COMPOSITE APPLICATIONS - DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT
Concept and background
Composite applications can simply be an assembly of multiple components with on-the-glass aggregation that keep the application user focused on the business process, eliminating the need for the application user to switch between applications or switch between open windows.
To derive additional value and further increase organizational productivity, you can have components form causal relationships with other components through properties and actions. A property broadcasts a value and an action consumes a value. In order to make sure that both sides are communicating consistently, both properties and actions need to describe the type of value they broadcast or consume. This ensures that sensible connections are made when the components are wired together.
For inter-component communication, each component references a WSDL file that lists the properties and actions available in that component. The design elements of a Notes database may be exposed as multiple components, but the database typically requires a single WSDL file. When Notes applications are used as components, you also need to specify the properties and actions in various design elements in the database that reference the WSDL. Properties, actions, and types are defined in the WSDL file. Types themselves can be further classified.
Composite applications bring together many data realms into one application. Two different data realms might have a type that is best described as "Category". But the definitions of category in one realm might not make sense in another. For simplicity you want to call each of the types 'Category', but you want to prevent an application assembler from wiring together.
To solve this problem, there is the concept of "namespaces." Namespaces provide unique descriptors that you can use to group collections of types into. The name use for a type may exist in multiple namespaces, but they are considered unique by the composite applications editor.
Note Types and namespaces are likely to be used across multiple components. Standards should be set within your company for the definitions of these items.
Creating the WSDL file for your composite application
To create the WSDL file for the example composite application, you will use the Property Broker Editor that ships with this product. Use the following procedures to create the WSDL file.
Note For more information on the Property Broker Editor, refer to the topic "Using the Property Broker Editor feature in Domino Designer" found in this documentation.
When you are finished you will have created the following definitions to be stored in the composite application WSDL file:
Use the following procedure to begin creating the new Blank Properties WSDL file (Wiring Properties design element) in Domino Designer.
1. Open Domino Designer.
2. Open the MyDiscussion application that you wish to create the new WSDL file for.
3. Click Composite Applications->Wiring Properties.
4. Click the New Wiring Properties button.
5. Enter "sample" for the Wiring Property/Action Definition name. You should then see "sample" for the newly created Wiring Properties design element (WSDL file).
6. Select the "sample" Wiring Properties entry and click Open File. This launches the Property Broker Editor.
Create the datatypes for your example application
The next procedure in creating the WSDL file for your example composite application is to define the data types that will be produced or consumed by your composite application components.
Examples of datatypes contained in the example are "AccountID", "PersonName", "Cost Center". Output Properties and Incoming Actions must be the same datatypes to be wired together.
Use the following steps to define the data types for your example composite application:
1. From the Property Broker Editor, click the Types tab.
2. Click New Type to create the first new data type for the composite application.
3. In the Type Detailssection of the screen, type "CategoryDataType" in the Name field.
4. In the Type Detailssection of the screen, select "String" from the Type field drop down list.
5. In the Type Detailssection of the screen, leave the Namespace field with the default namespace. This will be filled later with the Namespace value that you use when creating properties.
6. Click File-Save to save your changes.
Create the property for your example application
Use the following steps to define the property for your example composite application:
1. From the Property Broker Editor, click the Properties tab.
2. Click Add to begin defining the new property.
3. In the Property Detailssection of the screen, type "DiscussionSample" in the Name field.
4. In the Property Detailssection of the screen, select "CategoryDataType" from the Type field drop down list.
5. In the Property Detailssection of the screen, type some text that you wish to appear in component wiring in the Title field.
6. Type "Used in Tutorial" in the Description field.
7. Leave "Allow publishing" checked.
8. In the Namespace section of the screen, leave the default value in the Namespace field.
9. Click File-Save to save your changes.
Create the action for your example application
Use the following steps to define the action for your example composite application:
1. From the Property Broker Editor, click the Actions tab.
2. Click Add in the Actions section of the screen to begin defining the new action.
3. In the Action Detailssection of the screen, type "TutorialAction1" in the Name field.
4. In the Action Detailssection of the screen, type "My caption" in the Title field.
5. In the Action Detailssection of the screen, type "My action" in the Description field.
6. Make sure that "Default action if multiple actions match the property" is not checked.
7. In the Action Input Parameter section of the screen, select "DiscussionSample" from the Property list.
8. In the Action Output Parameter section of the screen, select "DiscussionSample" and click the Add button.
10. Close the Property Broker Editor.
The Property Broker Editor generates a WSDL file that lists the properties and actions that you will add to your Notes components in later tasks. The WSDL file supports inter-component communication in composite applications.
In Domino Designer you should now see a circled arrow (Refresh) next to your "sample" entry.
Click on the Refresh button and choose the ~sample.wsdl file from the dialog. Your WSDL file is now created and imported into the MyDiscussion application.
See Also