WebSphere 8 and 9 Portal Installation

To upgrade from an earlier version of ViewsFlash, see the upgrade instructions.

1. Download the Cogix ViewsFlash 10 application and Survey portlet, ViewsFlash.war. Be sure to select WebSphere Portal.
   
2. Create a directory /etc/cogix; if on Windows, use the drive that WebSphere is installed on, e.g.: C:\etc\cogix.
   
3. Create /etc/cogix/viewsflash.properties using a text editor with these parameters:.
   
   data=/etc/cogix/vfdata (on Windows, use C:\\etc\\cogix)
   apiattribute=com.cogix.vwf.api
   
   NOTE: If you don't want to use /etc/cogix for viewsflash.properties, then unpack the ViewsFlash.war file, modify WEB-INF/web.xml to include a propertiesfile initiparam that points to where you want to store viewsflash.properties, and repack the ViewsFlash.war file. The web.xml file includes a commented out section that does this. You can also specify the parameters as initparam entries in web.xml and avoid using viewsflash.properies altogether.
   
4. SECURITY NOTE If WebSphere Portal is running in the Secure mode, and you plan to use User Security, add the following:
   
   appsecurity=user
   administrators=wpsadmin
   
5. You can host ViewsFlash on a database immediately, or you can migrate to a database later. To use an existing JDBC Data Source, include lines like this in viewsflash.properties, replacing MyNamedDataSource with the JNDI name of your data source:
   
   datasource=jdbc/MyNamedDataSource
   To use a new datasource, create one and name it "ViewsFlash". To use the built-in Derby database, add:
   database=Derby
   datasource=jdbc/built-in-derby-datasource
   
6. Add a license key like this to viewsflash.properties, on a single line. Do not use the key shown below - get a current one from Cogix.
   
   license=who=Demo_License;type=unlimited;exp=07/31/05;bdb=y;bua=y;brs=y;bwp=y;licensekey=63-85-90-91-0E-07-2E-AC-E7-9A-F1-BB-17-C5-AB-87-
   
   Without a license key, the application will work for approximately 30 days, and every page will include an "Evaluation Copy" message. For an evaluation license key, contact sales@cogix.com and include it in viewsflash.properties later.
   
7. Save viewsflash.properties.
   
8. Download ViewsFlash.war for WebSphere Portal to a /tmp directory.
   
9. Go to WebsPhere Portal ( http://yourportal.com:10035/wps/myportal), Log in as the Administrator and click on the Setup wrench. Find Manage Web Modules, then click Install. Browse to the location where you downloaded ViewsFlash.war, then press Next.
   
   
   
10. Install Portlets will display the following. Press Finish:
    
    
11. After receiving the message: Portlets were successfully installed, click on Web Modules on the left hand side, search for a file that begins with V and click on ViewsFlash.war, and confirm that ViewsFlash.war is present.
    
    
    
12. SECURITY NOTE If you are using User Security and your Portal is running in the Secure mode, you must map the ViewsFlashUser role to the All Authenticated Users group in WebSphere Application Server. Otherwise, skip this step.
    
    Open the WAS management console at https://yourportal.com:10032/ibm/console
    
    Open Applications, click on Business-level Applications, and look for ViewsFlash and click on the name. Once you select ViewsFlash off the list you are presented with General Properties please click on ViewsFlash in the Deployed assets table.
    
    
    Once you reach the configuration page click on the link for 'Security role to user/group mapping' in the Detail Properties list.
    
    
    Click on the check box next to the role ViewsFlashUser and select "All Authenticated in Application's Realm" from the "Map Special Subjects" drop down. Press OK. You should immediately see a message "Changes have been made to your local configuration (if you do not, stop and check the WebSphere Application Server logs for error messages, and make sure the latest patches have been applied). Click Save to apply changes to the master configuration". Click on Save, then press the Save button.
    
    
    When that completes, WebSphere Portal Server must be restarted for the changes to take effect. Do not proceed any further with the Survey portlet until WebpShpere Portal Server has ben restarted.
    
13. At this point, the Survey Portlet is installed, and a Survey portlet is available for deployment on pages. The next steps are granting appropriate Access Rights to the portlet and installing it on a page.

Continue with Using the Survey Portlet.