Overview of Defining a Custom Provider

Before developing a custom provider, determine whether there is an existing Provider that can access the type of content you are targeting. For example, if you are trying to fetch content from a JSP page, you can create a channel based on the the pre-built JSP provider and configure it to access your JSP page. If none of the APIs can be used as is, determine whether or not the content can be presented by authoring a new provider by extending a provider base class (such as the ProviderAdapter or ProfileProviderAdapter).

To develop a provider, you must start by:

• Defining Specific Requirements and Functionality that includes defining

  • Application Specific Requirements

  • Presentation Method

  • Provider-specific Properties

• Developing the Provider Class File

• Creating XML Fragments for Display Profile

• Installing the Provider