Transferology Technical Documentation

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Mandatory Requirements

The Mandatory Requirements must be met before proceeding with the instructions on this page.

Java Memory and Socket Timeout Parameters

We recommend the following Sun Java Memory and Socket Timeout Parameters to override the default values:

-Xms256m -Xmx512m -XX:MaxPermSize=128m -Dsun.net.client.defaultReadTimeout=30000 -Dsun.net.client.defaultConnectTimeout=8000

Download the Transferology Connector

You can acquire the latest release from the Connector Downloads page.

Transferology Connector Distribution Filenames

To assist schools, CollegeSource currently provides three variations of the Transferology Connector release that are based on the different application server treatment of the log4j logging framework and Xerces XML parser.

The Transferology Connector release filename follows one of these patterns:
ceg44-tomcat-xx.war - Tomcat distribution includes: log4j.jar and log4j.properties
ceg44-gf-xx.war - Glassfish distribution includes: log4j.jar and log4j.properties
ceg44-jboss-xx.war - JBoss distribution does NOT include: log4j.jar or log4j.properties
ceg44-oas-xx.war - Oracle Application Server distribution includes: log4j.jar but does NOT include: log4j.properties, xercesImpl-2.0.2.jar and xml-apis-1.0.b2.jar
ceg44-weblogic-xx.war - Weblogic Server distribution

xx is an internal build number

Once the file is downloaded, we suggest you rename it to ceg4.war or ceg44.war before deploying it to your application server.

Logging Framework and Necessary Files

The Connector relies on the log4j framework for logging. This framework depends on the log4j.properties file for its configuration. Each application server requires different instructions to enable logging for the Connector.

Overview of Included Logging Files for Each Connector Distribution

  • Tomcat - Distribution includes log4j.properties and log4j-1.2.12.jar, pre-configured with default logging to stdout only. No further downloads required.
  • GlassFish - Distribution includes log4j.properties and log4j-1.2.12.jar, pre-configured with default logging to stdout only. No further downloads required.
  • JBoss - Distribution does NOT include any log4j files since JBoss already provides a log4j service. No further downloads required.
  • Weblogic - Distribution includes log4j.properties and log4j-1.2.12.jar. No further downloads required.

Identify CollegeSource Audit Daemon

If you are not using the Degree Audit functionality, you can proceed to the next section: Create cas4.properties

The Transferology Connector uses the CollegeSource job_queue_list table to exchange audit requests and results with a degree audit daemon. For this to work successfully, the Transferology Connector must be configured with the correct value from the daemon's server_name property.

Be sure to follow the correct instructions based on your degree audit implementation: DARwin or uAchieve

DARwin daemon.cfg

For example, assume your DARwin daemon.cfg has the following daemon entry:

[connector]

### Database Connection Parameters
jdbc_driver = oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver
jdbc_url = jdbc:oracle:thin:@prod.osu.edu:1525:DARSDB
server_user = darsdbuser
server_pass = darsdbpassword
reconn_tries = 20
reconn_wait = 60

### Database Environment Parameters
# server_name must match xservice.darwinDaemonServerName in cas4.properties for audits to be processed by DARS engine
server_name = osu_prod
delete_jobq = N
db_multi_wc = %
db_single_wc = _

### Daemon Environment Parameters
working_dir = D:\DARS\DARNT358\DARNT358_connector\DARwin\bin
darsql_dir = D:\DARS\DARNT358\DARNT358_connector\DARwin\bin
data_dir = D:\DARS\DARNT358\DARNT358_connector\DARwin\bin\data
env_file = daemon.env
end_script =
debug_mode = N
### socket_port = -1

### Daemon Performance Parameters
max_jobs 	= 5
wait_time 	= 5
auto_batch 	= N
auto_batch_lim = 1

server_name

Make a note of the above line with:

server_name = osu_prod

The value osu_prod is the correct value for you to specify for the xservice.darwinDaemonServerName property in the cas4.properties. Proceed to Create cas4.properties.

uAchieve daemonContext.xml

The minimum uAchieve version is 4.0.14. The default configuration for uAchieve will not produce audits for Transferology. You must add a uachieve.daemon.RequestHandler for the Transferology audits. The RequestHandler for Transferology must only process audits for Transferology. See daemonContext.xml for complete information on the uAchieve RequestHandler. The key points for the new RequestHandler are as follows:

  1. Specify the appropriate comKey property
  2. Specify a unique serverName property
  3. Enable text report audit output
  4. Disable loading local student data
  5. Disable loading SIS student data
  6. Disable student data mutators

The following is an example RequestHandler that you can add into the uAchieve daemonContext.xml:

<!-- *** begin copy *** -->
<bean id="tfoHandler" class="uachieve.daemon.RequestHandler" scope="prototype">

	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	<!-- *** Edit the "value" elements of these proper- *** --> 
	<!-- *** ties as appropriate for your institution   *** -->
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	
	<property name="comKey">
		<value>ONL</value>
	</property>
	
	<property name="serverName">
		<value>USEL</value>
	</property>
	
	<property name="sleepTime">
		<value>3</value>
	</property> 
	
	<!--
		The Transferology Connector 5.0.x, supports "HTM" and "PDF" report types.
		If you're using the Connector 5.0.x or later and want to provide those
		report types for audits requested from Transferology, add either or both as additional 
		entry elements in the enabledReports map:
		<entry key="HTM" value="TRUE" />
		<entry key="PDF" value="TRUE" />
	-->
	<property name="enabledReports">
		<util:map>
			<entry key="TXT" value="TRUE" />
		</util:map>
	</property>
	
	<!-- true/false -->
	<property name="deleteRequest">
		<value>false</value>
	</property>
	
	<property name="loadLocalStudentData">
		<value>false</value>
	</property>
	<property name="loadSISStudentData">
		<value>false</value>
	</property>
	
	<!-- name of file in the ../config directory -->
	<property name="fileNameIncludeTextTop">
		<value></value>
	</property>
	
	<!-- name of file in the ../config directory -->
	<property name="fileNameIncludeTextBottom">
		<value></value>
	</property>
	
	<!-- Valid Options are:
		OneFile, SepFiles, Database, OneFileAndDatabase, SepFilesAndDatabase
			default (if blank) is Database
	 -->
	<property name="reportSaveOptions">
		<value>Database</value>
	</property>
	<!-- Path to save reports to File System
			default (if blank) is ../reports
	-->
	<property name="reportSavePath">
		<value></value>
	</property>
	
	<!-- If left blank, defaults to its standard location of /logs -->
	<property name="logSavePath">
		<value> </value>
	</property>

	<lookup-method name="createAuditProcessor" bean="auditProcessor"/>
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	<!-- *** end of editable property values            *** -->
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
					
	
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	<!-- ***   Do not edit the properties below here    *** -->
	<!-- *** (unless you really know what you're doing) *** -->
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	<property name="auditService"><ref bean="uachieve-slayer.auditService"/></property>
	<property name="supportService"><ref bean="uachieve-slayer.supportService"/></property>
	<property name="requestQueue"><ref bean="jobRequestQueue"/></property>
	<property name="performanceMonitor" ref="performanceMonitor"/>
	<!-- ************************************************** -->
	<!-- *** End of non-editable properties             *** -->
	<!-- ************************************************** -->

</bean>
<!-- ***  end copy  *** -->

server_name

Make a note of the above line with:

<value>USEL</value>

The value USEL is the correct value for you to specify for the xservice.darwinDaemonServerName property in the cas4.properties. Proceed to Create cas4.properties.

Create cas4.properties

The cas4.properties is required for the Transferology Connector, several properties must be defined for your school's specific environment.

Define the CollegeSource audit/equivalency product you are using with the daversion property of the cas4.properties file.

DARwin

Correct value for DARwin
daversion=darwin

uAchieve

Correct Value for uAchieve
 daversion=uachieve

Hibernate Dialect

Please specify the correct db.dialect property based on your database server.

Oracle

Oracle dialect
db.dialect=org.hibernate.dialect.Oracle10gDialect


SQL Server

SQL Server dialect
db.dialect=org.hibernate.dialect.SQLServerDialect


DB2

DB2 dialect
db.dialect=org.hibernate.dialect.DB2Dialect

Enable or Disable Connector's Degree Audit Integration

Schools that DO NOT want to use the Degree Audit functionality of the Transferology Connector need the following line in their cas4.properties:

# disable audit polling
xservice.pollingEnabled=false


Schools that DO want to use the Degree Audit functionality of the Transferology Connector need the following line in their cas4.properties:

# enable audit polling
xservice.pollingEnabled=true

Schools that DO want to use the Degree Audit functionality of the Transferology Connector must have the xservice.darwinDaemonServerName property. It must equal the server_name value that was identified above in the Identify CollegeSource daemon section.

Max Size of xservice.darwinDaemonServerName

The xservice.darwinDaemonServerName property defines the value that will be inserted into the job_queue_list table's servername column. That column has a max size of 10 characters, meaning you cannot use a value that is longer than 10 characters!

Equivalency Properties

Schools that want to use the Equivalency functionality of the Transferology Connector must define additional information.

  • Schools that want to provide equivalencies for only one school define several additional properties in the cas4.properties file
  • Schools that want to provide equivalencies for more than one school must define and use a ceg-model.xml file

Connector Provides Equivalencies for a Single Target School

Equivalencies for a single school must define the following properties:

  • ceg.webPrefix - The correct protocol for links to your Transferology Connector
  • ceg.domainName - The correct domain for links to your Transferology Connector
  • ceg.serverPort - The correct server port for links to your Transferology Connector
  • ceg.cgiPath - The correct web context for links to your Transferology Connector
  • ceg.uniq - The Transferology UNIQ for your school
  • ceg.defaultUniq - The Transferology UNIQ for your school
  • ceg.instFullName - The full name of your school
  • ceg.instid - Your DARwin instid value
  • ceg.instidq - Your DARwin instidq value
  • ceg.instcd - Your DARwin instcd value
  • ceg.zip - The zip code for your school's main address
  • ceg.state - The state abbreviation for your school's main address

Using Ohio State University and the above DARwin daemon.cfg as an example, below is what their cas4.properties would look like:

# Required for audits
xservice.darwinDaemonServerName=osu_prod
# Required for equivalencies, single target school
ceg.webPrefix=http://
ceg.domainName=dars.osu.edu
ceg.serverPort=80
ceg.cgiPath=/ceg44
ceg.defaultUniq=OSU
ceg.uniq=OSU
ceg.instidq=72
ceg.instid=1592
ceg.instcd=
ceg.instFullName=Ohio State University
ceg.state=OH
ceg.zip=43210

Connector Provides Equivalencies for Multiple Target Schools

Equivalencies for multiple target schools must define the following property:

  • xservice.model - Instructs the Connector to use the ceg-model.xml file

Assuming that Ohio State hosts a Connector with target equivalencies for all Ohio schools and the above DARwin daemon.cfg as an example, below what their cas4.properties would look like:

# Required for audits
xservice.darwinDaemonServerName=osu_prod
# Required for equivalencies, multiple target schools
xservice.model=model

Using the ceg-model.xml

Only use ceg-model.xml when equivalencies will be shown for more than one target school.

The ceg-model.xml needs to be in the same directory as the cas4.properties; the correct directory depends upon your application server and is identified in the install application server-specific install instructions. Keep the following in mind regarding the id attributes:

  • The cas:server id attribute MUST be "cegServer"
  • Any values can be used for the cas:institution id attributes, although they must be unique within the file


The following is an example of the ceg-model.xml for more than one school. The descriptions of the cas:server and cas:institution attributes are the same as in the previous section's ceg. prefixed properties.

<beans xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans"
       xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
       xmlns:util="http://www.springframework.org/schema/util"
       xmlns:cas="http://www.transfer.org/schema/cas"
       xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans
                           http://www.springframework.org/schema/beans/spring-beans-2.0.xsd
                           http://www.springframework.org/schema/util
                           http://www.springframework.org/schema/util/spring-util-2.0.xsd
                           http://www.transfer.org/schema/cas
                           http://www.transfer.org/schema/cas/cas.xsd">

 <cas:server id="cegServer" webPrefix="http://" domainName="dars.osu.edu" cgiPath="/ceg44" serverPort="80" defaultUniq="OSU" >

   <cas:institution id="i1" uniq="OSU"  instidq="72" instid="1592"   instcd="   " instFullName="Ohio State University" 
           state="OH" zip="43210" defTimeout="6000" />

   <cas:institution id="i2" uniq="CSCC" instidq="73" instid="006867" instcd="   "  instFullName="Columbus State Community College"
           state="OH" zip="43216" defTimeout="6000" />

 </cas:server>

</beans>

Install on your Application Server

Follow the instructions below that are specific to your application server:

View Home page

Use your Web browser to view the Connector's home page. Using the above OSU example, the correct URL is: http://dars.osu.edu/ceg44/cegHome.htm

If everything is configured correctly, you should see a page that shows some of the information defined by your cas4.properties file.