Webifying an Existing Notes Application. Stuart Duguid Portal & Workplace Specialist TechWorks, IBM Asia-Pacific

Transcription

1 Webifying an Existing Notes Application Stuart Duguid Portal & Workplace Specialist TechWorks, IBM Asia-Pacific

2 Overview Given an existing Notes application How do I expose it to the web? In the easiest way In the most effective way In a way that is maintainable and extensible Insights also applicable to new Notes application design

3 Agenda Architecture considerations Determined what really needs to be done Typical constraints in Notes applications Embedded LotusScript in interface Guidelines for application structure Building the interface Tool options Integration Summary

4 Why webify an existing Notes applications? An application is a piece of functionality People need to get at that function Adding a web interface will Expand the user base to those without Notes clients Expand the access to when Notes client not available

5 Is that enough? What about putting the functionality into the context of the supporting functionality? For example annual leave booking in the context of group calendars, project schedules, entitlement information, HR contact information What about adding collaboration into the context? Continuing leave booking example manager chat/ , HR consultation, team e-meetings What about integrating the functionality into other applications? What about other applications consuming the functionality? What about devices other than a web browser?

6 In short What about the business value of a portal? Web-based composite applications Role based interfaces Security, single sign-on Process driven Collaboration in context Modularity prebuilt functions, iteration Standardization navigation, access, look and feel These are not just for big enterprise! I do NOT recommend building just a web interface without considering these aspects What about adopting a Service Oriented Architecture? Loose coupling Reuse, maintenance Ease of integration

7 But I don t have a portal You can / You will for web-based composite application support Tied in with client-based composite application support in Hannover I don t have other applications Everyone has other applications Everyone has business partners they work with I don t have the skills Use existing skills No coding solutions I don t have the tools Domino designer does the major part Many options available

8 Recommendation Consider writing a portlet instead of just a web interface Use Workplace Services Express to get portal + collaborative tools Similar effort to adding a web interface Consider exposing functionality as a web service Easy in Domino Designer 7 Easily consumed in a portlet Easily integrated into other applications/user interfaces

9 What needs to be done? Who are your users? Consider using personas What are their use cases? Model Which tasks? Admin tasks stay in Notes What are your security needs? Restricted and/or anonymous access What should it look like? Wire-frame walk-throughs paper or HTML Notes and Web access? Uniformity in interface if user communities are common

10 Web applications are different than Notes Not a simple matter of turning on HTTP service and accessing Notes application Client is complex execution environment Code shared between server and client LotusScript and JavaScript Web application Client lowest common denominator is simple Code largely executed on server Browser has JavaScript only no LotusScript

11 Reusable Notes/Domino Applications

12 Example Used Throughout: BOOKLIST.NSF

13 Example Used Throughout: BOOKLIST.NSF

14 Example Used Throughout: BOOKLIST.NSF click

15 The Goal: Code Reuse!!! We want an external program to be able to access logic in a Notes app Notes Client A WMC app, Eclipse app, VB.NET app, etc. Domino Server booklist.nsf Get a list of all books Get info about a given book Get titles for a given author

16 The Problem: Important Functionality Is Not Reusable As Currently Implemented click handler click * * * author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 If author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then titles = titles + doc.booktitle(0) + Chr$(13) + Chr$(10) End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc) Next End If Msgbox titles

17 The Problem: Important Functionality Is Not Reusable As Currently Implemented Code is tied to a Notes action button click * * * author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 If author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then titles = titles + doc.booktitle(0) + Chr$(13) + Chr$(10) End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc) Next End If Msgbox titles

18 The Problem: Important Functionality Is Not Reusable As Currently Implemented An input value depends on the Notes editor context click * * * author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 If author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then titles = titles + doc.booktitle(0) + Chr$(13) + Chr$(10) End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc) Next End If Msgbox titles

19 The Problem: Important Functionality Is Not Reusable As Currently Implemented Output is prepared for a specific display format click * * * author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 If author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then titles = titles + doc.booktitle(0) + Chr$(13) + Chr$(10) End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc) Next End If Msgbox titles

20 The Problem: Important Functionality Is Not Reusable As Currently Implemented Hard-coded to post output to a Notes Msgbox click * * * author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 If author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then titles = titles + doc.booktitle(0) + Chr$(13) + Chr$(10) End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc) Next End If Msgbox titles

21 Basic Rules For Developing Any Reusable Code Avoid dependencies Want separation of major responsibilities based on the classic multi-tier model. It is hard to have multiple clients or use alternative storages when application code has hard-coded dependencies on specific ones. Presentation Layer Application Layer booklist application logic Data Model and Storage Layer files RDBMS

22 Basic Rules For Developing Any Reusable Code Make reusable and general, common functional units Identify, create, and use common functions and components rather than repeating as needed. This is especially appropriate for low-level utility services. Avoid creating or taking advantage of side effects Favor passing arguments and return values via normal language datatypes (strings, structures, etc.) rather than through global variables or persistent storage.

23 Why We Often Break The Rules It s just a small project It s only a proof-of-concept I m the only one who will use it I just want to get something, ANYTHING, to work and then I ll fix it later Tight schedules Changing requirements Inadequate product definition Inadequate training Laziness Some of us just enjoy breaking rules etc.

24 The Solution REFACTOR!!! Remove dependencies, form common routines, etc. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle When done, the old stuff doesn t look any different But it can now be more-easily reused and/or ported BEFORE AFTER

25 The application is refactored - Now what? Lets examine our options Web enable it in Domino Designer Pre-built configurable portlet integration Domino View & Form builder in WebSphere Portlet Factory Write JSP pages using the Domino JSP tag library Use the Domino mediator for a JSF/SDO solution Expose the functionality as a web service & consume the web service to produce a web interface With Portlet factory Domino builder Prebuilt configurable portlet JSF/SDO web services mediator

26 Web enable it in Domino Designer Positives Uses Domino Designer Skills Maintained in one place - Domino Negatives Only exposes presentation no business logic interface Cannot integrate into other functionality Cannot integrate well into portal relies on clipping/framing Poor user experience, poor integration with awareness, brokering The view and controller are not separated Higher maintenance Much harder reuse Recommendation Avoid unless never any expectation of reuse or integration (highly unlikely)

27 Pre-built configurable portlet integration Positives Minimal skills configuration only Good portal integration - can use awareness and brokering Negatives Only works where virtually no business logic exists i.e. data only Simple customization not comprehensive control over look & feel Recommendation Good if data only (uncommon but happens)

28 Domino View & Form builder in WebSphere Portlet Factory Positives Simple - Requires no coding skills Can be integrated with other back-end interaction Highly customizable Great extensions like charting Can produce web application or portlet Integrates well with portal collaboration and brokering Negatives This approach doesn t follow SOA (the tool can) Point solution would need rework to expose as a service and then not the best way to make a service Recommendation Okay if function never to be used as a service (possible) Better approaches with portlet factory exist

29 Write JSP pages using the Domino JSP tag library (in RAD or other tool) Positives Moderate difficulty - requires scripting & markup, minimal coding skills Customizable Can produce web application or portlet Can integrates with portal collaboration and brokering Negatives No separation of view and controller high maintenance This approach doesn t follow SOA so no reuse Recommendation Consider only if Portlet Factory not available and if function never to be used as a service

30 Use the Domino mediator for a JSF/SDO solution (in RAD) Positives Most highly customizable Uses event driven IDE - requires minimal coding skills Can be integrated with other back-end interaction Standards based Can produce web application or portlet Integrates well with portal collaboration and brokering Negatives Works best where minimal business logic exists Doesn t follow SOA (though JSF/SDO can) Recommendation Okay if function never to be used as a service Better approaches with JSF exist

31 Expose the functionality as a web service & consume the web service to produce a web interface Positives Follows SOA Reuse Flexibility Ease of maintenance Ease of integration Future proof Standards based Separates logic and presentation Flexibility in presentation technology Negatives Not the simplest option but can be very close! Recommendation #1 option! Do this!

32 Web Services? A standards-based way to execute code on a remote server XML, XML Schemas, XML Namespaces, WSDL, SOAP Promotes interoperability Consumer SOAP request SOAP response transport protocol The transport protocol is most-often HTTP, but the standards allow for any protocol (e.g. SMTP, RMI, etc.) Web Service Uses Web Service Description Language (WSDL) to describe its interface

33 Presentation options for a Web Service Pre-built configurable portlet With Portlet factory Web service builder In RAD with web services wizards, maybe JSF or Struts All good options Portlet simplest Factory builder more configurable and flexible No coding RAD gives finest control over end result Can use JSF no effectively not coding

34 Building a Web Service Interface to your Notes application

35 Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) The New Kid On The Block Provides some additional design principles when refactoring And also when developing applications from scratch! Organize your functionality into services Sets of related functions, usually written as the methods of a service class Often stateless and used in a loosely coupled way Two general styles Remote Procedure Call (RPC) style is object oriented Document style passes and returns XML documents Example of an RPC style service class Class BookMgr Public Function getbooklist () As String * * * Public Function getbooksbyauthor (author as String) as BookList *** End Class

36 Let s refactor booklist.nsf to make it more reusable 1. Create a service class in a script library Putting it in a script library makes it accessible by both the Notes application code and by a (soon to be added) web service. Rework and move code out of action button handlers, etc. and into the service class in the script library. 2. Rework the existing Notes application to use the service functions. 3. Add a new web service that gives external client access to the service logic in the script library New starting with Domino 7.0.

37 Step 1 - Create a script library with service class click original click handler BookMgr script library 1 Class BookMgr Public Function getbooklist () As String * * * Public Function getbooksbyauthor (author as String) as BookList *** End Class

38 Step 2 - Modify the click handler to use the BookMgr service class click modified click handler 2 calls 1 Class BookMgr Public Function getbooklist () As String * * * Public Function getbooksbyauthor (author as String) as BookList *** End Class

39 Step 3 - Add a web service interface so that external clients can reuse the functionality. click A WMC app, Eclipse app, VB.NET app, etc. modified click handler 2 BookManager Web Service 3 calls 1 Class BookMgr Public Function getbooklist () As String * * * Public Function getbooksbyauthor (author as String) as BookList *** End Class

40 Step 1 The BookMgr script library Miscellaneous definitions Class BookList Public titles() As String End Class Function concatenate (stringarray() As String, delim As String) As String Dim result As String Dim i As Integer For i = 0 To Ubound(stringArray) If stringarray(i) = "" Then Exit For If i <> 0 Then result = result + delim result = result + stringarray(i) Next concatenate = result End Function

41 Step 1 BookMgr service methods Class BookMgr ' ' return a string with a comma-separated list of book titles ' Public Function getbooklist () As String Dim bl As BookList Set bl = getbooksbyauthor("") getbooklist = concatenate(bl.titles,",") End Function

42 Step 1 BookMgr service functions, continued Note: DIM statements Have been removed to save space End Class ' ' return a BookList with a list of titles by a specified author ' (return all books if the author arg is an empty string) ' Public Function getbooksbyauthor (author As String) As BookList Set db = session.currentdatabase Set view = db.getview("books") If view.entrycount <> 0 Then Redim thelist.titles(view.entrycount-1) Set doc = view.getfirstdocument() For i = 0 To view.entrycount-1 Next End If Set getbooksbyauthor = thelist End Function Values passed and returned using normal language datatypes If author = "" Or author = doc.bookauthor(0) Then thelist.titles(cnt) = doc.booktitle(0) cnt = cnt+1 End If Set doc = view.getnextdocument(doc)

43 Step 1 BookMgr service functions, continued ' ' given a book title, return a string with a comma-separated ' list of information about the book ' Function getbookinfo (booktitle As String) As String Set db = session.currentdatabase Set view = db.getview("books") Dim doccol As NotesDocumentCollection Set doccol =db.ftsearch(booktitle,1) If doccol.count =0 Then getbookinfo = "" End If Set doc = doccol.getfirstdocument If doc Is Nothing Then getbookinfo = "" Else getbookinfo = _ Note: DIM statements Have been removed to save space doc.booktitle(0)+","+doc.bookauthor(0)+","+doc.bookcategory(0) End If End Function

44 Step 2 Rework existing code to use the BookMgr service class Sub Click (Source As Button) End Sub Dim workspace As New NotesUIWorkspace Dim uidoc As NotesUIDocument Set uidoc = workspace.currentdocument Dim author As String author = uidoc.fieldgettext( "bookauthor" ) ' report the list of books written by the current author Dim bm As New BookMgr Dim bl As Booklist Set bl = bm.getbooksbyauthor(author) Msgbox concatenate(bl.titles, Chr$(13)+Chr$(10))

45 Step 3 Create a new web service

46 Step 3 A little bit about Domino 7.x Web Services Creates a web service with empty methods ready for developing a customized Domino implementation of a specific web service interface

47 Step 3 A little bit about Domino 7.x Web Services Exports your web service s WSDL to a file so that you can then publish it for external applications to call your web service

48 Step 3 A little bit about Domino 7.x Web Services Lets you see what your web service s WSDL looks like

49 Step 3 A little bit about Domino 7.x Web Services BookManager s WSDL

50 Step 3 A little bit about Domino 7.x Web Services Implement your web service using either LotusScript or Java

51 Step 3 Create a new web service Option Public Option Explicit Use "BookMgr"

52 Step 3 Create a new web service REQUIRED IN 7.0.x The service class must be declared in the Declaration section and cannot be inherited Write one web service method for each script library service method

53 Client Example A Standalone Java Program public class getbooklist { public static void main (String args[]) throws Exception { // Create the Service and Call objects Service service = new Service(); Call call = (Call) service.createcall(); // Call the BookManager's getbooklist method String endpoint = " } Note: Uses Apache Axis web service call functionality } call.settargetendpointaddress (endpoint); call.setoperationname( new QName("urn:DefaultNamespace", "getbooklist") ); call.setreturntype(xmltype.xsd_string); Object responseobj = call.invoke(new Object[] {}); // Report the results String titlesstring = (String) responseobj; if (titlesstring!= null) { StringTokenizer tok = new StringTokenizer(titlesString,","); while(tok.hasmoretokens()){ System.out.println (tok.nexttoken()); } }

54 Client Example A Standalone Java Program Run the program The output

55 Client Example A Workplace Managed Client App

56 A web client to consume your Web Service

57 Using WebSphere Portlet Factory The Portlet Factory includes a web services builder Tool fully supports SOA Builders combined together in a model Which executes as web application or portlet

58 Using RAD

59 Create web service reference

60 Define Web service location

61 Browse methods

62 Drag from Page Data onto page

63 Step through wizard

64 Result : Functional form in portlet page

65 Upcoming Technology: Web Services Portlet (subject to change) Configurable portlet to interact with a web service Define the Web Service Definition File Via URL location Search via Web Services Gateway View methods associated with web service Edit parameters for those methods Filter the result set Rendering options under design consideration (not all provided in initial release): Table, Chart (pie, bar, line), News, Bullet, Form Custom title, header, and footer options

66 Summary Consider your architecture carefully Many options exist It pays to expose functionality as a web service Designer 7 makes it really easy Think of your web interface being a role-based, dynamic, collaborative portal not just a plain vanilla web site in isolation Work with your users early Iterative user-centred design really works