ALI Configuration Files

Portal Configuration Files

The portal configuration are used to manage settings for the portal and its components. In addition, configuration files are used by the portal to discover and load custom code. Some configuration files are used in customization, but many should not be modified.

The file hierarchy for configuration files changed in version 6.0. Configuration files are now installed in <PT_HOME>\settings\ (i.e., C:\Program Files\plumtree\settings in Windows and /opt/plumtree/settings in Linuxt). In previous releases, configuration files were installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\ (C:\Program Files\plumtree\ptportal\X.X).

This page describes portal configuration files:

For information on configuration files for other ALI components, see ALI Activity Service Configuration Files.

Common Settings

The serverconfig.xml configuration file in the <PT_HOME>\settings\common folder governs the settings that are common to all portal components. (In 5.x, this file was installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\.)

Configuration File

Description

serverconfig.xml

Sets the connection and path information for portal components.  

  • Portal host computer from which logs are collected
  • Connection information for portal databases
  • HTTP proxy settings and caching
  • Crawler and gateway transactions
  • Automation service

For details about specific settings, see the Administrator Guide for AquaLogic Interaction (Plumtree Foundation).

Plug-Ins

The configuration files in <PT_HOME>\settings\portal\dynamicloads\Plugins load custom classes used to implement portal customization. These files were added in version 6.0.

All configuration files under \dynamicloads are dynamically discovered. The Dynamic Discovery framework automatically detects extensible UI features based on the objects referenced in XML configuration files.

Configuration File

Description

ConditionTypes.xml (6.0)

Loads all conditions types, including custom condition types. The condition types appear in the Experience Rule Manager. For more information on condition types, see Creating Custom Condition Types.

InterpreterFilters.xml (6.0)

Loads filters. Filters intercept or modify an incoming requests before and after the incoming request is processed by the interpreter.

OpenerPlugins.xml (6.0)

Loads opener plug-ins. Openers are modules that perform certain actions based on your URL criteria. OpenerPlugins.xml loads URL mapping to an activity space.

For more information on the common opener, see Using the Common Opener. (Deploying opener plug-ins is similar to deploying PEIs; for details, see Step 3: Deploying a Custom Project: PEIs.)

Programmable Event Interfaces

The configuration files in the <PT_HOME>\settings\portal\dynamicloads\PEI folder load custom classes related to the Programmable Event Interface (PEI) framework. PEIs define a set of actions that can be used to execute custom code without editing the portal source code. Each PEI has an associated XML file that lists all implementations of the PEI, used by Dynamic Discovery to add the code to the portal at startup. (In 5.x, these files were installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\dynamicloads.)

Configuration File

Description

AdvancedSearchActions.xml

Loads custom classes that make modifications to advanced search queries.  

BannerSearchActions.xml

Loads custom classes that make modifications to banner search queries.

CommunityActions.xml

Loads custom classes that add functionality when a user joins or unsubscribes from a community.

CreateAccountActions.xml

Loads custom classes that execute functionality when a new user attempts to create an account, either through the Create Account button on the login page or in response to an invitation.

DirectoryActions.xml

Loads custom classes that implement functionality in response to Knowledge Directory actions.

DisplayJavascriptActions.xml

Loads custom classes that add JavaScript to every banner and editor page.

LoginActions.xml

Loads custom classes that create functionality within the scope of the login process.

MyPortalPageActions.xml

Loads custom classes that perform validation before allowing users to add or remove portal pages.

NetworkSearchActions.xml

Loads custom classes that make changes to network searches after they have been submitted by the user.

NewEditObjectActions.xml

Loads custom classes that implement custom functionality to be processed when a user creates or edits a portal object.

ObjectActions.xml

Loads custom classes that add functionality to most administrative tasks, including delete, move, copy, and object migration.

OpenerActions.xml (new 6.0)

Loads custom classes that perform functionality before the Common Opener opens an object or directs the user to an activity space.

PageActions.xml

Loads custom classes that add code to every page processed by the portal.

PasswordActions.xml

Loads custom classes that enforce restrictions on the password or verify the text entered by the user.

SearchSettingActions.xml

Loads custom classes that track creation and deletion of saved searches and control naming and encoding for new saved searches.

UserProfileActions.xml

Loads custom classes that execute functionality when a user attempts to modify User Profile information.

Utilities

The configuration files in <PT_HOME>\settings\portal\dynamicloads\Utilities are related to administrative utilities. (In 5.x, these files were installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\dynamicloads.)

For detailed information on portal utilities, see the portal online help.

Configuration File

Description

DisplayDiagnosticPages.xml (new 6.0)

Loads all diagnostic monitoring tools in the System Health Monitor utility of the portal administration. Do not edit this file unless you created your own custom diagnostic monitor.  

DisplayPlumtreeUtilities.xml

Along with DisplayServerSettings.xml (described below), this file loads the utilities in the Select Utility drop-down list in portal administration.

DisplayPortalSettings.xml

Loads the settings in My Account.

DisplayServerSettings.xml

Along with DisplayPlumtreeUtilities.xml (described above), this file loads the utilities in the Select Utility drop-down list in portal administration.

Object Descriptions

The read-only configuration files in <PT_HOME>\settings\portal\dynamicloads\ObjectDescriptions describe portal objects and external providers. (In 5.x, these files were installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\dynamicloads.)

Configuration File

Description

ClassTypeDesc.xml

Do not edit. Describes ALI objects. Loads classes that contain information about ALI objects, such as associated icons, related class IDs, localized names, and Activity Space redirection.

ProvInfo.xml

Do not edit. Describes processes that ALI implements for Web service providers. Loads classes that contain information about Web service providers.

Miscellaneous

The configuration files in <PT_HOME>\settings\portal load custom classes and settings related to the portal. Unlike the configuration files in the \dynamicloads folder, which lists fully-qualified class names, the configuration files directly under the \portal folder list JAR or DLL files. The file names of these XML files are hard-coded and are loaded by the portal upon startup. (In 5.x, these files were installed in <PORTAL_HOME>\settings\config\.)

Configuration File

Description

ActivitySpaces.xml

Do not edit. Any custom Activity Spaces should be added to CustomActivitySpaces.xml (described below).

The ActivitySpaces.xml file enumerates the JAR or DLL files that ALI uses to discover base classes for the portal UI.

 CustomActivitySpaces.xml

This file is empty when the portal ships. Functionally, the file is identical to ActivitySpaces.xml, but includes only custom Activity Spaces. This approach helps keep custom code separate from platform code.

For details on adding entries to CustomActivitySpaces.xml, see Using Dynamic Discovery.

Tags.xml (6.0)

Do not edit. Any custom tags should be added to CustomTags.xml (described below).

The Tags.xml file loads the standard Adaptive Tags referenced by the included JAR or DLL files.

CustomTags.xml (6.0)

This file is empty when the portal ships. Functionally, this file is identical to Tags.xml, but includes only custom Adaptive Tags as referenced by the included JAR or DLL files.

VarPacks.xml

Do not edit. Any custom VarPacks should be added to CustomVarPacks.xml.

The VarPacks.xml file loads the standard variable packages included with AquaLogic Interaction (formerly Plumtree Foundation).

CustomVarPacks.xml

This file is empty when a new portal ships. Functionally, this file is identical to VarPacks.xml, but includes only custom VarPacks. Variable packages store values from an XML file (such as portalconfig.xml ) in memory so the data can be used easily without directly accessing the XML file.

portalconfig.xml

Sets various settings for the portal.

  • Home directory for the portal JAR or DLL files, as well as the base URL of the Image Service and administrative portal
  • Proxy server for the portal, the HTML document type specification, and virtual directory path for the portal and SSO
  • Portal base URL
  • Accessibility and bandwidth settings
  • Personal settings that should be cached on the HTTP session of each user, such as greeting messages, display options, preferred language, refresh rate, and time zone
  • Security, SSL encryption, authentication, and guest access to the portal
  • Language of objects and portal style sheets
  • Crawler radius (number of page links to crawl)
  • Administration status of a computer (browsing or administrative)

For details about the settings in this configuration file, see the Administrator Guide for AquaLogic Interaction (Plumtree Foundation). (In 5.x the settings in this file were configured in the following files: j_config.xml/n_config.xml, portalconfig.xml, device.xml, timezones.xml , sso.xml, SecureActivitySpaces.xml, JSComponentRegistry.xml, NavigationSettings.xml,  SearchLocales.xml, and AppWarmUpHelper.xml.)

portal.xml

This file contains sample settings for Apache Tomcat. Copy this file and replace the portal.xml file in your Tomcat directory.

version.xml

Do not edit. The version.xml file is created by the installer to make sure that it does not override the most recent version of the common components.

Next: Configuration Files for Services and Tools