The following table provides a summary description of the kinds of things you can customize for an HTML Step Processor and how to do so. The types of things you may wish to modify (the "what" you can customize) are similar regardless of your web application. "How" you customize your HTML Step Processor will, however, vary according to whether you are using FileNet Workplace, FileNet Web Services, or FileNet Open Client as your web application.
The table describes levels of customization from the least complex (making some modifications to the basic "look and feel" of the user interface) to the more complex (such as modifying the user interface page layout, adding new User Controls, etc.) to still more complex (involving Content integration) to the most complex (customizing a Step Processor application from scratch). These levels of customization and how to proceed with that level of customization for each web application are described in the table.
Note No description can be all-inclusive for all possible scenarios. This table provides general guidelines that summarize some, but not all, of the many ways that you can customize a Step Processor.
Customize |
Changes |
FileNet Workplace |
FileNet Web Services |
FileNet Open Client |
---|---|---|---|---|
User Interface |
Modify the basic "look and feel" of the user interface. Modify the basic appearance of the Step Processor. Modify colors, logos, graphics, fonts, and banners to fit your company's look and feel and the purpose of the Step Processor. |
Modify/customize the "View" UI JSP, UI Module (JavaBean), XSL stylesheet, and CSS (Cascading Style Sheet). Ensure that the "Event" JSP redirects control to the appropriate corresponding UI JSP page, consisting of static HTML and calls to the render methods (to transform the XML data into HTML) of the UI modules. You can copy and modify the sample HTML Step Processor provided on the FileNet eXtra Web site or you can develop your own. For additional information, see the Web Application Toolkit Developer's Guide. |
Modify the user interface ASP files supplied with the HTML Step Processor Toolkit for the FileNet Web Services web application for the default HTML Step Processor (step_main.asp). These ASPs provide tables, containers, toolbars, etc. For information, see Modifying the HTML Step Processor Toolkit User Interface Files. |
Modify the top-level ASPX page for the out-of-the-box HTML Step Processor, FnStepProcessor.aspx, its associated code-behind file, FnStepProcessor.aspx.vb; and other files as needed. For example, to modify the banner, modify the FnBannerUC.ascx file and the appropriate image files, .gifs, etc. For information, see the FileNet Open Client Developer's Help provided on the FileNet Open Client installation CD. |
Modify the page layout or structure of the Step Processor, for example to match the type of company forms, documents, or activities this step is intended to accomplish. |
Create/use an object (in the HTML header section) for the HTML page. In the layout section, the WcmUI.render method is called for each UI module that generates HTML output from XML. The WcmUI.render method in turn calls the individual render methods of the UI modules. Override the base UI module methods to customize the presentation. In addition, you can create custom tab bars, tool bars, and other UI elements and place them into a containment module using the appropriate UI module's methods. For additional information, see the Web Application Toolkit Developer's Guide. |
Modify the page layout, including the frames/frameset of the default HTML Step Processor ASP (step_main.asp) file by modifying or replacing the contents of the following ASPs (e.g., for the "General" tab the file name indicates the layout element): ...\WF_Html_Toolkit\UI\toolbar.asp For information, see HTML Step Processor File Relationships and Modifying the Default HTML Step Processor. |
Copy, deploy, and modify the top-level ASPX page for the out-of-the-box HTML Step Processor, FnStepProcessor.aspx, its associated code-behind file, FnStepProcessor.aspx.vb; and other files as needed. For information, see the FileNet Open Client Developer's Help provided on the FileNet Open Client installation CD. |
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Add new User Controls, modify existing Controls, or hide or delete existing Controls. | See previous description above to add/customize controls for the user interface. Modify/customize the "Event" JSP page to call the controller methods to handle user actions invoked from an HTML page and redirect the control to the corresponding UI JSP page. You can copy and modify the sample HTML Step Processor provided on the FileNet eXtra Web site or you can develop your own. For additional information, see the Web Application Toolkit Developer's Guide. |
See previous description above. You can also modify functions; e.g., for specifying toolbar behavior and modify JavaScript functions for creating and working with client objects. For information, see HTML Step Processor File Relationships and Modifying the Default HTML Step Processor. |
See previous description above. You can use the Process, Open Client, Factory, .NET or other controls you want to add, modify, or hide. This may require customizing business logic in the modified FnStepProcessor.aspx.vb and other files. For information, see the FileNet Open Client Developer's Help provided on the FileNet Open Client installation CD. |
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Content Integration | Modify integration with the Content Engine to access Content Engine objects from an Object Store or a File Store or for Image Manager applications, from FileNet Content and/or Image Services libraries. | The Web Application Toolkit data providers are JavaBeans that pass data between Workplace UI modules and the Process Engine and Content Engine Java APIs. Each data provider caches its data to the data store bean, providing a common connection point for one or more UI modules. For example, the WcmAuthoringDataProvider (all Workplace data provider classes extend WcmDpModuleInterface) calls to the appropriate Content Java API to handle data for adding, retrieving, and publishing documents, which is displayed by WcmAuthorModule; the WcmEProcessDataProvider calls to the Process Java API to handle workflow-related data, which is displayed by the Workplace WcmQueueNavigation and WcmQueueContentsListView APIs; and so on. For additional information, see the Web Application Toolkit Developer's Guide. |
Modify functions; e.g., for retrieving, parsing, and restructuring XML strings, including XML Step Element strings, XML strings from the client, attachments, properties, etc.; for information, see Modifying the Default HTML Core Files. Modify JavaScript functions for creating and working with client objects and attachments; for information, see Modifying HTML Step Processor Toolkit Core Script Files. Modify sorting functions on the client; for information, see Modifying the HTML Step Processor Toolkit Utility Files. Include/reference the appropriate FileNet Web Services files and PJAC files. For example, Attachment.js and Attachment.htm to enable clients to view attachments; for information, see PJAC Files Referenced By Process Applications. Use the Process Java APIs to customize one or more Step Processor operations. For example, customizing queries to User and/or Work queues, customizing workflow data update operations (such as updating data field values, parameters, workflow groups, response options for the user, etc.), and so on. For details, see Basic Step Processor Operations. For information, see HTML Step Processor File Relationships and Modifying the Default HTML Step Processor. |
Modify the top-level ASPX page for the out-of-the-box HTML Step Processor, FnStepProcessor.aspx, its associated code-behind file, FnStepProcessor.aspx.vb. You may modify/use the Process Open Client and general Open Client Data Providers. In addition, you may wish to use FileNet eForms to facilitate HTML form content integration. Note that the FneProcessStepProcDP Data Provider provides the interface to JiGlue. If you customize a Data Provider, there are JiGlue-related issues you will need to take into account (see Using JiGlue with ASP.NET - Issues and Guidelines). For information, see the FileNet Open Client Developer's Help provided on the FileNet Open Client installation CD. |
Build From Scratch | Create Step Processor from scratch using a framework that incorporates a custom user interface and integrates Content data and Process Engine services. |
An HTML Step Processor for Workplace is built within the framework of the J2EE MVC model, where the:
For additional information, see the Web Application Toolkit Developer's Guide. Note All Step Processors must, at a minimum, perform certain basic operations. For information on these, see Basic Step Processor Operations. If your environment requires integration with an outside or legacy system or application, you may wish to use the Content Engine and/or Process Engine EAI Connector to retrieve objects. For information on using the Process Engine EAI Connector (or other connectors), see Overview of FileNet Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) for the Process Engine. |
If you build an HTML Step Processor from scratch, without using the default files and ASPs provided with the HTML Step Process Toolkit, you should still include and reference the appropriate FileNet Web Services and PJAC for FileNet Web Services files. For information see FileNet Web Services Files Referenced By Process Applications and PJAC Files Referenced By Process Applications. |
Either copy, deploy, and modify the out-of_the_box HTML Step Processor ASPX page and its code-behind file or create your own. Create new User Controls using the Open Client Controls and the .NET Controls; modify/use the Process Open Client and general Open Client Data Providers or create your own (you may wish to use the Process public class Data Provider FneProcessSessionDP to handle Process authentication, logon and logoff (inherits FneProcessBaseDP and requires interface to the FileNet Open Client server for authentication. For information, see the FileNet Open Client Developer's Help provided on the FileNet Open Client installation CD. |