New in this release

This section describes the new features of version 6.1 of the Bank Transformation Toolkit (BTT). It also contains references to other resources that you can use to learn more about BTT.

This version of the Bank Transformation Toolkit has the following new and enhanced features:

Rich Client support and desktop integration

BTT Rich Client support and desktop integration capability extends the Eclipse Rich Client Platform and Lotus® Expeditor, which is used by banking customers to rapidly build teller or desktop systems. It provides the following add-on features:
  • Activity framework to specify operations
  • Automatically generated navigation tree
  • XML based perspective layout management support
  • Application integration support (Swing, SWT, ActiveX, Web based applications)
  • Property broker service to transfer data for different applications
  • Global context for data sharing
  • SWT widgets theme customization
  • Very flexible architecture that is easy to extend
  • Minimum coding effort required during development

Web 2.0 support

BTT version 6.1 provides support for Web 2.0 as one of the BTT channels. You can implement presentation tier using Web 2.0 technologies and build server-side applications using the BTT framework.

The Web 2.0 Channel uses multichannel support to send and receive XML and JSON formatted messages. In addition, Web 2.0 provides the request handler and presentation handler required for multichannel support.

JSF extension

BTT version 6.1 provides support to JavaServer Faces (JSF) as one of the BTT channels. You can implement a presentation tier using JSF technology and build server-side applications using the BTT framework.

Tools

BTT version 6.1 provides the following new development, runtime and support tools:

Business components

Business components are especially tailored for bank teller applications. Business components in version 6.1 include the following:
  • Cash Drawer Management, which simulates the cash drawers in a retail bank. This helps teller or supervisor to track the total amounts, counts, and cash values in the whole branch. The main functions of this component are creation, maintenance, assignment, and deletion of the cash drawer and its components
  • Foreign Exchange, which is responsible for exchanging one type of currency for another. The default implementation of the Foreign Exchange is a design and implementation template, which you can refer to and implement according to your actual business requirements
  • Counter, which keeps track of numeric values

More business components will be introduced in future releases.

Inversion of Control Container

The Inversion of Control design pattern is a widely accepted design pattern. In BTT version 6.1, the Externalizer component is reconstructed as BTT ElementFactory. The BTT ElementFactory is loosely coupled with other BTT components, and can fully support the design pattern of Inversion of Control. BTT ElementFactory is widely used in BTT version 6.1, and you can use it directly in your own components.

BTT ElementFactory supports the following features:
  • Different ways to instantiate Object: default constructor, constructor, static factory, instance factory, and factory element
  • Different ways to inject dependency: setter method, constructor parameters, and self-defined method
  • Macro definitions
  • Lazy initialization
  • Lifecycle management
  • Factory extensions: ElementProcessor, FactoryElement, and Lifecycle processor

Formatter

BTT version 6.1 introduces a new set of formatters. Although the formatting algorithm is similar to what is in previous versions of BTT, the BTT version 6.1 formatters have extended abilities. The new formatters are loosely coupled with BTT DataElement and Context and support the following functions:
  • Translating BTT DataElement and Context to and from binary messages, XML and JSON
  • Translating Java™ value object to and from binary message, XML, and JSON
  • Translating java.util.HashMap to and from binary message, XML, and JSON.

Invoker

Invoker is an XML-based invocation framework. It removes the technical barriers inherent in technologies such as J2EE, JMS, EJB, DII and WebService.

BTT Invoker supports the following technical invocations in both synchronized and asynchronized modes:
  • POJO
  • EJB
  • Web Service Proxy
  • Web Service DII
  • JMS

SOA integration

For backend integration, BTT enables channel applications to support Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). BTT interfaces with WebSphere® Process Server (which contains WebSphere ESB) for business process automation and enterprise application integration. WebSphere Message Broker and WebSphere Business Services Fabric can be added depending on SOA requirements.

The toolkit supports Web Services JSR 109 standard and Web service invocation from the toolkit's business layer. This can be useful when a complex transaction supports backend Web services. Alternatively, BTT business logic can be treated as a service and reused by the other application systems.

Multichannel samples

BTT version 6.1 provides the following multichannel samples: