J2EE application clients, Web modules, and individual enterprise
beans in EJB modules can include references to other resources. Reference
types include EJB references, message destination references, resource references,
resource environment references, security role references, and Web service
references.
The J2EE and EJB specifications provide for the means for components
to define "logical" names that refer to other resources. For example, an EJB
reference is a logical name that refers to the home of an enterprise bean.
A Web service reference is a logical name that refers to a Web service.
You
can use the various deployment descriptor editors to define references. A
wizard helps you to define new references, and you can quickly remove or modify
properties of existing references within the deployment descriptor editor.
To
open the Add Reference wizard from a deployment descriptor editor:
- In the Project Explorer of the J2EE perspective, expand the tree
and select the Deployment Descriptor node for your project where you want
to include a reference. You can define references for EJB projects, application
client projects, and dynamic Web projects.
- Right-click the Deployment Descriptor node and select from the pop-up menu. The appropriate deployment
descriptor for your module type opens. For example, an EJB module opens in
the EJB deployment descriptor editor.
- Click the References tab to go to the References
page of the deployment descriptor editor.
- Click Add to open the Add Reference wizard.
Note: For EJB projects, references are defined on
a per bean basis. You must select an existing bean before you can click Add to
define a reference.