JDBC Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Notes
Dr. Herong Yang, Version 2.11

Installing JNDI File System Service Provider

This section describes how to download and install File System Service Provider for JNDI.

Derby JDBC ClientDataSource can be used directly to create a connection as shown in the previous tutorial. But that's not the suggested way of getting a connection. JDBC document suggests you to create ClientDataSource object and make available through a directory service via JNDI. The application program can retrieve whenever you need it.

In order to try this method, I have to download and install the JNDI File System Service Provider package from Sun as described below:

  • Go to DOWNLOAD JNDI SOFTWARE page.
  • Click the Download link next to "Download JNDI 1.2.1 & More".
  • Click the radio button: "Accept License Agreement".
  • Click the link: "File System Service Provider, 1.2 Beta 3", create a directory \local\fscontext, and save the downloaded file as: \local\fscontext\fscontext-1_2-beta3.zip.
  • Unzip \local\fscontext\fscontext-1_2-beta3.zip. You are done with the installation.

Open \local\fscontext\doc\providers\jndi-fs.html to read the documentation. The first paragraph gives you a good summary:

JNDI offers a universal naming API and a standardized way to store objects in a namespace. The file system service provider supports these features for a local or networked file system. Its purpose is two-fold:

  • Allow clients to traverse the file system namespace using JNDI's context interface.
  • Allow clients to store Java objects in the file system.

These two separate functions are actually handled by two different providers (i.e., classes). The first class handles accessing the file system and can be used independently of the second. The second class handles storage of Java objects and is used in conjunction with the first (i.e., it is a subclass of the first).

Sections in This Chapter

Derby - Connection with DataSource Objects

Derby - Using ClientDataSource Directly

Installing JNDI File System Service Provider

Derby - Storing ClientDataSource Objects on File System

Derby - Looking Up ClientDataSource Objects on File System

What Happens If Client JDBC DataSource JAR Is Missing?

Dr. Herong Yang, updated in 2007
Installing JNDI File System Service Provider