53 Developer Tools: WebCenter Sites Features in Eclipse
This chapter provides information about the Developer Tools functionality made available in the WebCenter Sites-integrated Eclipse IDE.
This chapter contains the following sections:
53.1 Oracle WebCenter Sites Perspective
All Developer Tools functionality in Eclipse is grouped under the Oracle WebCenter Sites perspective. Select Window, then select Open Perspective, then Other, and then Oracle WebCenter Sites.
Figure 53-1 Oracle WebCenter Sites Perspective
Description of "Figure 53-1 Oracle WebCenter Sites Perspective"
53.2 Configuration Screen
The configuration screen opens automatically on first access of WebCenter Sites-integrated Eclipse. On subsequent access the configuration screen can be opened by selecting the Configuration button on the WebCenter Sites toolbar. This screen enables you to specify the WebCenter Sites instance with which you wish to work.
Description of the illustration dt_configscreen.png
The configuration screen requires the path to the WebCenter Sites installation directory, a WebCenter Sites user that is part of the RestAdmin group, and a project name for the WebCenter Sites instance. After you fill in all the required information, Developer Tools determines a number of other parameters for your WebCenter Sites instance and displays them for your information in read-only fields. In addition, the connection indicator shows whether Developer Tools is connected to the specified WebCenter Sites instance.
53.3 Project and Workspace in Eclipse
Each WebCenter Sites instance that is accessed through Eclipse is assigned an Eclipse project. The Eclipse project's folder is displayed in the "Project Explorer" view. The project is needed for tracking Developer Tools workspace items. Only one project is created by default for each WebCenter Sites instance and only one WebCenter Sites instance can be serviced by a project.
Note:
The main purpose of the project is to facilitate information tracking and process Eclipse events. Projects are managed by the Developer Tools plug-in. Do not open, close, or modify the project.
Each Eclipse project includes the following elements:
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src: The Developer Tools workspace folder for the current WebCenter Sites instance. This folder contains all the files for the resources stored in the Developer Tools workspace. The resources in this folder can be checked in to a version control system. -
Config: This folder contains links to common configuration files belonging to the current WebCenter Sites instance. -
WEB-INF: This folder contains links to the current WebCenter Sites instance'sWEB-INFfolder.
For example:
Description of the illustration view_projectexp.png
53.4 Developer Tools Views
53.4.1 Sites Work
Provides access to code-related resources. The resources are grouped according to their site affiliation. When you select a resource, a quick summary of that resource is shown in the text box at the bottom of the view.
Description of the illustration n_work_elements.png
Right-click a resource in the tree to view the available management options. The options that are displayed to you depend on the resource you select:
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Show Metadata: Shortcut to the
.main.xmlfile, which contains the metadata of the selected item. -
Site Entry: View the resource's site entry, share the site entry with other sites, create a new site entry, and delete a site entry.
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Share: Manage the sites with which this resource is associated.
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Properties: Manage properties of this resource, such as cache criteria and default arguments.
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Delete: Delete this resource.
53.4.2 Sites Log View
Shows a dynamically updating record of the WebCenter Sites log file. This view can be used to monitor the behavior of your Eclipse-integrated WebCenter Sites instance.
Description of the illustration view_wcslog.png
53.4.3 Sites Preview Browser View
Provides a quick way to preview pages. To preview a web page with this view, enter the URL of the page in the address bar and press Enter or click Go. To refresh the current page, use the Ctrl + r keyboard shortcut or click Go.
Description of the illustration view_previewbrowser.png
53.4.4 Sites UI View
Displays the WebCenter Sites Admin and Contributor interfaces in an embedded browser. This is equivalent to using either the Admin interface or Contributor interface in a standalone browser.
Note:
The WebCenter Sites Admin interface utilizes a Java applet to display the left pane. For information about running applets in browser views, see the Eclipse FAQ, located at http://www.eclipse.org/swt/faq.php#browserapplets.
If you are unable to run the applet, use the applet-free Admin interface mode or use a standalone browser to work in the Admin interface.
Description of the illustration view_admin_ui.png
53.4.5 Sites Logging Configuration View
If your WebCenter Sites system is using Apache log4j, this view displays a dynamically updating log4j configuration screen. The log4j configuration screen enables you to view current loggers, change logger levels, add new loggers, and search logs.
Description of the illustration view_wcsloggingconfig.png
For information about using the log4j configuration screen, see the Oracle Fusion Middleware WebCenter Sites Administrator's Guide.
53.4.6 Sites Developer Reference View
This view contains two tabs, one of which displays the Oracle Fusion Middleware WebCenter Sites Tag Reference and the other displays the Oracle Fusion Middleware WebCenter Sites Java API Reference. This information is only displayed if you have associated the Tag Reference and Javadoc with Eclipse. Otherwise, the view displays instructions for associating the Tag Reference and Javadoc with Eclipse. For instructions, you can also refer to step 7 in Section 52.2, "Setting Up Developer Tools."
Description of the illustration view_devref.png
53.4.7 Wizards
Wizards can be invoked from either the Oracle menu or the WebCenter Sites Toolbar, and enable you to create code-based WebCenter Sites resources. The available wizards are: SiteEntry, CSElement, Template, ElementCatalog, SiteCatalog, the configuration tool, and the synchronization tool.
Description of the illustration view_wizards.png
53.5 Data Synchronization (Export/Import) Tool
The synchronization tool provides you with two tabs:
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Section 53.5.1, "Sync to Workspace (Export from WebCenter Sites)"
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Section 53.5.2, "Sync to WebCenter Sites (Import into WebCenter Sites)"
53.5.1 Sync to Workspace (Export from WebCenter Sites)
Sync to Workspace is used to export data from the IDE-integrated WebCenter Sites to your Developer Tools workspace. In the process, Developer Tools serializes selected resources (transforms database representations into files) and copies the serialized representation to the Developer Tools workspace. You can then modify the resources in Eclipse.
Figure 53-2 Synchronization Icon / Sync to Workspace Tab
Description of "Figure 53-2 Synchronization Icon / Sync to Workspace Tab "
To export items from WebCenter Sites to your workspace
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Select the items you wish to export. To narrow down the list of items, go to the "regex" search bar and enter the name of the asset type you are searching for. To search for multiple asset types, enter a comma-separated list.
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Click Sync Selection to Workspace.
The assets you exported to your Developer Tools workspace are now listed in the "Sites Work" tree tab.
53.5.2 Sync to WebCenter Sites (Import into WebCenter Sites)
Sync to WebCenter Sites is used to import resources from your Developer Tools workspace into the IDE-integrated WebCenter Sites. In the process, Developer Tools transforms the selected resource to its native WebCenter Sites representation and copies it to the WebCenter Sites database.
Figure 53-3 Synchronization Icon / Sync to WebCenter Sites Tab
Description of "Figure 53-3 Synchronization Icon / Sync to WebCenter Sites Tab"
To import items into WebCenter Sites from the workspace
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Select the items you wish to import. To narrow down the list of items, go to the "regex" search bar and enter the name of the asset type you are searching for. To search for multiple asset types, enter a comma-separated list.
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Click Sync Selection to WebCenter Sites.
53.6 Next Steps
The next chapters provide information about using the WebCenter Sites features, provided by Developer Tools, in the Eclipse IDE. Proceed to Chapter 54, "Developer Tools: Developing JSPs" for information about JSP development in Eclipse.