Integrating Oracle iStore with Oracle Content Manager

This chapter covers the following topics:

Overview of Integrating Oracle iStore with Oracle Content Manager Chapter

This chapter details Oracle iStore's integration with Oracle Content Manager (OCM) to provide a full range of content creation, collaboration, approvals, versioning, and Web publishing functionality.

Oracle Content Manager Overview

Oracle Content Manager (OCM) is an integrated content management system for Oracle's E-Business Suite. OCM provides content management building blocks and manages unstructured data through create, approval, publish, and release lifecycles. OCM has a central repository that manages folders, versions, and translations, and enables an organization to collaboratively work on content with associated workflows.

See the Oracle Content Manager implementation and user guides for more information.

Oracle Content Manager Key Features

Oracle Content Manager (OCM) key features and benefits include:

To learn more about the Oracle Content Manager application, see the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide.

Oracle Content Manager Integration Key Terms and Definitions

The following key terms and definitions relate to content management using Oracle Content Manager and/or Oracle iStore content management functionality:

Oracle Content Manager Content Types

In OCM, content types are logical sets of attributes and attachments which define the required building blocks of a content item. Content types ensure content consistency and capture metadata. (Metadata describes how and when and by whom a particular set of data was collected, and how the data is formatted.) Content types are not file types. Examples of content types may include: images, white papers, sales presentations, feature articles, and style sheets.

Some content types are seeded in the application. The seeded types cannot be altered, but you can copy a content type and modify the duplicate. You also can create new content types.

Grouping Content Types

Content types can be grouped, and users can be given access to a specific content type group by setting the profile option, IBC: Content Type Group. See the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide for more information.

Implementing Oracle Content Manager

Set up Oracle Content Manager according to the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide, available on OracleMetaLink.

Oracle iStore Functionality with Oracle Content Manager

Oracle iStore users can integrate with Oracle Content Manager (OCM) to leverage OCM's ability to create, version, approve, and manage content items within the Oracle iStore Site Administration Application. This content then can be used with existing Oracle iStore media objects and content components functionality to present the content in the Oracle iStore Customer Application.

Important: Following the integration, the Site Administration Application and related content functionality will change.

Integration with OCM provides the following benefits:

Depending upon the permissions awarded, the site administrator can be both a content creator and approver. Users with iStore administrator responsibility can be granted all of the privileges supported by Oracle Content Manager to create and approve content items.

Note: The profile option, IBC: Use Access Control, controls whether user permissions are checked in the OCM pages.

See the section, "Implementing Oracle iStore-OCM Integration", for additional details.

Architecture and Integration Points in Oracle iStore-OCM Integration

This section contains information on the architecture and integration points of the integration between Oracle iStore and Oracle Content Manager.

Architectural Overview

The following components are involved in content management with OCM integration:

Integration Points

All content item information -- other than content item association to iStore objects (e.g., products, sections, and media objects) -- is stored in the Oracle Content Manager schema.

Oracle iStore-Oracle Content Manager integration points are as follows:

Business Flows for Oracle iStore-OCM Integration

The following is the high-level business process flow for content management in Oracle iStore, when integrated with OCM.

  1. Content item is created.

    With the required permissions, the site administrator can create content items in the Site Administration Application. If he does not, the content creator creates content items in OCM.

  2. Content item is submitted for approval.

    In the Site Administration Application, the Submit button in the Create Content: Content Detail page submits the content item into the approval stage.

  3. Content item is approved.

    If the site administrator has the OCM Approve permission, the content is automatically approved --- if not, another user (with the permission) can use the Site Administration Application or the OCM UI to approve the content.

  4. Content item is associated to an iStore object.

    The site administrator uses the Site Administration Application to assign Approved content items to iStore objects (products, sections, or media objects).

The following figure shows the flow.

Oracle iStore-Oracle Content Manager Business Flow

the picture is described in the document text

Implementing Oracle iStore-OCM Integration

Integration with Oracle Content Manager is optional.

Note: This section assumes you have installed Oracle iStore and Oracle Content Manager, and performed any required post-installation steps.

Important: Once you integrate Oracle iStore with Oracle Content Manager, you cannot undo the integration.

The following are the implementation steps:

Step 1 - Migrate Attachments from File System to Database

Oracle Content Manager does not support storing files in the file system. Therefore, you must migrate any attachments (files used in iStore) from the file system to the database. Use the following procedure.

  1. Log in to the Oracle iStore Site Administration UI as the site administrator.

  2. Manually change the URL to:

    http://<host>:<port>/OA_HTML/ibemdmgt.jsp

  3. In the file system to database lob migration screen that appears, press the Migrate button to migrate attachments.

Note: The migration from the file system to the database can only be run on an HTTP server. It cannot be run successfully on an HTTPS server.

Step 2 - Run Data Migration Concurrent Program

Oracle iStore provides a migration script for customers who want to integrate Oracle iStore with Oracle Content Manager (OCM). The script is implemented as a concurrent program, iStore Oracle Content Manager Integration Migration.

Both existing customers and new customers who want to use the OCM integration must run the concurrent program one time as a mandatory step to migrate the seed and customer data.

Important: Ensure that the profile option, IBC: Use Access Control, is set to No at site level before running the data migration concurrent program.

Note: When you run the iStore Content Items Migration concurrent program under execution mode, the concurrent program sets the profile option, IBE: Use Content Management Integration, to Yes at site level.

See the section, "Concurrent Program to Migrate Data", below, for details.

Step 3 - Set Profile Options

Set the following profile options:

For more information on the Usage Summary pages, see the section, "Usage Summary Pages", in this chapter.

Bounce the Apache server after making these profile option settings.

You may wish to set additional OCM profile options, depending on your business requirements. See the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide for details.

Step 4 - Modify Oracle iStore Menu

In order for the Oracle Content Manager subtabs to appear within the Site Administration UI's Content tab, you must replace the default Site Administration UI Content tab with the Oracle Content Manager integrated menu. Use the following steps.

Important: Avoid using the seeded SYSADMIN user to log into Oracle Forms and make the menu prompt changes. Use another user to login and make the changes.

  1. Log in to Oracle Forms as a user other than SYSADMIN, using Application Developer responsibility.

  2. Navigate to Application > Menu. The Menus window opens. Use the Menus functionality to do the following:

  3. Within the iStore Merchant Root menu (IBE_M_MENU_ROOT):

    • Remove the Content prompt from submenu iStore Content tab (IBE_M_CONTENT).

    • Set the Content prompt to submenu iStore and iContent Content tab (IBE_M_CONTENT_IBC).

    • Save the changes.

  4. Remember to bounce the Apache server after making these changes.

For instructions on how to modify menus and functions, see: Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide.

Step 5 - Grant OCM Privileges to Site Administrator

If the profile option, IBC: Use Access Control is set to Yes, you must grant OCM privileges to the site administrator(s). Log into Oracle Content Manager with the OCM Superuser responsibility and grant the desired content privileges to the site administrator(s) for the folder, /IBE.

The site administrator will be able to view and use approved content items in iStore, regardless of the privileges assigned. However, some functionality may be limited depending on the privileges awarded.

See the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide for additional details.

Step 6 - Test Oracle iStore-OCM Integration

Bounce the Apache server and log in to the Site Administration UI. Following the successful integration of Oracle Content Manager, several UI and functionality changes occur in the Site Administration UI. It is recommended that you fully test the integration, using the information in the section, "Site Administration Behavior with OCM Integration", below, to guide you.

Site Administration Behavior with OCM Integration

After the successful integration of Oracle iStore and Oracle Content Manager, changes occur within the Content tab in the Oracle iStore Site Administration UI. And, the concept of source files associated with media objects is replaced by the concept of content items.

Existing Site Administration Subtabs and Related Functionality Changes

Following is the behavior of the existing Oracle iStore subtabs and related functionality in the Oracle iStore Site Administration UI, following the integration with Oracle Content Manager.

  1. Content Repository subtab --- The Content Repository subtab is removed from the Content tab.

  2. IBE: Use Database for Media Storage profile option --- Oracle iStore ignores the value of this profile option.

  3. Media Objects subtab --- The Media Objects subtab remains within the Content tab.

  4. Source files terminology --- With OCM integration, the terminology "source files" is replaced with "content items." Otherwise, media object functionality is the same with and without OCM integration. See the "Implementing Content" chapter for more information.

Additional Site Administration Subtabs and Related Functionality Changes

Following is the behavior of the additional Site Administration subtabs and related functionality which appear following the integration with OCM.

Note: With the exception of the Usage Summary subtab information, the following documentation provides a high-level view of the additional subtabs and their purposes, since these are identical to the subtabs found in OCM. See the Oracle Content Manager Implementation Guide and the Oracle Content Manager User Guide, available on OracleMetaLink for more information.

Usage Summary Pages

Within the Content tab, the Usage Summary subtab shows approved content items that have been associated with media objects. These are the Live versions viewable in the Customer UI (provided that the product, section, and site in which they appear are viewable). The information presented helps you understand how content items are being used in your sites.

Note: Only approved versions of a content item can be associated with Oracle iStore media objects.

The Usage Summary page does not check whether the product, section, or site using a content item is in Published or Unpublished status, or in the case of sites, within viable dates. When content items have been associated to an Oracle iStore media object, they are considered Live.

The Usage Summary pages also allows you to update associations with the latest version of an approved content item, to access details about a content item and its usage, and to see and alter which version of a content item is live in the sites.

Following are the main tasks that can be performed in the Usage Summary subtab:

Usage Summary: Content Usage by Sites Page

Following the successful integration of Oracle Content Manager, when you select the Content tab, the Usage Summary: Content Usage by Sites page appears. This page summarizes the content items and how they are being used in your sites, through their associations to media objects.

To apply the latest version of a content item, select the Apply Latest Version button.

Applying the Latest Version of a Content Item

You can use the Usage Summary main page to quickly apply the latest version of a content item to an already established association. When the latest version is applied, all associations between the content item and media objects (including media objects mapped to products, sections, content components, and categories) are automatically updated.

To apply the latest version, navigate to the Usage Summary main screen by selecting Content, Usage, Apply Latest Version.

Guidelines

Viewing Usage Details and Changing Live Version

Select the Usage icon in the Usage Summary: Content Usage by Sites page Results table to retrieve the Usage Summary: Content Item Usage page; this page allows you to:

Replacing Content Items

In the Usage Summary pages, you can replace a content item with another content item, and Oracle iStore automatically updates all existing associations with media objects -- including the mapping between the media objects and content components, categories, products, and sections.

Use the Usage Summary: Replace Content Item page to replace content items.

Content Items Search Utility

Within the Content tab, select the Usage Summary subtab and then enter search criteria to perform a search of content items.

When accessing the Usage Summary screen, both in the Simple and Advanced Search screens, a default search is performed to limit the display of content items. The default results will display all content items that are expiring in x days from the system date. The x days is set in the profile option, IBE: Number of Days for Expiring Content. See the appendix, Profile Options, for details.

Simple Search

For Simple Search, log in to the Site Administration Application and navigate to Content, Usage Summary.

Guidelines

Advanced Search

For Advanced Search, log in to the Site Administration UI and navigate to Content, Usage Summary.

Guidelines

Concurrent Program to Migrate Data

Oracle iStore provides a migration script for customers who want to integrate Oracle iStore with Oracle Content Manager (OCM). The script is implemented as a concurrent program, iStore Oracle Content Manager Integration Migration. The profile option IBE: Use Content Management Integration should be set to "Yes" when migrating data from releases prior to R12.

Important: Please make sure the profile option, IBC: Use Access Control, is set to No at site level before running the data migration concurrent program.

Both existing and new customers who want to use the OCM integration must run the concurrent program one time as a mandatory step to migrate the seed and customer data.

Back up your system before performing the migration. Once the migration has occurred, you cannot reverse the migration.

Running the iStore Content Items Migration Concurrent Program

The migration script is implemented as a concurrent program that can be run in two modes:

See the chapter, Concurrent Programs, for instructions on how to run the concurrent program. Refer to Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide for complete details on Oracle Applications concurrent programs.

Understanding the OCM Integration Profile Option

When you run the iStore Content Items Migration concurrent program under execution mode, the concurrent program sets the profile option, IBE: Use Content Management Integration, to Yes, at site level.

Note: The concurrent program will only set the profile to Yes when run in execution mode.

Note that you cannot use this profile option to turn "off" the integration between Oracle iStore and Oracle Content Manager.

Concurrent Program Process Flow

The user will typically:

  1. Run the concurrent program in evaluation mode to check if there is any exception.

  2. If there are exceptions, the user can fix the exceptions by making the adequate set up in the Site Administration UI before running the migration script in execution mode.

  3. The user then runs the concurrent program in execution mode.

Concurrent Program Parameters

The following table shows the concurrent program parameters:

OCM Migration Concurrent Program Parameters
Parameter Field Type Description
Running Mode
(mandatory)
Drop down list The drop down list contains two values: Evaluation and Execution
Default value: Evaluation
Default Language
(mandatory)
Drop down list List Language Name in the drop down list.
Default: User session Language.This parameter is used as a default language for ALL (language) and ALL (Site) mappings.

Migration Logic of Concurrent Program

As a pre-requisite, the migration script migrating attachments from the file system to the database has to be run. One has to make sure the migration script has been run successfully. Only attachments properly migrated in the database will be migrated in Oracle Content Manager.

The concurrent program executes the following steps (these are not exposed to the end user).

  1. Categorization of the attachments. This can be done through file extension-OCM content type mapping.

    When there is no corresponding OCM content type existing for a file extension, the attachment is migrated to a content item of type “media”.

  2. Analysis of media object source file mappings.

    This step will report all the successful migrated attachments, and will highlight the exceptions -- when more than one source file mapped to different OCM content types needs to be merged under the same content item. The iStore administrator can define a new mapping to fix the exception; otherwise, the new content item will have the type "Media".

    For all exceptions in conflict attachment type, the content item type is set to be "Media" no matter if it is seed media object or not.

File Extensions Used for Attachment Categorization

The following table shows the file extensions used to migrate attachments in the right content type:

File Extensions Used for Attachment Categorization
File Extension Name of File Format Content Type
*.jpg, *.jpeg, *.jfif, *.jpe JPEG File Interchange Format Image
*.png Portable Network Graphics Image
*.gif, *.gfa Graphics Interchange Format Image
*.html, *.htm Hypertext Markup Language HTML
Any other file extension N/A Media

Concurrent Program Output

The concurrent program generates an output, either in execution or evaluation mode. The concurrent program output includes:

The table below lists the information presented in the concurrent program output

Oracle iStore Content Items Migration Concurrent Program Output
Prompt or column heading Format Description
Parameters section
Running mode text Either Evaluation or Execution, depending upon the parameter entered by the user.
Default language text Default language used as a default base language (Language Description)
SECTION 1 – Migration Summary
Number of content items created integer Number of content items created during the migration process
HTML integer Number of content items of type HTML created during the migration process
Image integer Number of content items of type image created during the migration process
Media integer Number of content items of type media created during the migration process
SECTION 2.1 – Attachments with unknown file extension
Attachment 240 char max (variable size) Attachment access name. In the report, attachment names are not truncated and expand on the right (can be a long string since it may include file path as well as the file name).
SECTION 2.2 – Media objects with attachments of different types
Media Access Name 40 char fixed size Media access name
Seeded 6 char fixed size "Yes" for seeded mapping of media objects, "No" for non seeded mapping of media objects
Store name 40 char fixed size Store name truncated to the first 40 characters
Language 30 char fixed size Language description
Attachment 240 char max variable size Attachment name
SECTION 3 – Migration detailed report
Media access Name 40 char fixed size Media access name
Content item code 45 char fixed size Content item code
Store name 40 char fixed size Store name truncated to the first 40 characters
Language 30 char fixed size Language description
Attachment 240 char max variable size Attachment name