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+++ b/doc/config-manual/general_settings.tex	Fri Sep 28 12:14:02 2012 +0200
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+\section{Configuring the GNV-Server}
+
+The configuration of the artifact- and mapserver is been done in the
+central configuration directory at {\tt artifact-server/conf/}. The
+central entry point is the file {\tt conf.xml}. All components of the
+configuration are linked from this document. 
+
+{\bf Within the configuration the key 
+{\verb+${artifacts.config.dir}+} can be used to reference the central
+configuration directory of the artifact-server instance, e.g. 
+\texttt{/opt/artifact-server/conf}.}
+
+The following structure gives an overview of the entire structure
+starting from {\tt conf/}:
+
+%% tree /opt/artifact-server/
+\begin{lstlisting}
+conf/
+|-- arcsdeconnectionpool.properties # database connection
+|-- charttemplate.xml # general properties for chart generation
+|-- conf.xml # central configuration
+|-- ehcache.xml # configuration of caching system
+|-- log4j.properties # logging of server
+|-- maptemplates # style defintions for rendering maps
+|   `-- *.vm
+|-- meshwidth.xml # buffer-size for querying different FIS on
+                  # meshes
+|-- palette # styling for 2D charts
+|   `-- *.xml
+|-- products # configuration of steps in workflows
+|   |-- horizontalcrosssection
+|   |   `-- *.xml
+|   |-- horizontalprofile
+|   |   `-- *.xml
+|   |-- layer
+|   |   `-- *.xml
+|   |-- timeseries
+|   |   |-- *.xml
+|   |   `-- timegap_definition.xml # definition of a gaps as defines in MEDIAN Coded Value Domains section TSIntervalTypes. The meaning of the defined gaps are detailed  explained in the file itself.
+|   |-- verticalcrosssection
+|   |   `-- *.xml
+|   `-- verticalprofile
+|       `-- *.xml
+`-- queries.properties # SQL configuration according to products
+\end{lstlisting}
+
+
+The central config-file {\tt conf/conf.xml} is XML-based and contains the
+following main elements:
+
+\begin{lstlisting}
+artifact-database
+|-- geo-backend # pointing to database connection, SQL configuration
+|-- rest-server # port, listen addresses
+|-- database # internal database storing artifacts
+|-- ehcache # pointing to cache configuration
+|-- cleaner # time of cleanups FIXME
+|-- export-secret # signing project files
+|-- factories # list of expert information systems
+|-- artifacts # list of products
+|-- gnv # charts, palettes, interpolation parameters
+|-- mapserver # integration of mapserver
+`-- velocity # templating language used in maptemplates
+\end{lstlisting}
+
+The documentation of the configuration will be split up in 4 sections
+addressing different tasks:
+\begin{enumerate}
+    \item "Configuring and Running Artifact-Server" covering the main elements 
+    \texttt{
+geo-backend, rest-server, database, ehcache, cleaner, export-secret}
+    \item "Generating Charts -- Background and Configuration" covering
+    the main element {\tt gnv}
+    \item "Generating Maps -- Background and Configuration" covering the
+    main elements {\tt mapserver, velocity}
+    \item "Configuring FIS, Products, States, Transitions and
+    SQL-Statements" covering the main elements {\tt factories,
+    artifacts}
+\end{enumerate}
+