This topic explains how to enable multiple users to use the same SOAtest and/or Virtualize installation.

Introduction

Each instance of Eclipse creates and writes to a configuration folder. If multiple instances of Eclipse with SOAtest and/or Virtualize are running in parallel, data corruption may occur. Eclipse provides a number of strategies for initializing the Eclipse configuration area in order to support multi-user installations.

This section describes two strategies for enabling multiple user installations, either via a shared master configuration or user-specific configuration. The shared configuration is the recommended installation scenario implementing a multi-user installation of SOAtest and/or Virtualize. Refer to the Eclipse documentation for additional information.

Shared Configuration (Recommended)

In this scenario, users share both the installation area and the master configuration area. The system administrator initializes the master configuration (typically, in the installation location) and ensures the installation and configuration areas are read-only to users. This prevents the user from installing new components into SOAtest and/or Virtualize.

By default, when users run Eclipse from the shared installation location, Eclipse automatically creates a local configuration area for each user in the following location: <HOME>/.eclipse/<VERSION>. If the master configuration area has been fully initialized, the user-specific configuration areas do not contain any relevant data.

1. The administrator installs SOAtest and/or Virtualize.

2. The administrator launches SOAtest and/or Virtualize to initialize the master configuration area.

3. The administrator adds a new entry to the config.ini file in the following location:

   • For SOAtest standalone: <SOATEST_INSTALL_DIR>/configuration  

   • For SOAtest and/or Virtualize installed as a plugin: <ECLIPSE_INSTALL_DIR>/configuration

     config.ini

     [email protected]/<Eclipse configuration directory>

4. The administrator modifies the following entry in the config.ini file:

   • SOAtest Standalone:

     config.ini

     eclipse.p2.data.area=<SOATEST_INSTALL_DIR>/p2

   • SOAtest and/or Virtualize installed as a plugin:

     config.ini

     eclipse.p2.data.area=<ECLIPSE_INSTALL_DIR>/p2

5. The user launches SOAtest and/or Virtualize as normal.

User-specific Configuration

In this scenario, a single installation area is shared by many users with read-only permissions, but each user has their own local configuration area. This enables the user to install new components into SOAtest and/or Virtualize.

1. The administrator installs SOAtest and/or Virtualize.

2. The administrator adds a new entry to the config.ini file in the following location:

   • For SOAtest standalone: <SOATEST_INSTALL_DIR>/configuration

   • For SOAtest and/or Virtualize installed as a plugin: <ECLIPSE_INSTALL_DIR>/configuration

     config.ini

     [email protected]/<Eclipse configuration directory>

3. The user launches SOAtest with the -initialize switch to initialize the new user-specific Eclipse configuration area:

   soatest -initialize

   The above command line does not launch SOAtest.

4. The user launches SOAtest and/or Virtualize as normal.