Using Intrexx Demo Portal as a Portal Template

The INTREXX GmbH provides you with a demo portal. You can select this as a template when creating a portal.

The Intrexx Demo Portal is a fully functional portal that contains a wealth of applications, among other things. As an Intrexx user, you can open the demo portal in the Portal Manager and make any changes or extensions.

As a portal user, you can open the demo portal immediately after creating it in the browser and use all its functions.

Step-by-step guide

To create a portal based on the Intrexx demo portal, proceed as follows:

  1. Click on "File > New portal...". Or press Ctrl+N.

  2. The "New portal... - General settings" dialog box is displayed.

    Portal name

    Enter a unique name for the portal here.
    When you create a portal, Intrexx uses the name entered here for the portal directory on the portal server. Portal-specific files are stored in the portal directory.
    The portal name does not correspond to the URL used to access the portal in the browser. You define the URL in the front-end web server. (See Add website in IIS)

    Portal directory

    All of the portal's files can be found in the portal directory on the Intrexx portal server. When you enter a portal name, the name for the subdirectory is automatically formed from the portal name.

    Portal log directory

    The directory where the portal log files are stored is stated here. The same applies here: When you enter a portal name, the name for the subdirectory is automatically formed from the portal name.

  3. Click on "Next".

    The "New portal... - Portal template" dialog box is displayed.

    Switch to the "Standard" tab if this is not already selected.

  4. Click on "Next".

    Database server

    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "Database server" dialog.

    Select the database server for your new portal.

    For the Oracle database server, you must obtain the database drivers directly from the manufacturer. Copy your driver into the installation directory "/lib" and then restart the portal service.

    The subsequent dialogs where the connection to the database server is configured varies from database to database.
    In this guide, PostgreSQL will be used as an example.
    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "PostgreSQL - Connection data" dialog.


    PostgreSQL connection data

    Database name

    The name of the database can be edited here.

    Port number

    Enter the communication port for the database.

    SSL

    Define whether the connection to the database server should be encrypted or not.
    You can initially select "no SSL" during portal creation and set up an encrypted connection to the database server later if required.
    If you set up an encrypted connection and select the value "SSL with certificate validation", you must store the certificate in the appropriate place on the database server before creating the portal.
    Once the portal has been created, you need to add the certificate to the Intrexx portal server for the encrypted connection to the database to work correctly.

    Login

    Enter the username of the database user.

    Password

    Enter the password of the database user.

    Connection database

    If you do not want to create a new database, you can select an existing database here.

    CockroachDB mode

    If you are using CockroachDB, you can activate CockroachDB mode here.

    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "PostgreSQL - Database details" dialog.

    PostgreSQL database settings

    New database

    A new database is created with this option.

    Use existing empty database

    An existing database is used with this option.

    Database name

    The name of the database can be edited here.

    Encoding

    Select the encoding (character set) for the new database here. The preset (UNICODE - UTF 8) can be kept in most cases.

    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "Frontend web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)" dialog.

    Front-end web server (reverse proxy / load balancer)

    In this dialog, you can define which front-end web server (reverse proxy) should be used for communications between the Intrexx portal server and the browser.

    Detailed information on the use of front-end web servers can be found in section Using a reverse proxy.

    Internet Information Services (IIS)

    Intrexx provides a graphical user interface for configuring Internet Information Services.

    Use the IIS if you are working in a Windows environment.

    Detailed information on the Internet Information Service (IIS) can be found in section Windows - Setting up IIS (Internet Information Service).

    Please note that you must make an entry in your DNS server (A or AAAA record) when using a front-end web server. Detailed information on this can be found in the section Storing host names in the DNS.

    IIS website

    Select the website that you added to IIS for your portal earlier. Do not use the ""Default Web Site"" from IIS.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port that you used in the previous version of Intrexx will be shown here. You can leave this port as it is.

    Note For a new installation, a free port, e.g. 1337, is preset here.

    Base URL of the portal

    The basic URL of the portal is displayed here.
    By default, the displayed base URL is derived from the website binding information in the Internet Information Service (IIS). These are the details for "Type" and "Hostname". (See section Add website in IIS)

    The base URL displayed here is transferred to the "Base URL" field in the portal properties under "General" after the portal has been created.

    NGINX

    Intrexx provides a graphical user interface for configuring NGINX.

    Use the NGINX if you are working in a Linux environment.

    Detailed information on NGINX can be found in section Setting up Linux -NGINX.

    Please note that you must make an entry in your DNS server (A or AAAA record) when using a front-end web server. Detailed information on this can be found in the section Storing host names in the DNS.

    NGINX virtual host

    "NGINX Virtual Host" refers to the Embedded Tomcat. NGINX connects to the Intrexx portal service via the virtual host. Usually "localhost" is to be entered here. (One exception to this is when NGINX is installed on a different server to Intrexx. In this case, the Intrexx server should be specified here.)

    NGINX configuration file

    You can generate the NGINX configuration file with Intrexx.

    Enter the path to the directory that the NGINX configuration file should be generated in.

    Example: /myfolder/portal.example.com.conf

    Then copy the NGINX configuration file to the desired location below "/etc/nginx".

    Example: /etc/nginx/sites-available/ portal.example.com.conf

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port for the Embedded Tomcat is displayed here. (For a new installation, this is port 1337.)

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. Please note that https is specified here. The second part is made up of the hostname that you defined in the NGINX configuration file. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    No front-end web server

    Select this option to configure a portal without a webend front server (reverse proxy).

    Please note that this option is only intended for test and development portals.
    Detailed information on this option can be found in section No front-end web server.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port for the Embedded Tomcat is displayed here. (For a new installation, this is port 1337.)

    Encryption (HTTPS)

    Activate this checkbox if you want to establish an encrypted connection between Intrexx or Embedded Tomcat and the browser.

    Selfsigned certificate for "localhost"

    Select this option if the communication between the Embedded Tomcat and the browser is to be encrypted with a self-signed certificate (for test or development portals).

    In this case, Intrexx automatically generates a self-signed certificate and uses it for the encrypted connection.

    Certificate file

    You can search for the certificate file using the icon.

    Certificate type

    Select the type of certificate store (keystore) that the certificate is saved in.

    Keystore password

    Enter the password for the keystore that the certificate is saved in.

    Certificate key password

    Enter the password for the certificate (certificate file).

    Note The keystore password and certificate key password are often identical.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. Please note that https is specified here. The second part consists of the host name. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    You can generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) in this dialog. Detailed information on this can be found in section Generate CSR (Certificate Signing Request) without a front-end web server.

    Manual setup

    You have the ability to manually configure communications between embedded Tomcat and the browser. This means that you do not need the dialog-based setup that is available for the "Internet Information Service (IIS)", "NGINX" and "No front-end web server" types.

    Further technical specifications for the manual setup can be found in the following files. This are included with Intrexx.

    • <portal directory>\tomcat\conf\server-https-default.xml

    • <portal directory>\tomcat\conf\server-http-default.xml

    • <portal directory>\external\htmlroot\WEB-INF\web.xml

    • <intrexx installation directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-internet.conf

    • <intrexx installation directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-remote.conf

    • <intrexx installation directory>\samples\web-tls-configuration\nginx\portal-intranet.conf

    Please contact Intrexx Support Center if you require further information.

    Base URL of the portal

    The base URL needs to be entered here. The first part refers to the protocol. You have configured an encrypted connection between the Intrexx portal server and the browser. The second part consists of the host name. Please make sure that this ends with a slash (/). It is essential that this is correct so that your portal can be accessed in the browser.

    This guide will use Internet Information Services (IIS) as an example of a front-end web server.
    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "Frontend web server: Internet Information Service (IIS)" dialog.

    Front-end web server: Internet Information Service (IIS)

    IIS website

    Select the website that you added to IIS for your portal earlier. Do not use the ""Default Web Site"" from IIS.

    Embedded Tomcat Port

    The port that you used in the previous version of Intrexx will be shown here. You can leave this port as it is.

    Note For a new installation, a free port, e.g. 1337, is preset here.

    Base URL of the portal

    The basic URL of the portal is displayed here.
    By default, the displayed base URL is derived from the website binding information in the Internet Information Service (IIS). These are the details for "Type" and "Hostname". (See section Add website in IIS)

    The base URL displayed here is transferred to the "Base URL" field in the portal properties under "General" after the portal has been created.

    Solr search server

    Each portal has a search function. This is technically realized via "Solr", Apache's search server.

    In this dialog, you determine whether you want to apply the default Solr settings or a custom configuration.

    Intrexx version 12.0.0

    Default settings for Solr installed by Setup

    By default, the Solr search server is installed in standalone mode. The Solr search server is installed on the same server as the Intrexx Portal Server. The default user and password are used for authentication on the Solr search server.

    If you only use one instance of the Solr search server, i.e. you do not use SolrCloud, you can usually select the default setting.

    Custom Solr configuration

    Select this option if you want to make individual settings for the Solr search server. This applies in particular if you want to make changes to the authentication on the Solr search server.

    Detailed information on the individual Solr configuration can be found in section Custom Solr configuration.

    Intrexx version 12.0.1

    As of Intrexx 12.0.1, you have the option of using OpenSearch or Elasticsearch as a "preview feature" for the portal search.

    OpenSearch/ElasticSearch

    Preview feature

    Please note that this feature is a so-called "preview feature". Preview features may be incomplete or contain errors. For this reason, they may currently only be used in test and development environments in order to evaluate them accordingly.

    Before using a preview feature, we strongly recommend that you carry out a data backup. INTREXX GmbH accepts no liability for the functionality or reliability of preview features. The use of preview features is therefore at the user's own risk.

    You have the option of using OpenSearch or Elasticsearch for the portal search.

    OpenSearch and Elastiksearch are not included in the scope of delivery. A separate installation with the Docker image of OpenSearch or Elastiksearch is recommended.

    Further information on this can be found in the following sections:

    After you have clicked on "Next", you will be taken to the "Summary" dialog.

    Summary

    General properties

    Opens a dialog where the portal name and directory can be edited.

    Web server

    Opens a dialog where the web server settings can be edited.

    Advanced settings

    Opens a dialog where the ports, search engine and other settings can be modified.

    Portal template

    Opens a dialog in which the portal template and the default portal language can be changed.

    After you have clicked on Portal template, the "Portal template" dialog box is displayed.

    Click on "Next".

    The "Language" dialog box is displayed.

    Here you can change the default language of the portal.

    Database

    Opens a dialog where the database can be changed.

    Advanced settings

    Opens a dialog where the ports, search engine and other settings can be modified.

    After you have clicked on "Start", you will be taken to the "Create portal" dialog.

    Creating portal

    Show messages

    Click on "Show messages" to switch to a page on which messages for portal creation are listed.

    Show tasks

    Goes back to the original view.

    After you have clicked on "Finish", you will be taken to the "Success" dialog.

    Success

    Show portal in browser

    Opens the portal you just created in the browser.

    You have created a portal based on the Intrexx demo portal.