PEAR Installer Help

#### Packaging and Installing UIMA Components

PEAR (Processing Engine ARchive) is a standard for packaging UIMA compliant components. This standard defines several service elements that should be included in the archive package to enable automated installation of the encapsulated UIMA component. The major PEAR service element is XML Installation Descriptor that specifies installation platform, component attributes, custom installation procedures and environment variables. The automated installation of a UIMA compliant component includes 2 steps: (1) installation of the component code and resources in a local file system, and (2) verification of the serviceability of the installed component. Installation of the component code and resources involves extracting component files from the archive (PEAR) package in a designated directory and localizing file references in component descriptors and other configuration files. Verification of the component serviceability is accomplished with the help of standard UIMA mechanisms for instantiating analysis engines.
PEAR Installer application allows installing UIMA compliant components (analysis engines) from PEAR packages in a local file system and run installed components using the UIMA CAS Visual Debugger application.

#### Running PEAR Installer application:

1. Start PEAR Installer application by using the `runPearInstaller.bat` script in the `%UIMA_HOME%/bin` directory.
2. Select PEAR file by using the "Browse ..." button on the right of the "PEAR file" text field. Alternatively, you can type the PEAR file path in the "PEAR file" text field and press 'Enter'. Selected file path will appear in both the text field and the message area.
3. Select the installation directory by using the "Browse Dir ..." button on the right of the "Installation Directory" text field. Alternatively, you can type the installation directory path in the "Installation Directory" text field and press 'Enter'. Selected directory path will appear in both the text field and the message area. By default, PEAR Installer will use current working directory as the installation directory. Note: PEAR Installer creates a subdirectory in the specified installation directory, using the UIMA component ID as the subdirectory name, for the component code and resource files.
4. Start selected PEAR installation by using the "Install" button. During the installation several messages will be printed in the message area. Note: PEAR Installer creates the `setenv.txt` file in the `<component_root>/metadata` directory. This file contains environment variables required by the component. The PEAR Installer also creates a `<component_id>_pear.xml` pear descriptor in the `<component_root>` directory that can be used to run the installed PEAR component.
5. If the installation and verification steps completed successfully, you can run your component in the UIMA CAS Visual Debugger application by using the "Run your AE in the CAS Visual Debugger" button. The CAS Visual Debugger application will load your UIMA component using its XML descriptor file. If the component is loaded successfully, you'll we able to run it either with sample documents provided in the `%UIMA_HOME%/examples/data` directory, or with any other sample documents. See UIMA documentation for more information about the UIMA CAS Visual Debugger application.