This manual explains how to use Seam with Netbeans 6.5. on Glassfish. I've found other manuals on the internet, but only by combining the information from them I could use Seam. This is why I created this manual because it's quite simple the use Seam on Netbeans.

On this moment I have some pilot projects for using Seam, Glassfish and Netbeans for my clients. If you live in the Netherlands and you would like to work with Seam you can contact me. See also the vacancy on the following link which is in Dutch Gezocht een Java'er met een praktische instelling

Version	Date	Adjustments
0.5	22-Feb-2009	Textual Description in Dutch
1.0.	25-Feb-2009	Added images
1.1	27-Feb-2009	Translation to English

In this manual the steps for making a simple Seam application with the help of Netbeans is explained. The following steps are needed:

1. Download the Seam jars


2. Create a webproject in Netbeans


3. Add the Seam jars to the webproject


4. Add a default locale in de faces-config.xml


5. Adjust web.xml for using Seam


6. Adjust the file welcomeJSF.jsp


7. Create the JavaBean for HelloWorld


8. Add the file seam.properties to the src-directory

Before starting a Seam Project in Netbeans it is first necessary to download the needed jars for Saem. You can download this jars from JBoss Seam. In this manual JBoss Seam 2.1.1 is used.

Unpack the downloaded zip-file and copy the needed jars for Seam to a separate directory. You could name this directory Seam Jars. Below I show the needed jars, which are more than strict necessary for this example but serve for using added functionalities in the future.

• commons-logging.jar


• hibernate-all.jar


• jboss-el.jar


• jboss-seam.jar


• jboss-seam-debug.jar


• jboss-seam-gen.jar


• jboss-seam-ioc.jar


• jboss-seam-mail.jar


• jboss-seam-pdf.jar


• jboss-seam-remoting.jar


• jboss-seam-ui.jar


• testng.jar


• thirdparty-all.jar

Start Netbeans 6.5 en create a new Web-Project. You can do this by completing the following steps. Click an the new Project button (Ctrl+Shift+N).

NetBeans Create New Project

Choose Java Web and then Web Application

NetBeans Create new webproject

As a name choose HalloWorld.

NetBeans Create WebProject screen1

As a server choose GlassFish V2

NetBeans Create Webproject screen2

and select the framework Java Server Faces.

Netbeans New WebProject Screen3

Press then the Finish-knop. There will be a new web project created within Netbeans


Now for making Seam to work it's needed to add the Seam Jar to the project. Go the newly created project en press the right mouse button and choose properties.

NetBeans Project Properties

Choose within this menu for libraries

NetBeans Add Libraries

Press on the button Add Library

NetBeans button Add Library

and add the following libraries

NetBeans Select Facelets Libraries

• Facelets 1.1.14


• Facelets 1.1.14 EL Api

Now a new extra library will be created within Netbeans 6.5. which will be called JBossSeam. The jar files which we have added in the separate directory will be put in this library. Press on the Create button

NetBeans Add Library Create button

and give the library the name JBossSeam

NetBeans Create Library JBossSeam

add the Seam jars to the library

NetBeans Select Jars to Add New Library

After completion there are 3 libraries added to the project

NetBeans Seam Library Added

If the project is now deployed on Glassfish there will be an error message. The deploying of the project can be done by the following steps. Just Press the F6-button or select the project and press on the right mouse button en choose then run.

NetBeans Run Project

In the Glassfish log you wil see the next error message

java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.jboss.seam.jsf.SeamViewHandler.calculateLocale(SeamViewHandler.java:55)
at com.sun.faces.application.ViewHandlerImpl.createView(ViewHandlerImpl.java:350)
at org.jboss.seam.jsf.SeamViewHandler.createView(SeamViewHandler.java:68)
at com.sun.faces.lifecycle.RestoreViewPhase.execute(RestoreViewPhase.java:203)

The reason is that there is no default locale added within the file faces-config.xml. You can solve this by following the next steps. Go the the WEB-INF directory within the HelloWord proejct and open the faces-config.xml file.

NetBeans Open Faces-Config.xml

Press on the XML-button

NetBeans XML-button FacesConfig.xml

Add the following to the faces-config.xml

FacesConfig.xml

Now we need to adjust web.xml so we can use the Seam functionality. Adjust the file web.xml. This can be done by opening the file

NetBeans Open web.xml

and press on the XML-button

NetBeans XML button web.xml

Just add the following to the web.xml

Seam added to web.xml

If you deploy the application by pressing the F6-button then you will see in the webbrowser Java Server Faces. We will change this in Hallo World



For adjusting the file welcomJSF.jsp we will take the following steps. Go within the project to the file welcomeJSF

NetBeans welcomeJSF.jsp

and change the the file to

HalloWorld.jsp

If you now deploy the project the browser will show nothing. The reason is that the JavaBean for HalloWorld is not created.



Before creating the JavaBean we need the have a package. So we first create a package by following the next steps

NetBeans Add a Java Package

Give the package the name nl.wtell.test

Package nl.wtell.test

Add to this package the Java-class nl.wtell.test.halloworld

NetBeans Adding a Java Class

Give this class now the following contents

HelloWorld.class

If you deploy this project by pressing the F6 button you will see nothing. How is this possible? We have created the class!!!



For making Seam to work you need to add an empty file seam.properties to the source directory. Just follow the next steps. Go the the directory Source Package and choose for the option Create a new File and give it the name seam.properties.

NetBeans Create a new File

The next step is giving the file the name seam.properties

New File with the name seam.properties

If you completed all steps you will see by deploying this project on GlassFish HelloWorld on the webbrowser. Perfect. You have done a good job and good luck by using Seam.

Hallo World on the webbrowser