Sun Java System Portal Server 6 2004Q2 Desktop Customization Guide |
Chapter 15
Customizing the Desktop End-User Online HelpThis chapter provides information on customizing the Sun Java System Portal Server Desktop online help.
This chapter contains the following sections:
Overview of the Desktop End-User Online HelpThe Desktop end-user online help is a collection of HTML files that is referenced in the display profile. Each provider, including the various container providers, has a display profile entry for a corresponding help file. In the display profile, each provider definition has the default value for the help file. If a channel that uses the provider has a different help file, the helpURL property can be defined in the channel definition also, overriding the provider’s value.
The display profile entries for the online help are defined in the provider properties. The entries define the string name, helpURL, and its value.
The helpURL property is a conditional property. Multiple values can be associated with the helpURL property and the display profile API returns the proper value depending on the client type and locale. If your portal server is configured to serve multiple clients (such as HTML, WML) in multiple locales (such as english, french), the helpURL property will allow you to set up multiple help files based on the type of client and type of locale you are serving.
For example, Code Example 15-1 specifies different help files for different locales and different client type.
The value of the helpURL property can be either a relative path or an absolute path. The location in Code Example 15-1 is relative to the Desktop static content root.
The static content root is the install directory of static content. By default the static content root is:
portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-apps/https-psserver/portal
Note
References to the locations and contents of files in the web-apps directory are for information only. They do not represent the definition of an interface that you can depend on for any future release.
The relative path will be generated as:
static_content_root/doc_root/locale/helpURL_value
The doc root is defined in the display profile also. For example, if the doc root is docs, and the user’s locale is en_US, with the helpURL value, the final value for the help location will be:
portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-apps/https-psserver/portal/docs/en_US/desktop/use rinfo.htm
The following is an example of an absolute URL that defines a help file location. Use a similar format for using an absolute URL to define the location of an online help file.
Location of the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML FilesThe source location of the Desktop end-user online help files for the sample Desktop is:
portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/web-src/docs/locale/desktop
The following is a list of help files included with the sample portal. In the table, the first column lists the names of the help files. The second column contains a brief description of the help file.
addressbook.html
Describes the address book channel
bkmark.htm
Describes the bookmark channel.
calendar.html
Describes the calendar channel.
content.htm
Describes the Content link on the Desktop.
discussions.htm
Describes the discussions channel.
fdesktop.htm
Provides an overview of using the Desktop (for frames-based Desktop).
glossary.htm
Provides a glossary for the online help.
help.htm
Describes the Help link on the Desktop.
home.htm
Describes the Home link on the Desktop.
imchan.htm
Describes the instant messaging channel.
ix.htm
Provides an index for the online help.
jspchann.htm
Describes the JavaServer Pages channel.
layout.htm
Describes the Layout link on the Desktop.
login.htm
Describes the membership login channel.
logout.htm
Describes the Logout link on the Desktop.
mailhelp.html
Describes the mail channel.
mlchck.htm
Describes the mail check channel.
myapps.htm
Describes the My Applications channel.
notes.htm
Describes the notes channel.
options.htm
Describes the Options link on the Desktop.
ParSample.html
Provides an example of how the Portal PAR command-line utility is used to import and export a PAR file.
rsschann.htm
Describes the RSS channel.
search.htm
Describes the search channel.
sections.htm
Section help file (describes frames-based Desktop sections).
subscriptions.htm
Describes the subscriptions channel.
tabs.htm
Provides an overview of using a tabbed Desktop interface.
theme.htm
Describes the Theme link on the Desktop.
topics.htm
Provides a table of contents for the online help.
urlscrpr.htm
Describes the sample URL scraper channel.
usechann.htm
Provides an overview of using the Desktop channels.
usedesk.htm
Provides an overview of using the Desktop.
userinfo.htm
Describes the user information channel.
webchann.htm
Describes the simple web service channel.
xmlchann.htm
Describes the XML channel.
yahoo.htm
Describes the Yahoo channel.
Modifying the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML filesYou can customize the end-user online help by editing the existing HTML online help files or by creating new HTML files.
Editing An Existing Help File
You can edit an existing help file to customize the content to meet specific requirements of your organization. For example, you can remove or change the SunONE.jpg image or meta text that is currently displayed on the sample help files, or replace the help file completely with a file of the same name.
After modifying the file, run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file into the web-app location.
This method of modifying the online help files is useful if you use the sample providers that are shipped with the Portal Server software.
For example, if you use the UserInfoProvider that ships with the Sun Java System Portal Server product, the display profile for that provider already defines the helpURL value as desktop/userinfo.htm. By editing the help file userinfo.htm, no changes to the display profile are necessary.
SeeLocation of the Desktop End-User Online Help HTML Files for the online help file names and descriptions, and where they are installed on your system.
Creating a New Help File
You can create a new help file by creating a new HTML file. This method of customizing the online help is useful if, for example, you add a new provider to the Desktop. When you create a new help file, you must modify the display profile to contain the new helpURL value. You can either manually edit the display profile or use the Identity Server software administration console.
To Create a New Online Help File and to Define the helpURL Value Manually
- Run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file.
- Define the helpURL value for that file in the display profile.
To define the helpURL value for a new online help file, use the format described in the section Overview of the Desktop End-User Online Help.
- Use the dpadmin command to load the display profile into LDAP.
- Verify that the new help file is displayed correctly.
To create a new online help file and to define the helpURL value in the Identity Server software administration console, do the following:
- Run the portal-server-install-root/SUNWps/bin/deploy redeploy -deploy_admin_password password command to deploy the file.
- Login to the Identity Server software administration console as the administrator.
- Choose Services from the View pull-down menu for your organization.
- Choose the arrow next to Portal Desktop.
- Choose the Channel and Container Management link.
- In the channels area, choose Edit Properties for the channel you want to edit.
- Enter the helpURL Value.
- Choose Save.
- Verify that the new help file is displayed correctly.