GeoNetwork opensource is a metadata catalogue. Like GeoServer, it uses a Java server in the backend. Since I already have Tomcat java server from my GeoServer install it should be really easy to get started with GeoNetwork. Here are my notes for installing it for Mac OS X on a Macbook.

Resources

1. ''GeoNetwork opensource'' web site
2. Latest GeoNetwork Desktop auto install file -- contains GeoServer and other stuff too - everything you'd need to start from scratch. The auto installers include a Java server called Jetty, plus GeoServer, but I don't need this because I already have Tomcat and GeoServer installed elsewhere.

Installing Tomcat & GeoServer

For more on the process I used for installing Tomcat and GeoServer , see my last post about installing GeoServer

Install GeoNetwork files

Download the GeoNetwork Server zipped jar file

Extract and launch the jar file by double-clicking on the file inside Mac Finder. It will start an installer process. I'd rather do some of this from the command line, but I still need to learn the basics of Java jar packages, etc. For now, just select all the defaults of the installer except when it lists the packages to install. Only keep the Core pack, uncheck GeoServer web map server if you already have it installed like I do.

GeoNetwork is now installed in the /Applications/geonetwork folder.

Configure Tomcat

For Tomcat to find the GeoServer install you can edit the Tomcat server config file:

 /opt/local/share/java/tomcat5/conf/server.xml

And insert this code before the final closing of the Host object:

 ... 
<Context
path="/geonetwork"
docBase="/Applications/geonetwork/web/geonetwork"
crossContext="false"
debug="0"
reloadable="false" />

<Context
path="/intermap"
docBase="/Applications/geonetwork/web/intermap"
crossContext="false"
debug="0"
reloadable="false" />
</Host>

Note: You could also move some folders into the Tomcat webapps folder, but I prefer the above approach so the GeoNetwork uninstaller, etc. will still work and maybe upgrades will be easier too.

Set File Permissions

When I did my install it set the file/folder ownership using my account user name and the admin group, which is not what Tomcat and GeoNetwork will expect. So I changed the main web files to be owned by the web server user www:

 sudo chgrp -R www /Applications/geonetwork/web
 sudo chown -R www /Applications/geonetwork/web

Now you can restart the Tomcat server:

 sudo /opt/local/share/java/tomcat5/bin/tomcatctl start
 Starting Tomcat.... started.

Launch GeoNetwork

You should then be able to access GeoNetwork in the web browser by going to:

 http://localhost:8080/geonetwork

Your page should look somewhat like this after hitting the Search button:

You should also be able to log into your site with username/password as admin.

Comments

• After experiencing the simplicity of installing GeoServer, I was assuming I'd be able to just get a GeoNetwork .war file. Would it be a simple way for a server-side install without needing to launch a .jar file.
• I got slightly confused between the use of Desktop and Server versions in some of the download files.
• Safari web browser does seem to like embedded map widget. Will that come sometime soon?
• Once I got my head wrapped around a few things, this was still an easy install. And even simpler when you realise what is going on in the backend - i.e. all the database backend is being handled without me having to set up a database. That's great!

I assume some more configuration changes will need to be made before I can start to use this in a production environment, and to connect with my GeoServer install, but for now it's looking good.