Getting Started with the WebLogic Integration B2B Console

 

The following sections explain how to log on to the WebLogic Integration B2B Console and start using it. They include:

• What Is the B2B Console?

• Starting the WebLogic Integration B2B Console

• Searching for Entities

• Using the Notes Tab

 

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What Is the B2B Console?

The WebLogic Integration B2B Console is a graphical, Web-based interface to the administrative functions required to maintain and run B2B integration. The home page for the WebLogic Integration B2B Console is similar to the home page for the WebLogic Server Administration Console: a window containing two vertical panes, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 1-1 B2B Integration Navigation Tree and Tabs

 

Note: For instructions on expanding and collapsing the navigation tree (so that items listed below nodes are displayed and hidden, respectively), see Displaying Entities in the Navigation Tree.

The left pane contains a navigation tree: a hierarchically arranged set of nodes that represent the entities (such as trading partners) linked through B2B integration. The right pane contains interactive pages through which you manage the entities represented by the nodes in the navigation tree. These pages, which are depicted in the Console as file folders with tabs, are also known as tabs.

 

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Starting the WebLogic Integration B2B Console

To start the WebLogic Integration B2B Console:

1. Run the appropriate command for your environment:

   • If you are using Windows NT or 2000, do one of the following:

     a. Using menus choose:

     Start—>BEA WebLogic E-Business Platform—>WebLogic Integration 2.1—>B2B Console.

     b. Start a Web browser using the following URL:

     http://localhost:7001/b2bconsole/index.jsp

   • If you are using UNIX, start a Web browser using the following URL:

     http://localhost:7001/b2bconsole/index.jsp

2. When the B2B Console login window is displayed, enter your ID and password (as you did when installing WebLogic Integration). The home page for the B2B Console is displayed. For more information, see Starting, Stopping, and Customizing BEA WebLogic Integration in Installing BEA WebLogic Integration.

3. In the default mode, Persistence is On, all data is written to the database, and you always have access to a full recovery of the WebLogic Integration repository. In the Off mode, data is written to memory. For more information, see Configuring Persistence and Recovery in Administering B2B Integration.

Using the Navigation Tree

Note: Because the display of many entities (such as trading partners) in the navigation tree may degrade B2B integration performance, the display of entities in the navigation tree is disabled by default.

To display a list of entities in the navigation tree:

1. Click the B2B node at the top of the navigation tree.

2. Select the Configuration tab and then the Preferences tab.

3. Select Display entities on the navigation tree. Individual entities are displayed in the navigation tree.

To access the parameters controlling a particular entity, click the node for that entity in the navigation tree. The configuration page for the selected entity is displayed in the right pane of the console window.

 

Using the Pop-Up Context Menus

When you right-click a node in the navigation tree, the B2B Console displays a pop-up menu with the following commands.

Table 1-1 Pop-up Context Menu Commands

Command	Description
Open in New Window	Opens an interactive window for the specified entity. The navigation tree is not displayed.
Create a new . . .	This command displays a page that allows you to create a new instance of the selected node. For example, suppose you right-click the Trading Partner node and then select Create a new . . . from the menu. The New Trading Partner dialog box is displayed, prompting you to create a new trading partner. You can also create a new trading partner by selecting the Trading Partner node in the navigation tree and, in the right pane, clicking the Create a new Trading Partner link. A new Trading Partner dialog box is displayed, prompting you to create a new trading partner.

 

Selecting and Ordering List Boxes

Some dialog boxes enable you to transfer entities by moving them from one field to another:

• To move entities between lists, use the right and left arrow buttons.

• To change the order of entities within a list, use the up and down arrow buttons.

Applying Changes and Removing Entities

Entities listed in the WebLogic Integration B2B Console can be changed or removed from lists.

When you modify the properties of an entity, click Set to modify properties for an attribute. When you finish modifying the properties, click Add/Apply to commit the changes.

To remove an entity from a list, select the entity in the appropriate list and click Remove. In some circumstances you can also disable an entity. For more information, see Shutting Down a Trading Partner Delivery Channel.

Instructions for modifying entity properties and for removing and disabling entities are provided in the appropriate sections of this document.

 

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Searching for Entities

You can search for the following entities by name in the WebLogic Integration B2B Console:

• Trading partner

• Conversation definition

• Collaboration agreement

• Business protocol definition

• Logic plug-in

When querying the B2B Console about an entity, you can specify that entity by using any of the following pattern-matching methods:

• Enter the full name

• Use * to match any character sequence in the name

• Use ? to match a single character in the name

For example, you can search for the name ABCD by using any of the following strings:

• ABCD

• AB*

• AB?D

• A???

• *

• *CD

• ??CD

To search for an entity:

1. Click the node of the desired entity. A list of existing entities is displayed along with a search field.

2. In the search field, enter a keyword or a partial text string. Click Search. A list of possible matches is displayed.

3. Select the desired entity.

 

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Using the Notes Tab

The WebLogic Integration B2B Console provides a Notes tab for each entity. From such a tab you can access dialog boxes through which you can provide a description of the relevant function. Each Notes tab is independent and stores information relative to its location. This information persists between login sessions.