Preface


The Programmer's Reference Guide explains how to use the iPlanet^TM Portal Server 3.0 application programming interfaces (APIs), including the Java APIs and the over-the-wire (non-Java) APIs.

Who Should Use This Book

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This document is intended for developers who are writing or modifying applications to communicate with the iPlanet Portal Server product.

How This Book Is Organized

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This book contains the following chapters and appendices:

Overview of the APIs provides an introduction to some of the tools available

Session API defines applications to access session services provided by the Session Server.

Profile and Policy API provides a mechanism to manage user profiles and to impose policy.

Log API provides log management tools, and provides a set of Java classes so that the applications can create, retrieve, submit, or delete log information.

Content Provider API details the basics of developing new content modules for the desktop and introduces several sample providers.

Pluggable Authentication API describes requirements for writing a supplemental authentication module, and provides information about customizing the authentication pages.

Single Signon provides for session/user authentication at initial signon by the session server.

Using the Command Line Interface describes the command-line interface, and how to import XML files to register (or update) iPlanet Portal Server applications or content providers.

Using the iPlanet Portal Server APIs gives samples of the APIs and how to use them.

HTML Templates contains information to make substantive changes to layout or design of browser pages, or to add extra functionality.

HTTP/XML Interface details the processes and issues involved in communicating with the iPlanet Portal Server applications using the exposed HTTP/XML interface.

Putting Code Together describes the development process for a sample iPlanet Portal Server desktop provider application that touches on the public APIs available for integrating an application with the iPlanet Portal Server desktop.

iPlanet Portal Server API Exceptions lists the exceptions generated during an error in the Profile, Logging, and Session APIs.

Documentation

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iPlanet Portal Server 3.0 documentation includes:

• iPlanet Portal Server 3.0 Installation Guide

• iPlanet Portal Server 3.0 Administration Guide

• iPlanet Portal Server 3.0 Programmer's Reference Guide (this book)

• iPlanet Portal Server 3.0 Release Notes

• Online help for users and online help for system administrators

• http://yourserver:port/docs/en_US/javadocs

Using UNIX Commands

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This document contains some information on basic UNIX® commands and procedures. For more information outside of this document, see the following:

• AnswerBook2^TM online documentation for the Solaris^TM software environment.

• Browse for a specific book title or subject at:
  http://docs.sun.com

What Typographic Conventions Mean

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The following table describes the typographic conventions used in this book.

Typeface or Symbol	Meaning	Example
AaBbCc123	The names of commands, files, and directories; on-screen computer output	Edit your .login file. Use ls -a to list all files. machine_name% You have mail.
AaBbCc123	What you type, contrasted with on-screen computer output	machine_name% su Password:
AaBbCc123	Book titles, new words or terms, words to be emphasized, or glossary terms.	Read Chapter 6 in the User's Guide. These are called class options. You must be root to do this.
	Command-line placeholder; replace with a real name or value	To delete a file, type rm filename.

Shell Prompts in Command Examples

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The following table shows the default system prompt and superuser prompt for the C shell, Bourne shell, and Korn shell.

Shell	Prompt
C shell prompt	machine_name%
C shell superuser prompt	machine_name#
Bourne shell and Korn shell prompt	$
Bourne shell and Korn shell superuser prompt	#