From b774dedd7f0ab1567e790610b70eb7f2241423fb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: James Moger <james.moger@gitblit.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2011 15:31:38 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] Preliminary changes for running on RedHat OpenShift. Still
 in-progress.

---
 .gitignore                          |   2 +
 build.xml                           | 149 ++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 distrib/openshift.mkd               |  35 +++++++
 docs/00_index.mkd                   |  31 ++++--
 docs/04_releases.mkd                |   5 +-
 src/com/gitblit/GitBlit.java        |  89 +++++++++++++++--
 src/com/gitblit/GitServlet.java     |   2 +-
 src/com/gitblit/WebXmlSettings.java |  29 +++---
 8 files changed, 287 insertions(+), 55 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 distrib/openshift.mkd

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9074474f..66dc8d67 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@
 /bin/
 /.settings/
 /javadoc
+/express
+/build-demo.xml
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 4d5ce6ec..e2d9e4bb 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 	<property name="project.war.dir" value="${basedir}/war" />
 	<property name="project.site.dir" value="${basedir}/site" />
 	<property name="project.resources.dir" value="${basedir}/resources" />	
+	<property name="project.express.dir" value="${basedir}/express" />
 	<available property="hasBuildProps" file="${basedir}/build.properties"/>
 
 	<!--
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@
 		<property name="fedclient.zipfile" value="fedclient-${gb.version}.zip" />
 		<property name="manager.zipfile" value="manager-${gb.version}.zip" />
 		<property name="gbapi.zipfile" value="gbapi-${gb.version}.zip" />
+		<property name="express.zipfile" value="express-${gb.version}.zip" />
 	</target>
 	
 	
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@
 			<fileset dir="${basedir}/distrib">
 				<include name="**/*" />
 				<exclude name="federation.properties" />
+				<exclude name="openshift.mkd" />
 			</fileset>
 			<fileset dir="${basedir}">
 				<include name="LICENSE" />
@@ -279,6 +282,9 @@
 				<arg value="--substitute" />
 				<arg value="%API%=${gbapi.zipfile}" />
 
+				<arg value="--substitute" />
+				<arg value="%EXPRESS%=${express.zipfile}" />
+
 				<arg value="--substitute" />
 				<arg value="%BUILDDATE%=${gb.versionDate}" />
 
@@ -313,7 +319,7 @@
 		
 		<echo>Building Gitblit WAR ${gb.version}</echo>
 		
-		<delete dir="${project.war.dir}" />		
+		<delete dir="${project.war.dir}" />
 
 		<!-- Copy web.xml and users.properties to WEB-INF -->
 		<copy todir="${project.war.dir}/WEB-INF">
@@ -376,7 +382,7 @@
 		<mkdir dir="${project.war.dir}/WEB-INF/classes"/>
 		<copy todir="${project.war.dir}/WEB-INF/classes">
 			<fileset dir="${project.build.dir}">
-				<exclude name="WEB-INF/web.xml" />
+				<exclude name="WEB-INF/" />
 				<exclude name="com/gitblit/tests/" />
 				<exclude name="com/gitblit/build/**" />
 				<exclude name="com/gitblit/client/**" />
@@ -432,6 +438,94 @@
 	</target>
 
 
+	<!-- 
+		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+		Build a Gitblit filesystem for deployment to RedHat OpenShif Expresst
+		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+	-->
+	<target name="buildOpenShift" depends="compile" description="Build exploded WAR file suitable for deployment to OpenShift Express">
+		<echo>Building Gitblit Express for RedHat OpenShift ${gb.version}</echo>
+		
+		<delete dir="${project.express.dir}" />
+		
+		<!-- Create the OpenShift filesystem -->
+		<property name="deployments.root" value="${project.express.dir}/deployments/ROOT.war"/>
+		<mkdir dir="${deployments.root}" />
+		<touch file="${project.express.dir}/deployments/ROOT.war.dodeploy" />
+
+		<!-- Copy the Gitblit OpenShift readme file -->
+		<copy tofile="${project.express.dir}/README.gitblit" 
+			file="${basedir}/distrib/openshift.mkd"/>
+
+		<!-- Copy LICENSE and NOTICE to WEB-INF -->
+		<copy todir="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF">
+			<fileset dir="${basedir}">
+				<include name="LICENSE" />
+				<include name="NOTICE" />
+			</fileset>
+		</copy>
+
+		<!-- Copy gitblit.properties as reference.properties -->
+		<copy tofile="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/reference.properties" 
+			file="${basedir}/distrib/gitblit.properties"/>
+
+		<!-- Build the WAR web.xml from the prototype web.xml and gitblit.properties -->
+		<!-- THIS FILE IS NOT OVERRIDDEN ONCE IT IS BUILT!!! -->
+		<java classpath="${project.build.dir}" classname="com.gitblit.build.BuildWebXml">
+			<classpath refid="master-classpath" />
+
+			<arg value="--sourceFile" />
+			<arg value="${basedir}/src/WEB-INF/web.xml" />
+
+			<arg value="--destinationFile" />
+			<arg value="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/web.xml" />
+
+			<arg value="--propertiesFile" />
+			<arg value="${basedir}/distrib/gitblit.properties" />
+		</java>
+
+		<!-- Gitblit resources -->
+		<copy todir="${deployments.root}">
+			<fileset dir="${project.resources.dir}">
+				<exclude name="thumbs.db" />
+			</fileset>
+		</copy>
+
+		<!-- Gitblit library dependencies -->
+		<mkdir dir="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/lib"/>
+		<copy todir="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/lib">
+			<fileset dir="${basedir}/ext">
+				<exclude name="*-sources.jar" />
+				<exclude name="*-javadoc.jar" />
+				<exclude name="jcommander*.jar" />
+				<exclude name="jetty*.jar" />
+				<exclude name="junit*.jar" />
+				<exclude name="servlet*.jar" />
+			</fileset>
+		</copy>
+
+		<!-- Gitblit classes -->
+		<mkdir dir="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/classes"/>
+		<copy todir="${deployments.root}/WEB-INF/classes">
+			<fileset dir="${project.build.dir}">
+				<exclude name="WEB-INF/" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/tests/" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/build/**" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/client/**" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/GitBlitServer*.class" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/Launcher*.class" />
+				<exclude name="com/gitblit/MakeCertificate*.class" />
+			</fileset>
+		</copy>
+
+		<!-- Build Express Zip file -->
+		<zip destfile="${express.zipfile}">
+			<fileset dir="${project.express.dir}" />
+		</zip>
+
+	</target>
+
+
 	<!-- 
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 		Build the stand-alone, Gitblit Manager
@@ -439,7 +533,7 @@
 	-->
 	<target name="buildManager" depends="compile" description="Builds the stand-alone Gitblit Manager">
 		<echo>Building Gitblit Manager ${gb.version}</echo>
-	
+
 		<genjar jarfile="manager-${gb.version}.jar">
 			<resource file="${basedir}/src/com/gitblit/client/splash.png" />
 			<resource file="${basedir}/resources/gitblt-favicon.png" />
@@ -461,7 +555,7 @@
 			<resource file="${basedir}/resources/commit_merge_16x16.png" />
 			<resource file="${basedir}/resources/blank.png" />
 			<resource file="${basedir}/src/com/gitblit/wicket/GitBlitWebApp.properties" />
-				
+
 			<class name="com.gitblit.client.GitblitManagerLauncher" />
 			<classfilter>
 				<exclude name="org.apache." />
@@ -479,7 +573,7 @@
 				<attribute name="Release-Date" value="${gb.versionDate}" />
 			</manifest>
 		</genjar>
-		
+
 		<!-- Build Manager Zip file -->
 		<zip destfile="${manager.zipfile}">
 			<fileset dir="${basedir}">
@@ -682,6 +776,9 @@
 			<arg value="--substitute" />
 			<arg value="%API%=${gbapi.zipfile}" />
 
+			<arg value="--substitute" />
+			<arg value="%EXPRESS%=${express.zipfile}" />
+
 			<arg value="--substitute" />
 			<arg value="%BUILDDATE%=${gb.versionDate}" />
 
@@ -705,30 +802,31 @@
 
 		</java>	
 	</target>
-		
+
 
 	<!--
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 		Compile from source, publish binaries, and build & deploy site
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 	-->
-	<target name="buildAll" depends="buildGO,buildWAR,buildFederationClient,buildManager,buildApiLibrary,buildSite">		
+	<target name="buildAll" depends="buildGO,buildWAR,buildOpenShift,buildFederationClient,buildManager,buildApiLibrary,buildSite">		
 		<!-- Cleanup -->
 		<delete dir="${project.build.dir}" />
 		<delete dir="${project.war.dir}" />
 		<delete dir="${project.deploy.dir}" />
+		<delete dir="${project.express.dir}" />
 	</target>
-				
-	
+
+
 	<!-- 
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 		Publish binaries to Google Code
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 	-->
-	<target name="publishBinaries" depends="buildGO,buildWAR,buildFederationClient,buildManager" description="Publish the Gitblit binaries to Google Code">
-		
+	<target name="publishBinaries" depends="buildGO,buildWAR,buildOpenShift,buildFederationClient,buildManager" description="Publish the Gitblit binaries to Google Code">
+
 		<echo>Uploading Gitblit ${gb.version} binaries</echo>
-		
+
 		<!-- Upload Gitblit GO ZIP file -->
 		<gcupload 
 			 username="${googlecode.user}" 
@@ -738,7 +836,7 @@
 			 targetfilename="gitblit-${gb.version}.zip"
 			 summary="Gitblit GO v${gb.version} (standalone, integrated Gitblit server)"
 			 labels="Featured, Type-Package, OpSys-All" />
-			
+
 		<!-- Upload Gitblit WAR file -->
 		<gcupload 
 		     username="${googlecode.user}" 
@@ -748,7 +846,7 @@
 		     targetfilename="gitblit-${gb.version}.war"
 		     summary="Gitblit WAR v${gb.version} (standard WAR webapp for servlet containers)"
 		     labels="Featured, Type-Package, OpSys-All" />
-		
+
 		<!-- Upload Gitblit FedClient -->
 		<gcupload 
 			username="${googlecode.user}" 
@@ -768,7 +866,7 @@
 			targetfilename="manager-${gb.version}.zip"
 			summary="Gitblit Manager v${gb.version} (Swing tool to remotely administer a Gitblit server)"
 			labels="Featured, Type-Package, OpSys-All" />
-		
+
 		<!-- Upload Gitblit API Library -->
 		<gcupload 
 			username="${googlecode.user}" 
@@ -778,19 +876,30 @@
 			targetfilename="gbapi-${gb.version}.zip"
 			summary="Gitblit API Library v${gb.version} (JSON RPC library to integrate with your software)"
 			labels="Featured, Type-Package, OpSys-All" />
+
+		<!-- Upload Gitblit Express for RedHat OpenShift -->
+		<gcupload 
+			username="${googlecode.user}" 
+			password="${googlecode.password}" 
+			projectname="gitblit" 
+			filename="${express.zipfile}" 
+			targetfilename="express-${gb.version}.zip"
+			summary="Gitblit Express v${gb.version} (run Gitblit on RedHat's OpenShift cloud)"
+			labels="Featured, Type-Package, OpSys-All" />
+
 	</target>
 
-	
+
 	<!--
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
-		Publish site to hosting service
+		Publish site to site hosting service
 		You must add ext/commons-net-1.4.0.jar to your ANT classpath.
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 	-->
 	<target name="publishSite" depends="buildSite" description="Publish the Gitblit site to a webserver (requires ext/commons-net-1.4.0.jar)" >
-		
+
 		<echo>Uploading Gitblit ${gb.version} website</echo>
-		
+
 		<ftp server="${ftp.server}"
 			userid="${ftp.user}"
 			password="${ftp.password}"
@@ -801,7 +910,7 @@
 		</ftp>
 	</target>
 
-	
+
 	<!--
 		~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 		Compile from source, publish binaries, and build & deploy site
diff --git a/distrib/openshift.mkd b/distrib/openshift.mkd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5d144bd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib/openshift.mkd
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+## Gitblit on RedHat's OpenShift Cloud Service
+
+The Gitblit Express distribution can be copied to the root of your RedHat OpenShift
+application repository.  Gitblit Express is an exploded WAR file with all appropriate
+dependencies bundled.
+
+You should delete the `pom.xml` file and the `src` folder from your application repository
+as this Gitblit Express is not a source distribution to be built with Maven on OpenShift.
+
+Gitblit automatically adjusts itself to running on OpenShift.  Repositories, users,
+federation proposals, and setting overrides are stored in *OPENSHIFT_DATA_DIR*.
+
+It is recommended to enable all RPC settings in the `web.xml` file to allow remote
+administration and, more importantly, configuration of your Gitblit Express
+installation using the Gitblit Manager.
+
+Please do not change the following settings unless you know exactly what you are
+doing:
+
+- *git.repositoriesFolder*
+- *federation.proposalsFolder*
+- *realm.userService* (for standard users.properties)
+ 
+Additionally, it is recommended to force your Gitblit installation to cleanup up
+older versions on your OpenShift filesystem to maximize available space for your
+repositories.
+
+Append the following command to your ./openshift/action_hooks/build file:
+
+    rm -fr $OPENSHIFT_APP_DIR/jbossas-7.0/standalone/tmp/vfs/*
+
+For more detailed instructions on how to setup and deploy an OpenShift application
+please see this excellent turorial:
+
+https://github.com/opensas/play-demo/wiki/Step-12.5---deploy-to-openshift
diff --git a/docs/00_index.mkd b/docs/00_index.mkd
index fadde641..91e617f8 100644
--- a/docs/00_index.mkd
+++ b/docs/00_index.mkd
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 ## What is Gitblit?
 <div class="well" style="margin-left:5px;float:right;width:275px;padding: 10px 10px;">
 <b>Current Release %VERSION% (%BUILDDATE%)</b> <a href="releases.html">changelog</a>
-<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="text-decoration:none;" class="btn success" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%GO%">Download Gitblit GO</a></div>
-<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="text-decoration:none;" class="btn danger" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%WAR%">Download Gitblit WAR</a></div>
-<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="text-decoration:none;" class="btn primary" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%MANAGER%">Download Gitblit Manager</a></div>
-	<div style="text-align:center;">
+<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="width:150px;text-decoration:none;" class="btn success" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%GO%">Download Gitblit GO</a></div>
+<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="width:150px;text-decoration:none;" class="btn danger" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%WAR%">Download Gitblit WAR</a></div>
+<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="width:150px;text-decoration:none;" class="btn info" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%EXPRESS%">Download Gitblit Express</a></div>
+<div style="padding:5px;"><a style="width:150px;text-decoration:none;" class="btn primary" href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%MANAGER%">Download Gitblit Manager</a></div>
+	<div style="text-align:center">
 		<a href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%API%">Gitblit API</a> | <a href="http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%FEDCLIENT%">Gitblit Federation Client</a>
 		<br/>
 		<a href="screenshots.html" title="Screenshots"><img style="margin-top:5px;border:1px solid #ccc;" src="thumbs/00.png" alt="Screenshots" /></a>
 	</div>
-	
+
 	<div style="padding-top:5px;">
 	<table class="condensed-table">
 		<tbody>
@@ -19,9 +20,9 @@
 		<tr><th>Discussion</th><td><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/gitblit">Gitblit Group</a></td></tr>
 		<tr><th>Google+</th><td><a href="https://plus.google.com/114464678392593421684">Gitblit+</a></td></tr>
 		</tbody>
-		</table>		
+		</table>
 	</div>
-	
+
 	<a target="_top" href="http://www.ohloh.net/p/gitblit">
 		<img style="padding-top:5px;" border="0" width="100" height="16" src="http://www.ohloh.net/p/gitblit/widgets/project_thin_badge.gif" alt="Ohloh project report for Gitblit" />
 	</a>
@@ -30,19 +31,26 @@
 Gitblit is an open-source, pure Java stack for managing, viewing, and serving [Git][git] repositories.  
 It's designed primarily as a tool for small workgroups who want to host centralized repositories.
 
+You can browse a live demo [here](http://demo-gitblit.rhcloud.com) hosted on [RedHat's OpenShift][rhcloud] cloud service.
+
 ### GO: Single-Stack Solution
 
 *Gitblit GO* is an integrated, single-stack solution based on Jetty.
-  
+
 You do not need Apache httpd, Perl, Git, or Gitweb.  Should you want to use some or all of those, you still can; Gitblit plays nice with the other kids on the block.
 
 This is what you should download if you want to go from zero to Git in less than 5 mins.
-   
+
 All dependencies are downloaded on first execution.
 
 ### WAR: For Your Servlet Container
 *Gitblit WAR* is what you should download if you already have a servlet container available that you wish to use.  Jetty 6/7/8 and Tomcat 6/7 are known to work.  Generally, any Servlet 2.5 or Servlet 3.0 container should work.
-    
+
+All dependencies are bundled.
+
+### Express: For the Cloud
+*Gitblit Express* is a prepared distribution for [RedHat's OpenShift][rhcloud] cloud service.
+
 All dependencies are bundled.
 
 ### You decide how to use Gitblit
@@ -72,4 +80,5 @@ Gitblit includes a backup mechanism (*federation*) which can be used to backup r
 Gitblit requires a Java 6 Runtime Environment (JRE) or a Java 6 Development Kit (JDK).
 
 [jgit]: http://eclipse.org/jgit "Eclipse JGit Site"
-[git]: http://git-scm.com "Official Git Site"
\ No newline at end of file
+[git]: http://git-scm.com "Official Git Site"
+[rhcloud]: https://openshift.redhat.com/app "RedHat OpenShift"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/04_releases.mkd b/docs/04_releases.mkd
index 22ecce78..a4a2c4c4 100644
--- a/docs/04_releases.mkd
+++ b/docs/04_releases.mkd
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 ## Release History
 
 ### Current Release
-**%VERSION%** ([go](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%GO%) | [war](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%WAR%) | [fedclient](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%FEDCLIENT%) | [manager](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%MANAGER%) | [api](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%API%)) based on [%JGIT%][jgit] &nbsp; *released %BUILDDATE%*
+**%VERSION%** ([go](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%GO%) | [war](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%WAR%) | [express](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%EXPRESS%) | [fedclient](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%FEDCLIENT%) | [manager](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%MANAGER%) | [api](http://code.google.com/p/gitblit/downloads/detail?name=%API%)) based on [%JGIT%][jgit] &nbsp; *released %BUILDDATE%*
 
+- added: Gitblit Express bundle for running Gitblit on RedHat's OpenShift cloud
 - added: optional Gravatar integration  
     **New:** *web.allowGravatar = true*   
-- added: multi-repository activity page.  this is a timeline of commit activity over the last N days for one or more repositories.
+- added: multi-repository activity page.  this is a timeline of commit activity over the last N days for one or more repositories.  
    **New:** *web.activityDuration = 14*  
    **New:** *web.timeFormat = HH:mm*  
    **New:** *web.datestampLongFormat = EEEE, MMMM d, yyyy*  
diff --git a/src/com/gitblit/GitBlit.java b/src/com/gitblit/GitBlit.java
index bc356676..80550f49 100644
--- a/src/com/gitblit/GitBlit.java
+++ b/src/com/gitblit/GitBlit.java
@@ -246,6 +246,54 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 		return self().settings.getBoolean(Keys.web.debugMode, false);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns the file object for the specified configuration key.
+	 * 
+	 * @return the file
+	 */
+	public static File getFileOrFolder(String key, String defaultFileOrFolder) {
+		String fileOrFolder = GitBlit.getString(key, defaultFileOrFolder);
+		return getFileOrFolder(fileOrFolder);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the file object which may have it's base-path determined by
+	 * environment variables for running on a cloud hosting service. All Gitblit
+	 * file or folder retrievals are (at least initially) funneled through this
+	 * method so it is the correct point to globally override/alter filesystem
+	 * access based on environment or some other indicator.
+	 * 
+	 * @return the file
+	 */
+	public static File getFileOrFolder(String fileOrFolder) {
+		String openShift = System.getenv("OPENSHIFT_DATA_DIR");
+		if (!StringUtils.isEmpty(openShift)) {
+			// running on RedHat OpenShift
+			return new File(openShift, fileOrFolder);
+		}
+		return new File(fileOrFolder);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the path of the repositories folder. This method checks to see if
+	 * Gitblit is running on a cloud service and may return an adjusted path.
+	 * 
+	 * @return the repositories folder path
+	 */
+	public static File getRepositoriesFolder() {
+		return getFileOrFolder(Keys.git.repositoriesFolder, "git");
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the path of the proposals folder. This method checks to see if
+	 * Gitblit is running on a cloud service and may return an adjusted path.
+	 * 
+	 * @return the proposals folder path
+	 */
+	public static File getProposalsFolder() {
+		return getFileOrFolder(Keys.federation.proposalsFolder, "proposals");
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Updates the list of server settings.
 	 * 
@@ -1120,8 +1168,7 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 
 		try {
 			// make the proposals folder
-			File proposalsFolder = new File(getString(Keys.federation.proposalsFolder, "proposals")
-					.trim());
+			File proposalsFolder = getProposalsFolder();
 			proposalsFolder.mkdirs();
 
 			// cache json to a file
@@ -1153,7 +1200,7 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 	 */
 	public List<FederationProposal> getPendingFederationProposals() {
 		List<FederationProposal> list = new ArrayList<FederationProposal>();
-		File folder = new File(getString(Keys.federation.proposalsFolder, "proposals").trim());
+		File folder = getProposalsFolder();
 		if (folder.exists()) {
 			File[] files = folder.listFiles(new FileFilter() {
 				@Override
@@ -1276,7 +1323,7 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 	 * @return true if the proposal was deleted
 	 */
 	public boolean deletePendingFederationProposal(FederationProposal proposal) {
-		File folder = new File(getString(Keys.federation.proposalsFolder, "proposals").trim());
+		File folder = getProposalsFolder();
 		File file = new File(folder, proposal.token + Constants.PROPOSAL_EXT);
 		return file.delete();
 	}
@@ -1391,7 +1438,7 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 	public void configureContext(IStoredSettings settings, boolean startFederation) {
 		logger.info("Reading configuration from " + settings.toString());
 		this.settings = settings;
-		repositoriesFolder = new File(settings.getString(Keys.git.repositoriesFolder, "git"));
+		repositoriesFolder = getRepositoriesFolder();
 		logger.info("Git repositories folder " + repositoriesFolder.getAbsolutePath());
 		repositoryResolver = new FileResolver<Void>(repositoriesFolder, exportAll);
 		serverStatus = new ServerStatus(isGO());
@@ -1406,16 +1453,26 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 		} catch (Throwable t) {
 			// not a login service class or class could not be instantiated.
 			// try to use default file login service
-			File realmFile = new File(realm);
-			if (!realmFile.exists()) {
+			File realmFile = getFileOrFolder(Keys.realm.userService, "users.properties");
+			if (realmFile.exists()) {
+				// load the existing realm file
+				loginService = new FileUserService(realmFile);
+			} else {
+				// create a new realm file and add the default admin account.
+				// this is necessary for bootstrapping a dynamic environment
+				// like running on a cloud service.
 				try {
 					realmFile.createNewFile();
+					loginService = new FileUserService(realmFile);
+					UserModel admin = new UserModel("admin");
+					admin.password = "admin";
+					admin.canAdmin = true;
+					loginService.updateUserModel(admin);
 				} catch (IOException x) {
 					logger.error(
 							MessageFormat.format("COULD NOT CREATE REALM FILE {0}!", realmFile), x);
 				}
 			}
-			loginService = new FileUserService(realmFile);
 		}
 		setUserService(loginService);
 		mailExecutor = new MailExecutor(settings);
@@ -1441,7 +1498,21 @@ public class GitBlit implements ServletContextListener {
 		settingsModel = loadSettingModels();
 		if (settings == null) {
 			// Gitblit WAR is running in a servlet container
-			WebXmlSettings webxmlSettings = new WebXmlSettings(contextEvent.getServletContext());
+			ServletContext context = contextEvent.getServletContext();
+			WebXmlSettings webxmlSettings = new WebXmlSettings(context);
+
+			// 0.7.0 web.properties in the deployed war folder
+			File overrideFile = new File(context.getRealPath("/WEB-INF/web.properties"));
+			if (overrideFile.exists()) {
+				webxmlSettings.applyOverrides(overrideFile);
+			}
+
+			// 0.8.0 gitblit.properties file located outside the deployed war
+			// folder lie, for example, on RedHat OpenShift.
+			overrideFile = getFileOrFolder("gitblit.properties");
+			if (!overrideFile.getPath().equals("gitblit.properties")) {
+				webxmlSettings.applyOverrides(overrideFile);
+			}
 			configureContext(webxmlSettings, true);
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/com/gitblit/GitServlet.java b/src/com/gitblit/GitServlet.java
index 34d1257d..b928d836 100644
--- a/src/com/gitblit/GitServlet.java
+++ b/src/com/gitblit/GitServlet.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class GitServlet extends org.eclipse.jgit.http.server.GitServlet {
 	@Override
 	public String getInitParameter(String name) {
 		if (name.equals("base-path")) {
-			return GitBlit.getString(Keys.git.repositoriesFolder, "git");
+			return GitBlit.getRepositoriesFolder().getAbsolutePath();
 		} else if (name.equals("export-all")) {
 			return "1";
 		}
diff --git a/src/com/gitblit/WebXmlSettings.java b/src/com/gitblit/WebXmlSettings.java
index 055c7d35..7c8120b7 100644
--- a/src/com/gitblit/WebXmlSettings.java
+++ b/src/com/gitblit/WebXmlSettings.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.io.FileInputStream;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
+import java.text.MessageFormat;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
@@ -38,11 +39,10 @@ public class WebXmlSettings extends IStoredSettings {
 
 	private final Properties properties = new Properties();
 
-	private final ServletContext context;
+	private File overrideFile;
 
 	public WebXmlSettings(ServletContext context) {
 		super(WebXmlSettings.class);
-		this.context = context;
 		Enumeration<?> keys = context.getInitParameterNames();
 		while (keys.hasMoreElements()) {
 			String key = keys.nextElement().toString();
@@ -50,15 +50,21 @@ public class WebXmlSettings extends IStoredSettings {
 			properties.put(key, decodeValue(value));
 			logger.debug(key + "=" + properties.getProperty(key));
 		}
+	}
+
+	public void applyOverrides(File overrideFile) {
+		this.overrideFile = overrideFile;
+		
 		// apply any web-configured overrides
-		File file = new File(context.getRealPath("/WEB-INF/web.properties"));
-		if (file.exists()) {
+		if (overrideFile.exists()) {
 			try {
-				InputStream is = new FileInputStream(file);
+				InputStream is = new FileInputStream(overrideFile);
 				properties.load(is);
 				is.close();
 			} catch (Throwable t) {
-				logger.error("Failed to load web.properties setting overrides", t);
+				logger.error(
+						MessageFormat.format("Failed to apply {0} setting overrides",
+								overrideFile.getAbsolutePath()), t);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -78,19 +84,18 @@ public class WebXmlSettings extends IStoredSettings {
 		try {
 			Properties props = new Properties();
 			// load pre-existing web-configuration
-			File file = new File(context.getRealPath("/WEB-INF/web.properties"));
-			if (file.exists()) {
-				InputStream is = new FileInputStream(file);
+			if (overrideFile.exists()) {
+				InputStream is = new FileInputStream(overrideFile);
 				props.load(is);
 				is.close();
 			}
-			
+
 			// put all new settings and persist
 			props.putAll(settings);
-			OutputStream os = new FileOutputStream(file);
+			OutputStream os = new FileOutputStream(overrideFile);
 			props.store(os, null);
 			os.close();
-			
+
 			// override current runtime settings
 			properties.putAll(settings);
 			return true;
-- 
2.39.5