This is the README file for Velosurf.

WHAT IS IT ? 
------------

Velosurf is a database access layer for the Apache Velocity template engine
(http://velocity.apache.org). It provides an automatic database mapping
of tables and relationships without any code generation.

In the context of a Webapp, Velosurf also provides handy tools for
authentication, localization and forms validation.

WHY VELOSURF ?
--------------

Mainly, to avoid rewriting each time specific database mapping layers in each
project involving velocity and database entities that template writers have to
deal with.

Velosurf comes from a design architecture paradigm called the Pull Model, or
the Toolbox Model. It inherits the standard MVC (Model-View-Controller)
architecture paradigm, and its main idea is that the view layer should rely on
a series of dedicated tools that designers use to create views.

The VelocityTools subproject offers the ability to configure context tools
from a standard xml config for Velocity.

Velosurf appears as such a tool.

HOW TO USE ?
----------------

Velosurf can be used either from a standard java application, or from a
VelocityTools webapp.

Please refer to docs/download.html and docs/installation.html.

HOW TO BUILD ?
----------------

First, you'll need to have Apache Ant installed.
Then, go to the ./build/ directory and run 'ant jar'.

HOW TO TEST ?
-------------

With ant installed, you can test Velosurf with the 'ant test' command.

Any question or problem ? Feel free to contact us on the mailing list!