Chapter 15 Customizing the Desktop End-User Online Help

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Sun Java System Portal Server 6 2004Q2 Desktop Customization Guide

Chapter 15
Customizing the Desktop End-User Online Help

This chapter provides information on customizing the Sun Java System Portal Server Desktop online help.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Overview of the Desktop End-User Online Help

Location of the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML files

Modifying the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML files

Overview of the Desktop End-User Online Help

The Desktop end-user online help is a collection of HTML files that is referenced in the display profile. Each provider, including the various container providers, has a display profile entry for a corresponding help file. In the display profile, each provider definition has the default value for the help file. If a channel that uses the provider has a different help file, the helpURL property can be defined in the channel definition also, overriding the provider’s value.

The display profile entries for the online help are defined in the provider properties. The entries define the string name, helpURL, and its value.

The helpURL property is a conditional property. Multiple values can be associated with the helpURL property and the display profile API returns the proper value depending on the client type and locale. If your portal server is configured to serve multiple clients (such as HTML, WML) in multiple locales (such as english, french), the helpURL property will allow you to set up multiple help files based on the type of client and type of locale you are serving.

For example, Code Example 15-1 specifies different help files for different locales and different client type.

Code Example 15-1  HelpURL Property in Display Profile Definition

<ConditionalProperties condition="client" value="WML">

    <ConditionalProperties condition="locale" value="en">

        <String name="helpURL" value="en/wml/help.wml"/>

    </ConditionalProperties>

    <ConditionalProperties condition="locale" value="fr">

        <String name="helpURL" value="fr/wml/help.wml"/>

    </ConditionalProperties>

</ConditionalProperties>

<ConditionalProperties condition="client" value="HTML">

    <ConditionalProperties condition="locale" value="en">

        <String name="helpURL" value="en/html/help.html"/>

    </ConditionalProperties>

    <ConditionalProperties condition="locale" value="fr">

        <String name="helpURL" value="fr/html/help.html"/>

    </ConditionalProperties>

</ConditionalProperties>

The value of the helpURL property can be either a relative path or an absolute path. The location in Code Example 15-1 is relative to the Desktop static content root.

The static content root is the install directory of static content. By default the static content root is:

portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-apps/https-psserver/portal

Note

References to the locations and contents of files in the web-apps directory are for information only. They do not represent the definition of an interface that you can depend on for any future release.

The relative path will be generated as:

static_content_root/doc_root/locale/helpURL_value

The doc root is defined in the display profile also. For example, if the doc root is docs, and the user’s locale is en_US, with the helpURL value, the final value for the help location will be:

portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-apps/https-psserver/portal/docs/en_US/desktop/use rinfo.htm

The following is an example of an absolute URL that defines a help file location. Use a similar format for using an absolute URL to define the location of an online help file.

<String name="helpURL" value="http://sesta.com/docs/desktop/userinfo.htm"/>

Location of the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML Files

The source location of the Desktop end-user online help files for the sample Desktop is:

portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-src/docs/locale/desktop

The following is a list of help files included with the sample portal. In the table, the first column lists the names of the help files. The second column contains a brief description of the help file.

addressbook.html

Describes the address book channel

bkmark.htm

Describes the bookmark channel.

calendar.html

Describes the calendar channel.

content.htm

Describes the Content link on the Desktop.

discussions.htm

Describes the discussions channel.

fdesktop.htm

Provides an overview of using the Desktop (for frames-based Desktop).

glossary.htm

Provides a glossary for the online help.

help.htm

Describes the Help link on the Desktop.

home.htm

Describes the Home link on the Desktop.

imchan.htm

Describes the instant messaging channel.

ix.htm

Provides an index for the online help.

jspchann.htm

Describes the JavaServer Pages™ channel.

layout.htm

Describes the Layout link on the Desktop.

login.htm

Describes the membership login channel.

logout.htm

Describes the Logout link on the Desktop.

mailhelp.html

Describes the mail channel.

mlchck.htm

Describes the mail check channel.

myapps.htm

Describes the My Applications channel.

notes.htm

Describes the notes channel.

options.htm

Describes the Options link on the Desktop.

ParSample.html

Provides an example of how the Portal PAR command-line utility is used to import and export a PAR file.

rsschann.htm

Describes the RSS channel.

search.htm

Describes the search channel.

sections.htm

Section help file (describes frames-based Desktop sections).

subscriptions.htm

Describes the subscriptions channel.

tabs.htm

Provides an overview of using a tabbed Desktop interface.

theme.htm

Describes the Theme link on the Desktop.

topics.htm

Provides a table of contents for the online help.

urlscrpr.htm

Describes the sample URL scraper channel.

usechann.htm

Provides an overview of using the Desktop channels.

usedesk.htm

Provides an overview of using the Desktop.

userinfo.htm

Describes the user information channel.

webchann.htm

Describes the simple web service channel.

xmlchann.htm

Describes the XML channel.

yahoo.htm

Describes the Yahoo channel.

Modifying the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML files

You can customize the end-user online help by editing the existing HTML online help files or by creating new HTML files.

Editing An Existing Help File

You can edit an existing help file to customize the content to meet specific requirements of your organization. For example, you can remove or change the SunONE.jpg image or meta text that is currently displayed on the sample help files, or replace the help file completely with a file of the same name.

After modifying the file, run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file into the web-app location.

This method of modifying the online help files is useful if you use the sample providers that are shipped with the Portal Server software.

For example, if you use the UserInfoProvider that ships with the Sun Java System Portal Server product, the display profile for that provider already defines the helpURL value as desktop/userinfo.htm. By editing the help file userinfo.htm, no changes to the display profile are necessary.

SeeLocation of the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML Files for the online help file names and descriptions, and where they are installed on your system.

Creating a New Help File

You can create a new help file by creating a new HTML file. This method of customizing the online help is useful if, for example, you add a new provider to the Desktop. When you create a new help file, you must modify the display profile to contain the new helpURL value. You can either manually edit the display profile or use the Identity Server software administration console.

    To Create a New Online Help File and to Define the helpURL Value Manually

Create an HTML file for the provider you want to document.

Place your file in the appropriate directory.

You can place your custom help files under the web server document root, in the directory specified as root by the display profile:

portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-src/docs/locale/desktop

Or, you can deploy them in a custom web application archive. See the web server documentation for information on how to deploy a web application archive.

Run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file.

Define the helpURL value for that file in the display profile.

To define the helpURL value for a new online help file, use the format described in the section Overview of the Desktop End-User Online Help.

Use the dpadmin command to load the display profile into LDAP.

Verify that the new help file is displayed correctly.

To create a new online help file and to define the helpURL value in the Identity Server software administration console, do the following:

Create an HTML file for the provider you want to document.

Place your file in the appropriate directory.

You can place your custom help files under the web server document root, in the directory specified as root by the display profile:

portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-src/docs/locale/desktop

Or, you can deploy them in a custom web application archive. See the web server documentation for information on how to deploy a web application archive.

Run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file.

Login to the Identity Server software administration console as the administrator.

Choose Services from the View pull-down menu for your organization.

Choose the arrow next to Portal Desktop.

Choose the Channel and Container Management link.

In the channels area, choose Edit Properties for the channel you want to edit.

Enter the helpURL Value.

Choose Save.

Verify that the new help file is displayed correctly.

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Copyright 2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.


Note	References to the locations and contents of files in the web-apps directory are for information only. They do not represent the definition of an interface that you can depend on for any future release.

addressbook.html	Describes the address book channel
bkmark.htm	Describes the bookmark channel.
calendar.html	Describes the calendar channel.
content.htm	Describes the Content link on the Desktop.
discussions.htm	Describes the discussions channel.
fdesktop.htm	Provides an overview of using the Desktop (for frames-based Desktop).
glossary.htm	Provides a glossary for the online help.
help.htm	Describes the Help link on the Desktop.
home.htm	Describes the Home link on the Desktop.
imchan.htm	Describes the instant messaging channel.
ix.htm	Provides an index for the online help.
jspchann.htm	Describes the JavaServer Pages™ channel.
layout.htm	Describes the Layout link on the Desktop.
login.htm	Describes the membership login channel.
logout.htm	Describes the Logout link on the Desktop.
mailhelp.html	Describes the mail channel.
mlchck.htm	Describes the mail check channel.
myapps.htm	Describes the My Applications channel.
notes.htm	Describes the notes channel.
options.htm	Describes the Options link on the Desktop.
ParSample.html	Provides an example of how the Portal PAR command-line utility is used to import and export a PAR file.
rsschann.htm	Describes the RSS channel.
search.htm	Describes the search channel.
sections.htm	Section help file (describes frames-based Desktop sections).
subscriptions.htm	Describes the subscriptions channel.
tabs.htm	Provides an overview of using a tabbed Desktop interface.
theme.htm	Describes the Theme link on the Desktop.
topics.htm	Provides a table of contents for the online help.
urlscrpr.htm	Describes the sample URL scraper channel.
usechann.htm	Provides an overview of using the Desktop channels.
usedesk.htm	Provides an overview of using the Desktop.
userinfo.htm	Describes the user information channel.
webchann.htm	Describes the simple web service channel.
xmlchann.htm	Describes the XML channel.
yahoo.htm	Describes the Yahoo channel.