PAS for OpenEdge development and test users can keep a private list of static PAS for OpenEdge instance alias names, so that each user can use the same alias name of the instance but point to a private file system space unique to each user.

It is expected that ABL developers and QA teams may share the same PAS for OpenEdge product installation and use the same PAS for OpenEdge instance names, but own private copies of the instances. In this way, concurrent development and testing may occur without interference from another user or process of the same user.

PAS for OpenEdge’s architecture is comprised of a single, non-runnable product installation ($DLC/servers/pasoe) that supports one or more run-time server instances (located in $WRKDIR).

A PAS for OpenEdge instance is an Apache Tomcat and OpenEdge directory tree that contains the instance’s configuration files, local administration utilities, and Java and ABL web applications. Each created PAS for OpenEdge instance has an alias name, which is a short, human-readable name that can be used to start, stop, administer, register, and unregister, and delete the instance without having to know its exact location in the OS's filesystem.

The installed PAS for OpenEdge product uses a tracking file, known as an instances list (default location: $DLC/servers/pasoe/conf), to maintain a list of known functional PAS for OpenEdge instances and their location in the OS's filesystem. When a PAS for OpenEdge instance's alias name is used in the TCMAN or PASMAN administration utility, TCMAN looks-up and uses the OS filesystem path automatically to execute an action.

At installation, PAS for OpenEdge creates an instances list file that provides all OpenEdge installation users with a single shared view of all known PAS for OpenEdge instances. This is the normal mode of administration, where multiple administrators share responsibility for all known PAS for OpenEdge instances. However, there are times when multiple OpenEdge installation users need to create, configure, and run private PAS for OpenEdge instances that are not visible (or known) to any other user. Such may be the case where multiple ABL application developers share a single OpenEdge installation, but do not want other developers to have access to their PAS for OpenEdge instances. Another case may be when running automated ABL application testing where many tests, each with its own PAS for OpenEdge instance of the same alias name, are executing concurrently.

Note: Private PAS for OpenEdge instance tracking is not supported by OpenEdge Management or Progress Developer Studio.

Configure PAS for OpenEdge to enable private instance tracking

The TCMAN and PASMAN administration utilities found in the PAS for OpenEdge product installation can work with PAS for OpenEdge instance alias names if they find an instances file.  

When the TCMAN (and PASMAN) administration utility initializes, it looks for an instances list file containing the known PAS for OpenEdge instances. It first looks for the declaration of a private PAS for OpenEdge Instance Tracking file location in the user's environment, and if a declaration is not found, it uses the default shared instance list located in the PAS for OpenEdge product's installation.

Using private PAS for OpenEdge Instance Tracking requires that the user manually add configuration settings in the private account space where the TCMAN utility can find and use it. The user is the one who makes the decision to use Private PAS for OpenEdge Instance Tracking, and where their private instances list file will be located.

PAS for OpenEdge Instance Tracking File Resolution

The TCMAN (and PASMAN) administration utility's resolution of an instances file location includes two file-system path components:

  • The directory path to where the instances list file will be found:
    • default: $DLC/servers/pasoe/conf
  • The instances list filename:
    • Default filename for UNIX: instances.unix
    • Default filename for Windows: instances.windows

The TCMAN administration utility looks for a private PAS for OpenEdge instances tracking configuration in one of two locations - in this order:

  1. TCMAN looks for the $DLC/servers/pasoe/conf/appserver.properties file property: psc.as.inst.dir. This location works well when the directory path value is the name of an environment variable that each user can define a private location for. This location works less well for sharing an instance across multiple users by entering an absolute path.
  2. If the psc.as.inst.dir property is not defined in the $DLC/servers/pasoe/conf/appserver.properties file, then TCMAN looks for the following OS process environment variable: PSC_AS_INSTANCE_DIR. This location produces the same results as using the psc.as.inst.dir property, except that the appserver.properties file does not require tailoring (although the user’s environment does).
  3. If an instances list location is not yet configured after executing steps 1 and 2, then TCMAN uses the instances file in the default location ($DLC/servers/pasoe/conf). This works well when no special instance tracking or persistence is required.

PAS for OpenEdge product installation configuration

The PAS for OpenEdge product's installation configuration for Private PAS for OpenEdge Instance Tracking can be declared in one location and applied automatically for all users.   

  1. Define the property psc.as.inst.dir in $DLC/servers/pasoe/conf/appserver.properties.
    1. The value may be an absolute file path, where each user has their own private copy of that file-system path:
      psc.as.inst.dir=/wrkdir/data
    2. The value may be an OS process environment variable that will be defined in each user's shell startup and used filled in by the TCMAN utility:
      psc.as.inst.dir=${MYINSTDIR}
      In this case, each user is required to define the environment variable MYINSTDIR, with a user-chosen OS file path. For example:
      ##UNIX Shell initialization example:
export MYINSTDIR=/wrkdir/data

##Windows Shell initialization example:
MYINSTDIR | c:\wrkdir\data

User OS Process Environment Configuration

Each user may define specifically named OS process environment variables in their shell process startup script.  The value of that environment variable provides the filesystem path to their private instances file.

UNIX shell initialization: 
export PSC_AS_INSTANCE_DIR=os-dir-path
For example:
export PSC_AS_INSTANCE_DIR=/wrkdir/data
Windows user process environment configuration:
PSC_AS_INSTANCE_DIR os-dir-path
For example:
PSC_AS_INSTANCE_DIR  | c:\wrkdir\data