude others oracle jars that then are not listed in CLASSPATH.
I have two questions:
1. How does import additional jars into Oracle, so that they can be used by java programs, and are there any inherent dangers in doing that?
2. Where do I place my class file, if I want to use that class file as a javabean. The bean will be referred to by a jsp file which has been imported as a portlet. I assumed I would place my beans under
C:\oracle\ora9ias\j2ee\OC4J_Portal\applications\jpdk\jpdk\WEB-INF\lib
as my jsp files are residing close to that, namely in:
C:\oracle\ora9ias\j2ee\OC4J_Portal\applications\jpdk\jpdk\htdocs\myjsps
but I am not sure.
Can anyone help me with setting up additional jars so they can be used by java files (to be used as javabeans) and with the location and use of javabeans in Oracle Portal?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much
Hugo

Answer 1

Hi Hugo,
When developing server-side applications, forget about the CLASSPATH environment variable. You must instead become familiar with how the server's classloading scheme operates.
From your post, it looks as though you already are familiar to some degree, because you have correctly identified one of the places to put extra jar files, namely WEB-INF/lib.
At first glance, I would have expected your import to work with the jar file located in WEB-INF/lib - have you made sure you bounced the server?
Also, make sure that any dependencies of jregex are also included in WEB-INF/lib.
Another thing to try is add an entry into ${OH}/j2ee/OC4J_Portal/config/application.xml which explicitly references the jregex jar file.
Regards,
Gareth
(PDK team)