1. XPages Extensibility API – going deep
UKLUG, September 2012, Cardiff
René Winkelmeyer
midpoints GmbH

2. About me
midpoints GmbH
http://www.midpoints.de
IBM Advanced Business Partner
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Samsung MDM Partner
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4. I don‘t do XPages!
I go deeper.
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5. Agenda
What will we talk about?
- Differences XPages, Extension Library and Extensibility API
- Starting with Plug-In-Development
- Code examples
- Deployment
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6. Agenda
What will we talk about?
- Differences XPages, Extension Library and Extensibility API
- Starting with Plug-In-Development
- Code examples
- Deployment
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7. XPages
§ XPages is a great technology and expands our possibilities – from
the point of administrators, developers and users.
§ Starting with XPages could be really simple. For the very first steps
is just drag‘n‘drop, computing stuff and so on.
§ To be honest: Domino web development never was so easy (after
you‘ve learned the basics) - even if it takes „slightly“ more time.
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8. XPages
§ The most powerful component is the editable area.
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9. XPages / XPages Extension Library
§ There are some things which aren‘t so easy...
§ You are missing controls in the pallette
§ OneUI ist too complex
§ You want some custom rendering
§ ...
§ Here the XPages Extension Library comes to your help.
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10. XPages Extension Library
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11. XPages Extension Library
§ IBM has introduced the XPages Extensibility API with Notes/Domino
8.5.2.
§ This API is a set of Java classes and methods which allow to
integrate specialised functionality directly into XPages.
§ This means XPages in the browser and XPages in the Notes client.
§ IBM has used this API to provide the well-known XPages Extension
Library – (first) on OpenNTF and than as part of the core product!
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12. XPages Extension Library
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13. XPages Extension Library
§ You‘ll finde it on OpenNTF http://extlib.openntf.org
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14. XPages Extension Library
§ It‘s part of Notes/Domino 8.5.3 as „Upgrade Pack 1“ – full product
support through IBM!
§ Part number: CI5GIEN
§ Watch out: If you want to use the Upgrade Pack 1 you‘ll have to
uninstall previous versions of the OpenNTF Extension Library.
§ IBM installs the UP1 in the program directory. The OpenNTF
components are installed in the data directory.
§ Currently only available as Installer – not as Updatesite.
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15. XPages Extensibility API
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16. XPages Extensibility API
§ It only makes sense to develop your own extensions if you need the
same functionality across multiple applications.
§ An extension (aka OSGi Plug-In) needs only to deployed once per
server or client – not per application.
http://www.osgi.org <= start here
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17. XPages Extensibility API
§ So called „artefacts“ can be added to the existing API during
runtime.
§ JSF is an „open standard“ which APIs are publically available.
§ The XPages APIs are public since Domino 8.5.2.
§ Artefacts can be:
§ UI Controls
§ Converters
§ Validators
§ Data Sources
§ Simple Actions
§ Language Bindings
§ ...
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18. XPages Architektur
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19. XPages API Concepts
§ XPages Library
§ OSGi bundle, contains Java code, configuration files
§ Controls
§ Components which are available in the Designer pallette
§ Renderer
§ Renderer are responsible for displaying the output (HTML, CSS, ...)
§ Complex Types
§ Those are i. e. used to create encapsulated functions or store data.
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20. Agenda
What will we talk about?
- Differences XPages, Extension Library and Extensibility API
- Starting with Plug-In-Development
- Code examples
- Deployment
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21. Powered By Eclipse
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22. Eclipse Plug-In-Architektur
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23. IBM Clients/Server based on Eclipse
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24. Development setup
§ We are using Eclipse 4.2 (32bit) – definetly not recommended by IBM.
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25. Development setup
§ For keeping it simple: use the OpenNTF project „XPages SDK for
Eclipse RCP.
§ Nathan T. Freeman:
http://www.openntf.org/internal/home.nsf/project.xsp?
action=openDocument&name=XPages%20SDK%20for%20Eclipse
%20RCP
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26. Development setup
§ First create a new workspace
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27. Development setup
§ Install new software in Eclipse
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28. Development setup
§ Select the XPages SDK
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29. Development setup
§ XPages SDK installation (I)
De-select this check box
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30. Development setup
§ XPages SDK installation (II)
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31. Development setup
§ XPages SDK installation (III)
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32. Development setup
§ XPages SDK installation (IV)
§ Unsigned means, that the plug-ins aren‘t digitially signed. That‘s ok.
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33. Development setup
§ XPages SDK installation (V)
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34. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (I)
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35. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (II)
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36. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (III)
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37. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (IV)
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38. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (V)
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39. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (VI)
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40. Development setup
§ Configuration of the XPages SDK (VII)
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41. Development setup
§ You shouldn‘t develop without debugging. So we‘re installing a
debugger.
§ We are using the OpenNTF Domino Debug Plug-In.
§ http://www.openntf.org/internal/home.nsf/release.xsp?
documentId=CBF874E9C4607B4C8625799D00287B8C&action=openD
ocument
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42. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (I)
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43. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (II)
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44. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (III)
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45. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (IV)
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46. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (V)
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47. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In (VI)
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48. Development setup
§ Installation of the Debug-Plug-In
§ Currently only local Domino server installations are supported.
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49. Development setup
§ Creating the debug environment (I)
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50. Development setup
§ Creating the debug environment (II)
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51. Development setup
§ Creating the debug environment (II)
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52. Development setup
§ Creating the debug environment (III)
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53. Development setup
§ Add the following notes.ini parameters to the locally installed
Domino server (they are needed for the remote debugging)
§ JAVADEBUGOPTIONS=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,addr
ess=8000
§ JAVAENABLEDEBUG=1
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54. Agenda
What will we talk about?
- Differences XPages, Extension Library and Extensibility API
- Starting with Plug-In-Development
- Code examples
- Deployment
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55. Code examples
§ A simple UIComponent created with the XPages Extensibility API
Set the request scope
Rendered with plug-in
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56. General library structure
§ Java files
§ Controls
§ javax.faces.component.UIComponent
§ Base for all UI components
§ Renderers
§ javax.faces.render.Renderer
§ Writes the output to the browser
§ Configuration files
§ faces-config.xml
§ Runtime JSF configuration, defines i. e. the renderer
§ .xsp-config
§ Defines the controls, is used to display within Designer and for compiling the
XPages
§ plugin.xml
§ Adding the extensions
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57. Project structure
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58. MessagesDialog (UIComponent for Designer)
for identification
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59. MessagesDialog (UIComponent for Designer)
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60. MessagesRenderer (XPages output)
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61. MessagesRenderer (XPages output)
helper method
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62. MessagesRenderer (XPages output)
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63. MessagesRenderer (XPages output)
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64. Library
Case-sensitive
Designer
(UIComponent)
XPages
(Renderer)
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65. manifest.mf
optional for JS addin
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66. plugin.xml
plug-ins library class
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67. Configuration files
§ Simple till here...or?
§ Now we have to create the configuration files. Remember the
standards!
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68. messages-faces-config.xml (XPage-Rendering)
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69. messages.xsp-config
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70. messages.xsp-config
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71. messages.xsp-config
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72. messages.xsp-config
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73. plugin.xml für your own @Commands
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74. Global Java definiton for your own @Commands
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75. Detail class for your own @Commands
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76. D-E-B-U-G-G-I-N-G
§ Setup a remote application for debugging.
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77. D-E-B-U-G-G-I-N-G
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78. Agenda
What will we talk about?
- Differences XPages, Extension Library and Extensibility API
- Starting with Plug-In-Development
- Code examples
- Deployment
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79. Deployment Domino-Server
§ Create a new database/application based on the Updatesite
template. I highly recommend to use a dedicated database for
server-only plug-ins in a production environment.
§ Import the plug-ins into the database.
§ Replicate the database with all according servers.
§ Plug-Ins couldn‘t be replicated as they „normally“ reside on the file
system.
§ Set the notes.ini parameter
OSGI_HTTP_DYNAMIC_BUNDLES=<database.nsf> on the Domino
servers.
§ Finished. Restart the http and that‘s all.
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80. Thank you very much!
And thank you for excellent evals! :-D
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