Understanding the Setup of Related Content ServicesThis chapter provides an overview of the setup of related content services and discusses how to manage delivered related content services.
Understanding the Setup of Related Content ServicesPeopleTools is delivered with three PeopleSoft Applications Portal related content services for use with PeopleSoft application systems:
Related Discussion service
Related Links service
Related Tags service
Each of these services provides features native to PeopleSoft Applications Portal for use on PeopleSoft application transaction pages. In a multi-system setup such as this, PeopleSoft Applications Portal is known as the producer because it provides services, and the PeopleSoft application system is known as the consumer.
For users to access a related content services on a transaction page, you must complete the following setup:
Configure Integration Broker on the producer and consumer systems to support inter-operation of the two systems.
Assign a related content service to a transaction page.
Map fields and select the security model for the specified service.
The remainder of this chapter provides details for completing the setup for delivered related content services.
Managing Delivered Related Content ServicesThis section discusses how to:
Configure Integration Broker for related content services.
Review the definitions of delivered related content services.
Assign a related content service to a transaction page.
Configure the Related Discussion service.
Configure the Related Links service.
Configure the Related Tags service.
Assign discussion forum roles to transaction users.
Pages Used to Manage Delivered Related Content Services|
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
|
Define Related Content Service |
PTCSSERVICES |
|
Create or review the definition for a related content service. |
|
Manage Related Content Configuration |
PTCS_SRVCFG_SRCH |
PeopleTools, Portal, Related Content Service, Manage Related Content Service |
Review which content references have related content services assigned. |
|
Select a Content Reference |
PTCS_CRFURL_SELECT |
On the Manage Related Content Service page, click the Assign Related Content to Application Pages link. |
Select the content reference to which to assign related content services. |
|
Assign Related Content |
PTCS_SERVICECFG |
|
Assign related content services to a component or page. |
|
Configure Service |
PTCS_SVCCFGCRC_SEC |
On the Assign Related Content page, click the Configure button for a service. |
Map system variables, component and page values, and transaction keys to service parameters, which differentiate one transaction instance from another. Select the security mode for the service. |
Configuring Integration Broker for Related Content Services
You must configure Integration Broker for inter-operation of a PeopleSoft application system as a consumer of services produced by the PeopleSoft Applications Portal system.
In the following example, PSFT_PA is the default local node on the PeopleSoft Applications Portal (producer system), and WSDL_NODE is the remote node on the PeopleSoft application (consumer) system. In your environment, these nodes might be named differently. The following procedure provides an overview of the required configuration steps.
To configure Integration Broker for related content services:
Configure single signon (SSO) in both directions for both systems:
In each system, configure the default local node and all other local nodes.
In each system, configure the default local node and all other local nodes of the other system as remote nodes with uniform resource identifier (URI) text pointing to the other system.
In each system, list all of the local nodes, remote nodes, and the default local node as participating nodes in the SSO configuration.
In each system, set the authentication domain.
Note. The Related Content Framework also requires that the authentication domain be set on the consumer system.
See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Implementing Single Signon,” Implementing PeopleSoft-Only Single Signon.
Configure the integration gateway on both systems.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker Administration PeopleBook, “Managing Integration Gateways,” Administering Integration Gateways, Defining Integration Gateways.
Encrypt the secure keystore password in the integration gateway properties file on both systems.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker Administration PeopleBook, “Managing Integration Gateways,” Using the integrationGateway.properties File.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleSoft Integration Broker Administration PeopleBook, “Managing Integration Gateways,” Encrypting Passwords.
Configure WS-Security between the two systems:
Configure the Node Definitions page for the WSDL_NODE node on both systems.
On the WS Security page, select and configure an authentication scheme. The following example shows one such authentication scheme:
Generate and install a new digital certificate.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook, “Configuring WS-Security For WSRP Consumption and Production,” Setting Up WSRP Security Options, Installing Certificates For Encryption and Signature.
Set up a user profile synchronization between the two systems.
See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Working with User Profiles Across Multiple PeopleSoft Databases.”
Reviewing the Definitions of Delivered Related Content Services
Access the Define Related Content Service page (PeopleTools, Portal, Related Content Service, Define Related Content Service).
Use the Define Related Content Service page to review related content service definitions delivered for PeopleSoft Applications Portal or to create your own service definitions.
The three delivered related content service definitions use PSFT_PA as the node, which is the name of the default local node on the PeopleSoft Applications Portal system. If your PeopleSoft Applications Portal system uses a different default local node, then change the Node Name field in each service definition. You can also use a PeopleSoft Applications Portal system portal host node, such as EMPL, instead.
Important! To ensure that the related content services operate as delivered, do not change any other values on the Define Related Content Service page.
PeopleTools PeopleBooks provide more information about the Define Related Content Service page, including how to create a service definition.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook, “Developing and Configuring Related Content Services,” Defining Related Content Services.
Assigning a Related Content Service to a Transaction Page
Select PeopleTools, Portal, Related Content Service, Manage Related Content Service.
The Manage Related Content Configuration page appears.
Click the Assign Related Content to Application Pages link.
The Select a Content Reference page appears.
Navigate through the tree hierarchy of content references.
Select the content reference to which to assign related content services.
The Assign Related Content page appears.
Select and assign a related content service by service ID.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook, “Developing and Configuring Related Content Services,”Assigning and Managing Related Content Services, Assigning Page-Level Services to Content References.
Configuring the Related Discussion Service
Access the Configure Service page (click the Configure button for the Related Discussion service on the Assign Related Content page).
Use the Configure Service page to review the mapping of system variables, component and page values, and transaction keys to service parameters. Also use this page to select the security mode for the service.
The key field parameters map to the transaction keys and are used to differentiate one transaction instance from another. These fields are populated automatically with the keys defined for the transaction. You should accept all the default parameter values as populated by the system.
If the service was assigned at the page level rather than at the component level and if additional context information is desired for contextual searches, then map context fields to page fields or key fields so that each post stores additional contextual information related to the transaction instance. This additional context information is then searchable and can be displayed in the search results.
Optionally, enter a package, path, and class ID to define a service filter.
Note. A service filter hides or displays a service link in a field-level menu or the Related Content menu based on the value in the field at runtime. The application package PeopleCode that you specify can access the component buffer using field values to trigger data-specific logic that causes the related content service link to be visible or hidden based on the value of the field. The filter enables the context of the data to determine whether the service link appears.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook,“Developing and Configuring Related Content Services,” Assigning and Managing Related Content Services, Understanding Service Configuration.
Select one of the following security modes:
Select the Related Content Provider Security option to use the security model of the PeopleSoft Applications Portal discussion forums. The forum moderator is responsible for adding members and privileges for access to the forum. The first user to access the transaction after the service has been assigned creates the forum by default and becomes the forum moderator.
In addition, the system adds a discussion administrator role as a forum moderator and a discussion contributor role as a forum contributor. The default values for these roles (PAPP_DISCUSSIONS_ADMIN and PAPP_DISCUSSIONS_CONTRIBUTOR, respectively) are defined as installation options on the Portal and Security Defaults page.
Select the Related Content Consumer Security option to use the security model of the transaction.
Then, on the Authorization Configuration page, assign an application class that will provide the security handler for this component or page. If an application class is not assigned, then the basic PeopleTools transaction security model (user-role-permission list) will be used.
See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Using Web Services for Object and Row-Level Data Authorization,” Configuring Content References and Components to Use the Security Authorization Service.
Configuring the Related Links Service
Access the Configure Service page (click the Configure button for the Related Links service on the Assign Related Content page).
Use the Configure Service page to review the mapping of system variables, component and page values, and transaction keys to service parameters. Also use this page to select the security mode for the service.
The key field parameters map to the transaction keys and are used to differentiate one transaction instance from another. These fields are populated automatically with the keys defined for the transaction. You should accept all default parameter values as populated by the system.
Important! You must not modify the automatically populated key fields because the Related Links service uses these key fields to create a link to the transaction instance.
Identify the storage location for attachments in the Attachment Location field as a URL identifier. Select one of the following mapping types:
Important! Do not select the mapping type of Key Field or System Variable for the attachment location.
Fixed Value: Enter a valid URL identifier as defined in the PeopleSoft Applications Portal database.
No item selected: The default value of EPPRS_ATTACHDB is used.
See “Storage Locations and URL Identifiers” for more information on defining and using URL identifiers.
Optionally, enter a package, path, and class ID to define a service filter.
Note. A service filter hides or displays a service link in a field-level menu or the Related Content menu based on the value in the field at runtime. The application package PeopleCode that you specify can access the component buffer using field values to trigger data-specific logic that causes the related content service link to be visible or hidden based on the value of the field. The filter enables the context of the data to determine whether the service link appears.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook, “Developing and Configuring Related Content Services,” Assigning and Managing Related Content Services, Understanding Service Configuration.
Select the Related Content Consumer Security option to use the security model of the transaction.
Then, on the Authorization Configuration page, assign an application class that will provide the security handler for this component or page. If an application class is not assigned, then the basic PeopleTools transaction security model (user-role-permission list) will be used.
See PeopleTools 8.52: Security Administration PeopleBook, “Using Web Services for Object and Row-Level Data Authorization,” Configuring Content References and Components to Use the Security Authorization Service.
Storage Locations and URL Identifiers
The PeopleSoft Applications Portal database is delivered with two URL identifiers defined for your use with file attachments for the Related Links service:
EPPRS_ATTACHDB — Identifies the EPPRS_ATTACHDB record definition and corresponding database table as the file attachment storage location. This is the default storage location if no location is specified.
EPPRS_ATTACHFS — Identifies a file repository as the file attachment storage location. This file repository can be of any type supported by PeopleTools including FTP, FTPS, SFTP, HTTP, or HTTPS.
Important! If you specify EPPRS_ATTACHFS as
the storage location, then you must complete the definition
of the URL identifier including the full URL and required URL properties.
In addition, configure permissions on the file server to prohibit unauthorized
direct access to files stored on the server.
As delivered, there are no restrictions on the file types that can be uploaded or downloaded as file attachments. If you wish to restrict the file types, these can be specified in the FILE_EXT_LIST URL property.
In addition to the two delivered URL identifiers, you can create and use your own URL identifiers. Any such URL identifier must be defined in the PeopleSoft Applications Portal database.
See PeopleTools 8.52: System and Server Administration PeopleBook, “Using PeopleTools Utilities,” Using Administration Utilities, URL Maintenance.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleCode Developer's Guide PeopleBook, “Working With File Attachments,” Understanding the File Attachment Functions, Understanding File Attachment Storage Locations.
Configuring the Related Tags Service
Access the Configure Service page (click the Configure button for the Related Tags service on the Assign Related Content page).
Use the Configure Service page to review the mapping of system variables, component and page values, and transaction keys to service parameters. Also use this page to select the security mode for the service.
The key field parameters map to the transaction keys and are used to differentiate one transaction instance from another. These fields are populated automatically with the keys defined for the transaction. You should accept all default parameter values as populated by the system.
For the Namespace parameter, select Fixed Value, and then:
Important! The namespace parameter value must be 20 characters or less.
To create a shared tag namespace for more than one instance of the Related Tags service, set the Namespace parameter to a fixed value and use the same name for each instance. For example, for all pages related to vendor information, the tag namespace could be named: VENDOR_TAGS.
Each instance must also share the same Tag Key values.
To create a unique tag namespace for each instance of the Related Tags service, set the Namespace parameter to a fixed value and use a unique name for each instance, for example, use a derivative of the CREF name such as VNDR_ID_TAGS.
Optionally, enter a package, path, and class ID to define a service filter.
Note. A service filter hides or displays a service link in a field-level menu or the Related Content menu based on the value in the field at runtime. The application package PeopleCode that you specify can access the component buffer using field values to trigger data-specific logic that causes the related content service link to be visible or hidden based on the value of the field. The filter enables the context of the data to determine whether the service link appears.
See PeopleTools 8.52: PeopleTools Portal Technologies PeopleBook, “Developing and Configuring Related Content Services,” Assigning and Managing Related Content Services, Understanding Service Configuration.
Select the Public Access security mode.
Select public access to make the Related Content visible to anyone who accesses the transaction page.
Assigning Discussion Forum Roles to Transaction Users
To assign discussion forum roles to transaction users:
In the PeopleSoft application system, make note of the users who have access to each transaction that has been assigned the Related Discussions service.
Determine which users require moderator privileges and which require contributor privileges.
In the PeopleSoft Applications Portal system, assign the discussion administrator role to the user IDs identified as forum moderators.
In the PeopleSoft Applications Portal system, assign the discussion contributor role to the user IDs identified as contributors.
The default values for these roles (PAPP_DISCUSSIONS_ADMIN and PAPP_DISCUSSIONS_CONTRIBUTOR, respectively) are defined as installation options on the Portal and Security Defaults page.
See Setting Portal and Security Defaults.