Guidelines for customizing the console JSP user interface

Before you begin user interface extensibility, familiarize yourself with the guidelines listed in this section in order to help ensure a successful experience.

The HSDE screens are not extensible.

Compare JSPs

As part of the Sterling Selling and Fulfillment Foundation extensibility, you can extend JSP files of the current release.

When Sterling Selling and Fulfillment Foundation releases service packs or major releases and, in some cases, a user interface hot fix, you need to complete a JSP comparison and reconciliation. During the JSP comparison process you must compare the following files:

In order to facilitate the reconciliation process, IBM® recommends that you consider purchasing a difference tool capable of performing a three-way comparison. For example, an inexpensive tool is Araxis. Please note that IBM does not resell this difference tool, nor do we warranty or guarantee it. It is merely provided as an example of an inexpensive tool. You are advised to do your own research on three-way comparison tools and choose the one appropriate for your needs.

Prepare for smooth upgrades and easy maintainability

For example, if you create a new inner panel and link it to the Order Detail Header JSP, (/om/order/detail/order_detail_header.jsp), this JSP file expects specific APIs to be called. Specifically, it expects the getOrderDetails() API to be called with certain fields in the output template and the getScacAndServiceList() API to be called for the SCAC And Service drop-down field.

If you use this inner panel, you must configure the two APIs with the necessary fields in the output template. Then, if IBM adds fields to the JSP file in future releases, you may need to modify your configuration to account for the changes.

Build in usability

Any new views you develop should look and behave like the product views, so before you begin developing, gain an understanding of how the default views behave.

Prepare your development environment

To start the customization process, you must prepare the development environment to accommodate for your changes.

Understand how to find reference materials

The Presentation Framework consists of several JSP, JavaScript, and class files. These files contain several functions declared as public. However, only some of these functions are exposed. While performing user interface extensions, only the exposed functions should be used. See the following locations to determine whether a function is exposed: