Describing Java Pagelet Development Considerations

Business Rules

Java can be used to apply business logic to data to create a result set. Pagelet Wizard can then be used to invoke the Java program. Parameters that are required by the Java program can be defined, managed, and passed to the Java program through Pagelet Wizard. These parameters may be derived from user personalization parameters, as well as administrator-defined parameters and system variables.

For example, the Java program may need the user’s ID, the user’s language, and the user’s personalization selection regarding whether to include historical transaction information or just current information. These parameters can be defined in Pagelet Wizard in relation to a Java class. Pagelet Wizard can access the PeopleSoft runtime environment to determine the user’s ID as well as other profile information, such as the user’s language.

See Understanding System Variables Supported as Data Source Parameters.

Pagelet Wizard will also manage the user interface and storage of user personalization data. This topic is discussed in detail in the subsequent User Personalization section. When the Java program is invoked, Pagelet Wizard will handle passing all required parameters to the Java program.

In addition, Java classes delivered with PeopleTools enable you to call PeopleCode from your Java program and access contextual information from the runtime system. If needed, business data can be retrieved, as necessary, through the numerous PeopleCode functions that are accessible from Java.

The result set created by the Java program may be in an HTML format or in an XML format. Pagelet Wizard will accept the output from the Java program and will manage the presentation of the information within the portal. This topic is discussed in the following User Interface section.

User Interface

Pagelet Wizard will manage all aspects of a pagelet’s user interface. No user-interface-related programming for the pagelet is required in the Java program. Pagelet Wizard can accept an HTML- or XML-based result set from a Java program. The HTML from the Java program can be rendered directly. Alternatively, XML can be transformed with XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language) to create an appropriate pagelet user interface.

In either case, Pagelet Wizard will manage the XSL and invoke the transformation at runtime. XSL templates are provided with Pagelet Wizard for general use scenarios. XSL development may be required, depending on the specific user interface required for a pagelet.

See Defining Pagelet Wizard XSL Prototypes.

User Personalization

Pagelet Wizard supports the persistence of user personalization selections for a pagelet application and handles all aspects of the user interface that enable users to enter their preferences and selections. Personalization parameters are defined within Pagelet Wizard administration pages. No programming is required, Java or otherwise.

User personalization selections can occur at two levels. From the homepage, users can select which pagelet applications they want to include on their homepage. After they’ve selected a pagelet application and have decided where they want the pagelets to appear on their homepage, they can personalize a particular pagelet application.

Examples of user personalizations at the second level can include scenarios in which a user selects transactions from a particular region or chooses to include transactions using a particular date as opposed to same-day transactions.

The user interface for all of these activities, as well as the storage of the personalization data for persistence, is managed by Pagelet Wizard without any additional programming, Java or otherwise.

Pagelet Wizard supports functionality that enables an end user to select a pagelet application to appear on his or her homepage. When a pagelet application is registered with Pagelet Wizard, a folder, which represents a portal application category, can be selected. When users personalize their homepage by selecting specific pagelet applications that they want to appear on their homepage, the selection is presented within the category (folder) that is defined when they register the pagelet application through Pagelet Wizard.

See Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publishing Options.

Pagelet Wizard also supports functionality that enables an end user to select values that allow a specific pagelet application to be personalized. The functionality may dictate that some input parameters that are required by a Java program be entered by an end user, while other parameters can be set by an administrator. Pagelet Wizard manages parameter passing and the user interface. Pagelet Wizard inspects the Java source code for input parameters. Pagelet Wizard administrators can then select which parameters can be accessed by an end user for personalization. The user interface to enables an end user to personalize a pagelet application and update the appropriate Java input parameters is automatically generated and managed by Pagelet Wizard.

Navigation

When creating links in your pagelet application that enable a user to navigate to a related page for details and so forth, the link may need to be proxied by the portal to keep the user within the portal. For example, if a pagelet link is not proxied, then the pagelet can take a user to a site that is completely independent from the portal. In this scenario, the navigational links on the portal header, the homepage menu pagelet, and the left-hand menu pagelet will not be available to the user.

If the link is proxied by the portal, then the link can access and display content from a site that is independent of the portal. However, the content will be rendered within the portal. For example, the portal’s header and left-hand menu will be available.

With the PeopleSoft Interaction Hub, links that are included in a pagelet will be altered automatically to support proxying by the portal. No programming is required, Java or otherwise.

Note:

Content that is referenced by the link must be HTML-based to be rendered appropriately in the portal.

Navigation on Extended Pages

Clicking a link on an extended page displays content within the target frame. The PeopleSoft Interaction Hub, header, and left-hand menu area will remain. Therefore, the new content will be rendered in the context of the PeopleSoft Interaction Hub.

Note:

Content that is referenced by the link must be HTML-based to be rendered appropriately in the portal.

The Return to Home link, which returns the user to the portal homepage, may be required from an extended page. The GenerateHomepagePortalURL function creates a URL string that represents an absolute reference to the portal homepage. Because you can access the PeopleSoft runtime environment from a Java program and you can access PeopleCode built-in functions, you can invoke the GenerateHomepagePortalURL function from your Java program.

See Developing Java-Based Pagelets.

See PeopleCode Language Reference: GenerateHomepagePortalURL function

Portal Integration

The pagelet application needs to be integrated with the portal registry so that the pagelet application is managed, secured, and presented through the PeopleTools portal. Registration makes the portal aware of a pagelet. Information included in registration determines the name and security for your pagelet application. In addition, registration data determines the category in which the pagelet application resides. Users view pagelet applications within these categories when selecting items that they want to see on their homepage. No programming is required, Java or otherwise, to complete portal registration.