[Geoserver-users] first step with geoserver

Hi,

thanks to your precious help, i've succesfull installed geoserver on osx-10.4.8 client edition.

this is what i done:

1)

download and install jboss application server at :

  find it at :

http://labs.jboss.com/portal/jbossas/download/index.html

i chose the 4.0.5 version -> download-installer.

i installed it as "full installation"

2)

download geoserver-1.4.0.jar.zip

unzip it and copy the geoserver.jar in :

/Applications/jboss-4.0.5.GA/server/default/deploy/

3)

in the osx system preference i start the "internet condivision"
  (i do not know if this step is needed)

then double click on the file :

/Applications/jboss-4.0.5.GA/bin/run.jar

now point the browser to :

http://localhost:8080/geoserver

......

i'm a newbie student, sorry for my newbie question, but now i'm reading some tutorial about geoserver
and i encountered the firast problem...

at this page : http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOSDOC/User+Tutorial+Shapefile

i' tring to load a simple shape file,

step 1) :

Copy your shapefile to (geoserver install)/data_dir/

  but i do not have any directory like :

(geoserver install)/data_dir/

so just for give a look.... i tried to put my shape in a folder, this is the path :

/Users/epifanio/Documents/shape/torrenti/torrenti.shp

and then i continue with the next step of tutorial, but at the point :

STEP 2.2
Select your DataStore:....
i click on the 'new' button
and i've this log :

File not found: /Applications/jboss-4.0.5.GA/server/default/./tmp/deploy/tmp8225geoserver-exp.war/Users/epifanio/Documents/shape/torrenti/torrenti.shp

can you help me to know where can i store my data (raster and vector) to load it into geoserver ?