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Oracle® Fusion Middleware User's Guide for Oracle WebCenter Spaces
11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5.0)

Part Number E10149-09
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60 Working with the Discussions Service

This chapter describes how to use the features provided through the Discussions service. The Discussions service provides a means of creating and participating in text-based discussions with other members of a Space. Use Discussions service task flows to create forums, post questions, and search for answers. Discussion forums additionally provide the means to preserve and revisit discussions.

This chapter includes the following sections:

Audience

This chapter is intended for WebCenter users who want to view, create, and manage Space discussion forums and topics. To perform discussion-related tasks, you must have appropriate permissions: Create, Edit, and Delete Discussions, Create and Edit Discussions, or View Discussions. For more information, see Section 52.2.1.2, "Understanding Permissions and Permission Models in a Space."

Note:

Tasks discussed in this chapter are not available if the Discussions service is not enabled in the current Space.

60.1 What You Should Know About the Discussions Service

You can use the Discussions service to post, respond to, and preserve topical information in discussion forums scoped to Spaces or to entire applications. Users post topics to a discussion forum, and other users post information relevant to those topics. All of this information is preserved within the forum.

The back-end server that provides the Discussion service manages content in a hierarchy. At the top of the hierarchy are categories, below that are forums, and then topics. Where categories are exposed in your WebCenter application, authorized users can create multiple forums within a given scope and multiple topics under those forums. Where categories are not exposed, authorized users can create multiple topics under one forum within a given scope.

A new Space is assigned a single discussion forum by default. Space moderators can allocate multiple forums to a Space if required, as described in Section 6.2, "Configuring Discussion Forum Options for WebCenter Spaces."

In WebCenter Spaces, the Discussions service is scoped to Spaces. That is, you can create forums and topics only within the context of a Space. You can view and participate in discussions in both Spaces and Home Spaces, depending on your application permissions.

Access to discussions is influenced by application security. The WebCenter Spaces application is, by default, a secure application. Users can access discussions according to the permissions they are granted by their specific user roles within a given Space.

Scoping additionally limits the users who can view and participate in discussions. For example, only members of the Finance Space can view discussions that transpire in Finance Space forums.

To expose a discussion forum to a specific set of users, you must add just those users as members of the Space where you hold the forum (for more information, see Section 51.14.4, "Granting WebCenter Spaces Users Access to a Space"). To open a discussion to all users, you must create a publicly-accessible Space (for more information, see Section 51.14.5, "Granting Public Access to a Space").

Most Discussions service task flows provide configuration settings for specifying which forum content to show. This is of particular use in Home Spaces, which exist outside a specific Space scope (for more information, see Section 60.3, "Setting Discussions Service Task Flow Properties").

Note:

You can add a Discussions task flow to your page from the Catalog dialog in Oracle Composer. For information about adding a task flow, see Section 17.5, "Adding Resource Catalog Components to Pages."

However, all instances of the Discussions task flow in an application run against the same back end and it serves no purpose to add multiple Discussions task flow instances. This is true for all service task flows that require connections to back-end servers, for example, task flows from IMP, Announcements, and Mail services.

The Discussions service provides a wide variety of task flows for viewing and participating in discussions. These include:

Note:

All instances of the Mail task flow in an application run against the same mail server and it serves no purpose to add multiple Mail task flow instances. This is true for all service task flows that require connections to back-end servers, for example, task flows from Announcements, Mail, and IMP services.

The Discussions service is tightly integrated with other WebCenter services, such as Links and Mail. For example, all mail sent to a Space distribution list can additionally be posted to that Space's default discussion forum. The Space moderator must choose Monitor Incoming Mail in the Space settings for the Discussions service (see Section 51.10.4, "Publishing Space Mail in a Discussion Forum"). Every discussion topic provides the opportunity to link from the topic to another Space item, such as a document or an announcement. (For information about the Mail service, see Chapter 65, "Working with the Mail Service." For information about the Links service, see Chapter 63, "Working with the Links Service.")

60.2 Working with Discussions Service Task Flows

The Discussions service task flows expose all of the functionality available from the Discussions service. The Discussion Forums is the most feature-rich task flow, providing controls for creating and managing discussion forums and posting and managing discussion topics and replies. The other task flows are useful windows into discussion forum content. They provide different views of the discussion forums and topics available to a particular Space or all Spaces.

Note:

For information about configuring a Discussions service task flow to display the discussions from a particular Space or from all Spaces, see Section 60.3, "Setting Discussions Service Task Flow Properties."

Most of the subsections in this section describe tasks you can accomplish through the Discussion Forums task flow. When you can use other task flows to perform the described actions, this is noted.

This section contains the following subsections:

60.2.1 Adding a Discussions Service Task Flow to a Page

To add a Discussions service task flow to a page in a WebCenter Spaces application:

  1. Open the page in edit mode.

    See Also:

    For more information, see Section 17.3.1, "Entering and Exiting Page Edit Mode."
  2. Click Add Content in the target region to open the Resource Catalog.

  3. Navigate to the section of the Resource Catalog that provides access to the discussions task flows.

    Tip:

    The presence or location of this section depends on how the Resource Catalog is configured. In the default Resource Catalog, next to Social and Communication, click Open.

    Figure 60-13 Opening the Discussions Section in the Resource Catalog

    Discussions Section in the Resource Catalog
  4. Click Add next to the task flow that you want to add to your page.

    Note:

    Not all discussions task flows are not available in the default Oracle Composer Resource Catalog, so you will only see entries for these task flows if they have been added to the Resource Catalog that has been made available to the page.

    For more information, see Chapter 16, "Working with Resource Catalogs", specifically Section 16.3.1.2, "Adding Resources" (in the Add Resource Catalog Item dialog, select Task Flows, then scroll to Discussions for a list of all available content task flows.

60.2.2 Creating a Discussion Forum

Create discussion forums on the Discussions page or with the Discussion Forums task flow.

To create forums in WebCenter Spaces, you must be the Space moderator.

Note:

A new Space is assigned a single discussion forum by default. Space moderators can allocate multiple forums to a Space if required, as described in Section 6.2, "Configuring Discussion Forum Options for WebCenter Spaces."

To create a discussion forum:

  1. Go to the Discussions page. If multiple forums have been enabled, then you see a Forums link pointing to the default forum (Figure 60-14).

    Figure 60-14 Discussions Page with Multiple Forums Enabled

    Discussions page with multiple forums
  2. Click the Forum link, and then the Create Forum button (Figure 60-15).

    Figure 60-15 Create Forum

    Create Forum button

    The Create Forum dialog opens (Figure 60-16).

    Figure 60-16 The Create Forum Dialog

    Create Forum dialog
  3. In the Forum Name field, enter a name for the discussion forum.

    Enter up to 255 characters.

  4. Optionally, in the Forum Description text box, enter a description of the discussion forum.

    Enter up to 4000 characters.

  5. Click Create.

    The new forum appears on the list of forums (Figure 60-17). Click a forum name to view forum content.

    Figure 60-17 New Discussion Forum (May Service Requests)

    New discussion forum (Picture This)
    Description of "Figure 60-17 New Discussion Forum (May Service Requests)"

60.2.3 Editing the Forum Name and Description

To rename a discussion forum or revise its description:

  1. Go to the Discussions page or the Discussions Forums task flow, and click the forum you want to edit (Figure 60-18).

    Figure 60-18 Edit Forum Link

    Edit Forum button

    The Edit Forum dialog opens (Figure 60-19).

    Figure 60-19 The Edit Forum Dialog

    Edit Forum dialog
  2. Optionally, in the Forum Name field enter a new name for the discussion forum.

    Enter up to 255 characters.

  3. Optionally, in the Forum Description text box, revise the description of the discussion forum.

    Enter up to 4000 characters.

  4. Click Save.

60.2.4 Creating and Managing Forum Topics and Replies

The life of a discussion forum takes place in its topics and replies. There users can ask questions, post information, exchange ideas, and otherwise communicate in interesting and useful ways.

This section describes how to work with discussion forum topics and replies. It contains the following subsections:

60.2.4.1 Posting a New Forum Topic

When you consider discussion forums hierarchically, the forum is the top container and forum topics are the next level down. Each posted topic additionally has subordinate replies, and the replies themselves may have replies (Figure 60-20).

Figure 60-20 A Posted Topic and a Reply to the Topic

Posted topic and replies
Description of "Figure 60-20 A Posted Topic and a Reply to the Topic"

This section describes how to post forum topics using the Discussion Forums task flow. For information about replying to a posted topic, see Section 60.2.4.2, "Replying to Topic Posts."

To post a topic under a discussion forum:

  1. Go to the Discussion Forums task flow in which to post a topic., and click Create Topic (Figure 60-21).

    Figure 60-21 Create Topic

    Create Topic button

    The Create Topic dialog opens (Figure 60-22).

    Figure 60-22 The Create Topic Dialog

    Create Topic dialog
  2. In the Subject field, enter the topic subject.

    Enter up to 255 characters.

  3. In the Message field, enter your post about the topic.

    Enter up to 4000 characters.

  4. Click Create.

    The newly-posted topic appears under the selected forum in Discussion Forums. Click the topic subject to view the message (Figure 60-23).

    Figure 60-23 A New Discussion Forum Topic

    New discussion forum topic
    Description of "Figure 60-23 A New Discussion Forum Topic"

60.2.4.2 Replying to Topic Posts

This section describes how to reply to topic posts through the Discussion Forums, though you can reply to a topic post through any other Discussions service task flow.

By default, the Discussion Forums task flow is exposed as the Discussions page in Spaces.

To reply to topic posts:

  1. Go to the Discussions task flow in which to read and reply to topic posts, and click the relevant topic (Figure 60-24).

    Figure 60-24 Discussion Forums Topic

    Discussion forum topic

    The selected topic opens.

  2. Click Reply Topic (Figure 60-25).

    Figure 60-25 Reply Topic

    Reply Topic button

    The Reply Topic dialog opens (Figure 60-26).

    Figure 60-26 The Reply Topic Dialog

    Description of Figure 60-26 follows
    Description of "Figure 60-26 The Reply Topic Dialog"

  3. In the Subject field, either leave the text as is or revise it.

    Enter up to 255 characters.

  4. In the Message text box, enter your reply to the topic.

    Enter up to 4000 characters.

  5. Click Reply.

    Your reply appears below the main topic post (Figure 60-27).

    Figure 60-27 A Topic Post and a Reply

    Viewing a recent topic
    Description of "Figure 60-27 A Topic Post and a Reply"

To post a reply to a reply, click the Reply to message icon (Figure 60-28) and follow the steps described in this section (starting with step 5).

Figure 60-28 Reply to message Icon

Reply to message icon

60.2.4.3 Viewing Topic Posts and Replies

With the Discussion Forums task flow, topics and replies to the topic open directly in the Discussions Forums task flow. To navigate back up the forum hierarchy, click the breadcrumbs that display above the topic reply area (Figure 60-29).

Figure 60-29 Forum Breadcrumbs

Forum breadcrumbs
Description of "Figure 60-29 Forum Breadcrumbs"

With all the other Discussions service task flows, topics open in a separate window (Figure 60-30).

Figure 60-30 Viewing a Topic in the Discussions - Popular Topics Task Flow

Viewing a recent topic
Description of "Figure 60-30 Viewing a Topic in the Discussions - Popular Topics Task Flow"

To return to the task flow main view, click Close button in the window.

60.2.4.4 Editing Topics and Replies

After you post a topic or a reply, you retain the option of returning to it and revising its content. Only you and Space moderators can edit your replies. This section describes how.

To edit a topic or a reply:

  1. Go the Discussion Forums task flow that displays the topic or reply you want to edit, and click the relevant topic.

    The selected topic opens.

  2. Your next step depends on whether you want to edit a topic or a reply:

    • To edit the topic, click the Edit Topic link at the top of the topic screen (Figure 60-31).

      Figure 60-31 Edit Topic Link

      Edit Topic link
    • To edit a reply, click the Edit message icon (pencil) associated with the reply (Figure 60-32).

      Figure 60-32 Edit message Icon

      Edit message icon on a reply

    The Edit Topic (or Edit Message) dialog opens (Figure 60-33).

    Figure 60-33 The Edit Topic Dialog

    Edit Topic dialog
  3. Revise the topic (up to 255 characters) or reply (up to 4000 characters).

  4. Click Edit in the Edit Topic dialog, or click Reply in the Edit Reply dialog.

    Your changes are posted to the forum.

60.2.4.5 Deleting Topic Posts and Replies

When you delete a topic, the original topic post and all of its subordinate replies are deleted. When you delete a reply, the original reply and all of its subordinate replies are deleted. Both actions involve very similar steps, which are described in this section.

Note:

To delete a topic post or reply, you must have created it or you must have access equivalent to Space moderator.

To delete a topic or a reply:

  1. Go to the Discussion Forums task flow that displays the topic or reply you want to delete, and click the relevant topic (Figure 60-34).

    Figure 60-34 Discussion Forum Topic

    Discussion forum topic

    The selected topic opens.

  2. Your next step depends on whether you want to delete a topic or a reply:

    • To delete a topic, click the Delete Topic link at the top of the topic screen (Figure 60-35).

      Figure 60-35 Delete Topic Link

      Delete Topic link
    • To delete a reply, click the Delete message icon associated with the reply (Figure 60-36).

      Figure 60-36 Delete Message Icon

      Delete message icon on a reply

    A Delete confirmation dialog opens (Figure 60-37).

    Figure 60-37 The Delete Confirmation Dialog

    Edit Topic dialog
  3. Click Delete.

    The topic and all of its replies or the reply and all of its subordinate replies are deleted.

60.2.4.6 Switching Between Topic View Modes

You have the option of viewing a topic and all of its replies in a hierarchical, indented mode or a flat, unindented mode. The hierarchical mode (Figure 60-38) uses indenting to indicate whether a reply is to the topic or to another reply.

Figure 60-38 Hierarchical View Mode

Hierarchical view mode
Description of "Figure 60-38 Hierarchical View Mode"

For example, in Figure 60-38 the first entry is the main topic, the second is a reply to the topic, and so on.

The flat mode (Figure 60-39) makes no such distinctions.

Figure 60-39 Flat View Mode

Flat view mode
Description of "Figure 60-39 Flat View Mode"

All Discussion task flows that show topics and replies in the same screen provide view mode options.

To switch between topic view modes:

  1. Go to the Discussions task flow that contains the topic you want to view, and click the topic.

  2. From the Show dropdown list, choose either Flat or Hierarchical.

    The topic view rerenders according to your selection.

60.2.5 Showing and Hiding Additional Discussion Forum Information

Most discussions task flows provide personalization settings for determining information to show in addition to the forum or topic title (the Discussion Forums task flow does not provide such settings). Additional information can include forum or topic author, creation date, and replies or topics.

How you set these display settings is personal, affecting only your view of a task flow instance. How you access these display settings varies slightly from task flow to task flow.

This section describes how to configure display settings for Discussions service task flows. It contains the following subsections:

60.2.5.1 Showing or Hiding Information in the Discussions - Quick View Task Flow

To show or hide additional information in the Discussions - Quick View task flow:

  1. Go to the Discussions - Quick View task flow where you want to configure display settings.

  2. Click the Select the data to display icon in the task flow toolbar (Figure 60-40).

    Figure 60-40 Select the data to display Icon in the Discussions - Quick View Task Flow

    Edit icon in the forums task flow

    The Display Settings dialog opens (Figure 60-41).

    Figure 60-41 Display Settings Dialog

    Display Settings dialog
  3. Choose the data you want to show, or clear the checkbox of data you want to hide. Choose or clear one or more from:

    • Author—The user name of the person who created the forum or topic

    • Date—The date the forum or topic was last updated

    • Replies—The replies associated with the topic (for Watched Forums, this displays forums)

  4. Click Save to save your changes and close the dialog.

60.2.5.2 Showing or Hiding Information in the Popular Topics Task Flow

To show or hide additional information in the Popular Topics task flow:

  1. Go to the Popular Topics task flow where you want to show or hide additional information.

  2. Click the Personalize icon in the task flow header.

    This opens a panel where you can choose or clear additional data (Figure 60-42).

    Figure 60-42 Show Panel in a Popular Topics Task Flow

    Show panel in a Popular Topics task flow
  3. Choose the data you want to show, or clear the checkbox of data you want to hide. Choose or clear one or more from:

    • Author—The user name of the person who posted the topic

    • Date—The date the topic was last updated

    • Replies—The replies associated with the topic

  4. Click Save to save your changes and close the panel.

60.2.5.3 Showing or Hiding Information in the Recent Topics Task Flow

To show or hide additional information in the Recent Topics task flow:

  1. Go to the Recent Topics task flow where you want to show or hide additional information.

  2. Click the Personalize icon in the task flow header.

    This opens a panel where you can choose or clear additional data (Figure 60-43).

    Figure 60-43 Show Panel in a Recent Topics Task Flow

    Show panel in a Recent Topics task flow
  3. Choose the data you want to show, or clear the checkbox of data you want to hide. Choose or clear one or more from:

    • Author—The user name of the person who posted the topic

    • Date—The date the topic was last updated

    • Replies—The replies associated with the topic

  4. Click Save to save your changes and close the panel.

60.2.5.4 Showing or Hiding Information in the Watched Forums Task Flow

To show or hide additional information in the Watched Forums task flow:

  1. Go to the Watched Forums task flow where you want to show or hide additional information.

  2. Click the Personalize (pencil) icon in the task flow header.

    This opens a panel where you can choose or clear additional data (Figure 60-44).

    Figure 60-44 Show Panel in a Watched Forums Task Flow

    Show panel in a Watched Forums task flow
  3. Choose the data you want to show, or clear the checkbox of the data you want to hide. Choose or clear one or more from:

    • Date—The date the forum was last updated

    • Topics—The topics associated with the forum

  4. Click Save to save your changes and close the panel.

60.2.5.5 Showing or Hiding Information in the Watched Topics Task Flow

To show or hide additional information in the Watched Topics task flow:

  1. Go to the Watched Topics task flow where you want to show or hide additional information.

  2. Click the Personalize icon in the task flow header.

    This opens a panel where you can choose or clear additional data (Figure 60-45).

    Figure 60-45 Show Panel in a Watched Topics Task Flow

    Show panel in a Watched Topics task flow
  3. Choose the data you want to show, or clear the checkbox of the data you want to hide. Choose or clear one or more from:

    • Author—The user name of the person who posted the topic

    • Date—The date the topic was last updated

    • Replies—The replies associated with the topic

  4. Click Save to save your changes and close the panel.

60.2.6 Watching Forums and Topics

Watching discussion forums and topics provides a convenient means of keeping a close eye on the information most current and relevant to your efforts. The forums and topics you choose to watch are personal, in that your selections appear on your view of watch lists. No other user is affected by the forums and topics you choose to watch.

When a user places a watch on a forum or a topic, whenever users add to that forum or topic, in addition to it appearing in the user's watched forums or topics list, the user receives a mail notification.

In WebCenter Spaces, all watched forums and topics are accessible from the Discussions panel in the quick view. All watched forums and topics are accessible from the Forums task flow. The Watched Forums and Watched Topics task flows provide more focussed views of watched forums or watched topics.

This section includes information about how to add, view, and manage watched topics and forums. It contains the following subsections:

60.2.6.1 Adding a Discussion Forum or Topic to Your Watch List

To add a discussion forum or topic to your watch list:

  1. Go to the discussion forum or topic you want to add to your watch list.

  2. The next step depends on whether you want to watch a forum or a topic:

    • To watch a forum, click the Watch Forum link at the top of the forum (Figure 60-46).

      Figure 60-46 Watch Forum Link on the May - June Service Requests Forum

      Watch Forum link on the Futures discussion forum
    • To watch a topic, click the Watch Topic link at the top of the topic (Figure 60-47).

      Figure 60-47 Watch Topic Link on the Topic Dropped calls around Sacramento

      Watch Topic link on a discussion forum topic

The watched forum or topic is listed on all Watched Forums or Watched Topics lists, for example, on the Discussions panel in the WebCenter Spaces quick view (Figure 60-48) and in Watched Forums and Watched Topics task flows.

Figure 60-48 Watched Forums on the Discussions Panel in the Quick View

Description of Figure 60-48 follows
Description of "Figure 60-48 Watched Forums on the Discussions Panel in the Quick View"

60.2.6.2 Removing a Discussion Forum or Topic from a Watch List

To remove a discussion forum or a discussion topic from your watch list:

  1. Go to the discussion forum or topic you want to remove from your watch list.

  2. Click the Remove Watch icon on the forum or topic (Figure 60-49).

    Figure 60-49 The Remove Watch Icon

    Watched icon
    Description of "Figure 60-49 The Remove Watch Icon"

    The selected item is removed from your forum or topic watch list.

60.2.6.3 Viewing Watched Forums and Topics from the Quick View

To view a watched forum or topic from the Quick View:

  1. From the Discussions - Quick View task flow, set the panel display option to Watched Forums or Watched Topics (Figure 60-50).

    Figure 60-50 Watched Forums on the Discussions - Quick View

    Watched forums in the WebCenter Spaces Sidebar
    Description of "Figure 60-50 Watched Forums on the Discussions - Quick View"

  2. Click the link to the discussion forum or forum topic you want to view.

    The forum or topic opens (Figure 60-51).

    Figure 60-51 A Watched Forum Opened from the Quick View

    Watched forum opened from Sidebar
    Description of "Figure 60-51 A Watched Forum Opened from the Quick View"

60.2.7 Sending Mail from Discussion Topics

Each discussion topic in has an associated Send Mail icon in its toolbar (Figure 60-52). Click the Send Mail icon to initiate a mail message containing the discussion text, location, author, and date it was created. This feature makes it easy for you to communicate interesting discussions to others.

Figure 60-52 Send Mail Icons on Discussion Topics

Send Mail icons on discussion topics toolbars

The WebCenter administrator determines the mail client to use with the Send Mail icon. If a local mail client was set, then a plain text message opens. If the WebCenter Mail service was set as the mail client, then the HTML Mail Compose dialog opens. With either mail client, you can add or edit the standard, perpetuated message before sending.

60.3 Setting Discussions Service Task Flow Properties

The Discussions service task flows have associated properties, which users with sufficient privileges can access through the Component Properties dialog in Oracle Composer (Figure 60-53).

Figure 60-53 Forums Task Flow Component Properties

Discussion Forum Manager component properties

For information about accessing the Component Properties dialog, see Section 17.5.2.3, "Setting Component Properties."

The following sections provide information about properties of the Discussions service task flows and describe the properties on the Parameters tab.

60.3.1 What You Should Know About the Discussions Service Task Flow Properties

The properties on the Parameters tab of the Component Properties dialog control the default task flow content. For descriptions of the parameters on this tab, see Section 60.3.2, "Discussions Service Task Flow Parameters." For some task flows, parameters on this tab facilitate the wiring of the task flow to page parameters and page definition variables. For more information, see Chapter 19, "Wiring Pages, Task Flows, Portlets, and UI Components."

Changes to the properties on the Display Options, Style, and Content Style tabs affect the appearance and behavior of the task flow for all users. These properties are common to all task flows. For more information, see Section 17.5.2, "Setting Properties on Page Components."

The content of the Events tab depends on the events supported by the task flow. For more information, see Section 17.5.2.8, "Working with Component Contextual Events."

The Child Components tab displays all of the components contained within the current component. It provides controls for rearranging, showing, and hiding child components. Not all components contain children. So this tab may be omitted. For more information, see Section 17.5.2.6, "Working with Child Components."

All properties on the Parameters and Display Options tabs provide access to an Expression Language (EL) editor, which you can use to select or specify a variable value instead of a constant value. Click the Edit icon next to a property field to open the editor. For more information about using the editor and for descriptions of common EL expressions, see Appendix B, "Expression Language Expressions."

60.3.2 Discussions Service Task Flow Parameters

Table 60-1 describes the properties that are unique to the Discussions task flows.

Table 60-1 Discussions Service Task Flow Parameters

Parameter Description Task Flow

Category ID

On the discussions server, the category ID under which a given set of forums is managed

For the Forums task flow, use this parameter to specify the set of forums to present. For all other discussions task flows, use this parameter to specify the parent ID of the topics to show by default.

If omitted, the value defaults to the Category ID associated with the current Space. In Home Spaces, it takes the root Category ID.

Use the following EL expression to return the Category ID of a named Space:

#{sessionContext['oracle.webcenter.collab.forum'].groupInfo['SpaceName'].categoryId}

Enter the Space internal name (not the Space display name) for the variable SpaceName. The Space internal name is the name specified by the Space URL on the General page of a Space's administration settings. The Space display name is specified by Display Name, and is the name that appears in the Space banner at the top of the Space.

  • Forums

  • Discussions - Quick View

  • Popular Topics

  • Recent Topics

  • Watched Forums

  • Watched Topics

Forum ID

On the discussions server, the identifier under which topics are managed

Use this parameter to identify the default forum to show in the task flow.

Use the following EL expression to return the forum ID of a named Space:

#{sessionContext['oracle.webcenter.collab.forum'].groupInfo['SpaceName'].forumId}

Enter the Space internal name (not the Space display name) for the variable SpaceName. The Space internal name is the name specified by the Space URL on the General page of a Space's administration settings. The Space display name is specified by Display Name, and is the name that appears in the Space banner at the top of the Space.

  • Popular Topics

  • Recent Topics

  • Watched Topics

Hide Toolbar

A means of showing or hiding the task flow personalization feature (see Section 60.2.5, "Showing and Hiding Additional Discussion Forum Information")

  • true means you want to hide the task flow personalization feature available.

  • false means you want to show the task flow personalization feature. This is the default value.

  • Popular Topics

  • Recent Topics

  • Watched Forums

  • Watched Topics

Show Recursive Forums

Determines if you show forums either in a category only or in subcategories.

  • true means all forums under a given category/subcategory are shown.

  • false means only the category's direct child forums are shown. This is the default value.

Note: A value of true can impact performance.

Forums

Show Categories

A means of showing the forums grouped under the Category ID or the topics specified under the Forum ID.

  • true means you want the task flow to display the forums classified under Category ID.

  • false means you want the task flow to display the topics associated with the specified Forum ID. This is the default value.

This parameter value works in combination with other parameters.

Forums