Creating Dynamic Tables in XPages with Managed Beans

1. Showtime! An XPage Dynamic Table Managed Bean Russell Maher | President | RGM Consulting rgmconsulting.com XPageTips.com

2. Who is Russell Maher? • Independent consultant located outside of Chicago • Developing, administering, teaching, speaking on Notes/Domino since 1993 • Co-presenter of The VIEW Advanced XPages for Domino Developers • XPageTips.com • Managing partner of QDiligence

3. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

4. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

5. What is this about? Domino developers have always needed ability to provide dynamic tables.This presentation describes a dynamic table solution using XPages and managed beans that is easy to administer and deploy.

6. Application Requirements • Users… • Must be able to add any number of rows to a table within the same document • Must be able to save document as a Draft or Final • If document is not saved, table must be restored next time document is opened • Administrators… • Must be able to configure table without programming • Column Headings • Number of columns • Field types • Field choices • Field validation

7. Demo!

8. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

9. Architectural Overview • Table data is stored on a single document • Repeated fields Answer1_1,Answer1_2,Answer1_3Answer2_1,Answer2_2,Answer2_3Answer3_1,Answer3_2,Answer3_3 • Why? • Less documents • Local data (right on the document) • Easier to code manage

10. Required Configuration Information • You need a keyed table config document that describes: • # of Columns • Header text for each table column • Field details for each column • Answer is: Radio, Text, Checkbox, Combobox • Field choices (Yes/No, True/False, etc.) • Is field required?

11. Table Configuration Document

12. Required Dynamic Table Information • For each dynamic table you must… • Repeat the # of columns • Found in the table configuration document • Repeat the number of rows • Found in the current user document • The document used for data entry • Repeat the number of questions in a row • Found in the table configuration document

13. Dynamic Table Visualization

14. Adding A Row • Initially appears simple: • Increment the rowCount for the table by 1 • Add a new row to the table • What happens if document is… • Not saved? • You don’t keep the new rows • Saved as Draft? • You keep the new rows but don’t validate • Saved as Final? • You validate and keep the rows

15. Deleting a Row • Again appears simple: • Decrement rowCount by 1 • Remove the row from the table • What happens if document is… • Not saved? • You can’t lose them – user expects them next time • Saved as Draft or as Final? • You remove the rows from the table permanently

16. Gaps. You don’t want ‘em. • You always want: Answer1_1,Answer1_2,Answer1_3Answer2_1,Answer2_2,Answer2_3Answer3_1,Answer3_2,Answer3_3 • You never want “gaps”: Answer5_1,Answer5_2,Answer5_3Answer13_1,Answer13_2,Answer13_3Answer14_1,Answer14_2,Answer14_3

17. Every Save Requires Normalization • The user document table fields must… • Always accurately reflect the number of rows • Never include missing rows • On document open you must list rowCount number of rows • Gaps will cause problems

18. Table Field Normalization • When a dynamic table is saved… • You clean the table fields on the document by… • Walking the existing table and removing deleted rows • They are only “hidden” when a user deletes them in case they don’t save • Rebuilding the table using remaining rows • Rearranging the document fields to match new table data • You don’t want any “ghost” table fields lingering about on your document

19. Field Normalization Visualized

20. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

21. Dynamic Binding Act 1 • Expression Language (EL) binds XPage controls to data #{dataSource.fieldname} • EL bindings can be dynamic #{dataSource.SOMEVARIABLE}

22. Dynamic Binding Act 2 • Custom Controls can have defined properties • Property values can be set at runtime • Property values are provided by the containing XPage/control • Accessed from within the custom control as: • compositeData.propertyname

23. Dynamic Binding Finale • Dynamic EL binding + Custom Control = #{dataSource[compositeData.propertyname]} • This allows you to have any field on a custom control bind to any field on the document that you wish

24. Dynamic Binding Illustration

25. Dynamic Binding Illustration 2

26. Table_Configuration.xsp • Contains… • Lookup Key Field • Number of Columns Field • Repeat control… • Repeats “Number of Columns” times • Repeats a configTableColumnControl for each column

27. Table Configuration

28. configTableColumnControl • Contains… • configColumnLabelControl • Contains column header label for a column • configFieldTypeControl • Defines type of field: Radio, Checkbox, etc. • configFieldChoicesControl • List choices for appropriate fields • configFieldRequiredControl • Is this field required?

29. configTableColumnControl

30. UserDocument.xsp • Contains… • A tableBeanDynamicTableControl custom control • Gets single property:the key of the configuration document

31. tableBeanDynamicTableControl • Contains… • An XPage table control • Repeat control for the column headers • Repeat for the table rows which contains… • Repeat for each row of questions • Buttons • Add New Row • Save as Draft • Save as Final

32. tableBeanDynamicTableControl DEMO

33. EL = Bean Connection • Expression Language actually binds controls to a JavaBean • #{dataSource.fieldname} really means “Connect to the dataSource bean and access its fieldname property.”

34. Managed Beans • Managed beans … • Are Java classes not represented by a UI control • vs. the “backing beans” used by the XPage controls • Are a different way to code your XPage application business logic • Are like agents or script libraries that are running all the time • You just call their functionality whenever you need them to do something

35. Managed Bean Development Process • Write a Java class • Deploy the managed bean into your NSF • Use EL to bind your XPage controls the your managed bean

36. Write a Managed Bean Class

37. TableBean • One managed bean that provides all dynamic table functionality • Represents a single table • Called from the dynamicTableControl • Creates a session scoped representation of the entire table for current document

38. TableBean Construction Methods • buildBean() • Creates an entire table object • getTableColumnHeadings() • Returns a Vector of column headings • getTableRows() • Returns a Vector of table rows

39. TableBean Management Methods • addTableRow() • removeTableRow() • cleanTableFields() • saveAsDraft() • saveAsFinal()

40. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

41. Managed Bean Deployment • Your Java source files need to be accessible to your NSF • Use the Package Explorer • Create a new source folder • Right-click the project • Use Build Path…New Source Folder… • Place your packaged Java source in the new source folder

42. Making a Source Folder

43. Managed Bean Deployment • Tell the NSF the managed bean exists • Package Explorer • Edit faces-config.xml • Give the bean a name • This is the name you use in your code to call the bean • Identify the Java source of the bean • Identify the scope of the managed bean • application, session, view, request, none

44. Editing faces-config.xml

45. “Then A Miracle Happens” • Once you have configured your managed bean, the first call to any of its methods instantiates the bean!

46. Code & Demo Time!

47. Agenda • Application Requirements • Architectural Overview • The Code • Deployment • Using the Custom Control

48. Using the Dynamic Table Control • If you want it, you can have it. • http://www.rgmconsulting.com/tablebean • Need to clean the Java code and add more comments then I will send people a link and post publicly.

49. Questions?? • Thank you! • Visit XPagetips.com • Contact Me If You Have Questions Russell Maher Russ.Maher@rgmconsulting.com