JDK1.1 or better required.
Beside the optional CSS file (for HTML client-side formatting) and the provided locale file (English.properties, Italian.properties or French.properties), the servlet requires two configuration files that you may need to edit. The first file set the global properties for the forum and the second one is a user list. The user list file is specified in the global properties file.
The servlet is called through the URL
http://mydomaine/servlet/com.ondelette.servlet.webforum.WebForumServlet?_FORUMFILE_=myconfigfile
sample configuration file ("myconfigfile") :
MessageArchiveDirectory=SampleForumDirectory ForumLocaleFile=English.properties UserListFile=forumSampleUserList.properties SaveDelay=60 ForumTitle=A title (may contain HTML) ForumSubTitle=A subtitle (may contain HTML) ForumFooter=place some HTML here for your footer AuthorizationLevel=0 CSSURL=http://mydomain/sample/sample.css WelcomeURL=http://mydomain/sample/forumsample.html
Note : It isn't require to create the MessageArchiveDirectory, the servlet will do it if needed, but make sure the directory is writeable for the JVM.
The parameter "AutorizationLevel" allows you to limit access to the forum to only these users with the proper autorization level
Definition of the autorization levels
NORMAL = 0; IDENTIFIEDGUEST = 2; MEMBER = 32; EXECUTIVEMEMBER = 64; // can erase messages on the forum VIPMEMBER = 128; // can erase messages on the forum, reset the forum, add and remove users to the user list ADMIN = 256; // same as VIPMEMBER except that the user cannot be erased or create (must be added manually to the user list file)
We can add a line such as "PostPrivilege=x" where x is an autorization number. This makes sure that the posting form is only visible to users having at least the specified autorization level. Posting is still possible for other users if they somebody provide a proper posting form (possibly as an HTML page).
The servlet will read the file only (never write to it) and will check that it is a proper configuration file without ever disclosing its content if it isn't a proper configuration file.
Type "http://mydomain/servlet/com.ondelette.servlet.webforum.WebForumServlet" once the .class files are in place. You don't need to configure a forum to check the installation.
Check that the MessageArchiveDirectory is writeable for the servlet.
Yes you can and it will be entirely free.
Yes you can, get in touch with Daniel Lemire or anybody else willing to offer such services.
Yes and yes. It should work everywhere servlet support is available.
The main servlet is com.ondelette.servlet.webforum.WebForumServlet. There are other servlets, but this is the first one you'll want to check and use. You need at least one parameter pointing to the file path of you configuration file (a properties file, see above for documentation) and that's the _FORUMFILE_ parameter.
Currently, most systems I (Daniel Lemire) have access to only offer servlet 2.0 support (specifically JServ under Apache). Future versions of WebForum will have to support servlet 2.2 features.