Managed Beans: When, Why and How

© 2013 Russell Maher

Managed Beans: When, Why and How

Russell MaherQDiligence / RGM Consulting

© 2013 Russell Maher

IamLUG 2013 Sponsors

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Speaker Introduction

• Russell Maher President, QDiligence / RGM Consulting Independent Consultant in Chicago area

Exclusively Notes and Domino since 1994 Certified Instructor, Developer, Admin

Spoken 50+ times at LUG and The View events in U.S., Europe and Australia and IBM Connect 2013

Founded QDiligence in 2010 Commercially hosted multi-tenant XPage SEC compliance

solution Blogs at XPageTips.com

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Attendee Introduction

• You are an XPager You have created and deployed actual XPage applications

• You know... Notes & Domino pretty well How to create XPages, data sources, custom controls, repeat

controls, etc. Domino Server-Side JavaScript API well enough to get things

done

• You DO NOT need to know Java™

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First Things First!

• THE CODE! http://www.rgmconsulting.com/IAmLugCode

You want it…I want you to have it!

• THE SLIDES! http://www.rgmconsulting.com/IAmLUGSlides

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Agenda

• High Level Concepts• Our First Managed Bean• Debugging Managed Beans• When Do Managed Beans Make Sense?• Building The Audit Bean• Q & A

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High Level Concepts

• What is a Managed Bean? A Serializable Plain Old Java Object (POJO) with a no-argument

constructor, private properties exposed via public getter and setter methods and configured to a specific scope

• Created in IBM Domino Designer in Java design elements

• How are they used? Programmatically: To perform the same processing previously

done SSJS Professionally: To get Java in your fingers and expand your

Java skills

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High Level Concepts

• How are managed beans configured? Via the faces-config.xml file within the NSF

• How are they deployed? Right in your NSF! They are “hot” – no server changes required after updates

• How are they documented? You add JavaDoc comments You generate JavaDoc using, you guessed it, a JavaDoc

generator! Easily produces standard documentation format

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Agenda


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Our First Managed Bean

• Four Steps To Create A Managed Bean

Create the managed bean class

Add private properties with public getters/setters

Configure the managed bean in faces-config.xml

Use your managed bean in an XPage

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Step 1 – Create the Managed Bean Class

• In Domino Designer…

Create a new Java Class Design Element Set the package as needed Set the Class name as desired Select…

Constructors from superclass Generate comments

Add the java.io.Serializable Interface Click “Finish”

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• The Results:A Serializable Java Class with a no-argument constructor

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Step 2 – Add Private Properties With Public Getters/Setters

• Add private properties to your Java class

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• Create methods to get or set those property values (getters and setters)

Right-click to access context menu

Choose Source – Create getters and Setters…

Select the properties (fields) that need get and/or set methods

Choose a location for the new methods

Click “OK”

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• New getters/setters will appear in the location you chose

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Step 3 – Configure The Managed Bean In Faces-config.xml

• In Application Configuration locate and edit the faces-config.xml

• Add configuration markup identifying the managed bean’s…

Reference name – The name you want to call it by Java class – The actual Java class Scope – Application, Session, View, Request or None

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Step 3 – Configure The Managed Bean In Faces-config.xml

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Step 4 – Use Your Managed Bean In An XPage

• Connect to your managed bean using…

Expression Language (EL)

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Step 4 – Use Your Managed Bean In An XPage

• Connect to your managed bean using…

Managed bean public methods

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Creating A “First” Managed Bean

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Agenda


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Debugging Managed Beans

• Domino Designer can debug your managed beans And SSJS in IBM Notes Social Edition

• Three steps to debugging

Start your server in debug mode Create a debug configuration Set breakpoints in your code and “listen”

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Starting Your Server In Debug Mode

• Change your server notes.ini file by adding the following:

JavaEnableDebug=1JavaDebugOptions=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=8000

• You will see that your server is ready for Java debug connections in the server console or log

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Creating A Debug Configuration

• Open a Java design element• Open the Debug Configurations…

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• Alternatively switch to the Debug Perspective• Open Debug Configurations…

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• Create a new debug configuration

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• Configure the debug configuration by adding or ensuring the Project name includes your NSF

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Add Breakpoints To Your Managed Bean

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Now Go Forth And Debug!

• Connect to the server using your debug configuration

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Run Your Code

• After executing your code you may see this prompt to switch to the Debug Perspective

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Run Your Code

• The Debug Perspective provides the debugging functionality

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Debugging FirstBean

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Agenda


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When Do Managed Beans Make Sense?

• When there is Complexity Are you tracking many SSJS

scoped variables? Do your XPages have complex/progressive

disclosure requirements? Would the “work item” be better

represented as an “object”?

• When you need Persistence Persistence = “remembering things for later” Do you need to track user activity across the entire application? Does your application require cross-document tracking?

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The Demo Application

• Annual Audits Application

Based on an existing production application Each year facilities are required to self audit Audits comprise different areas: Customs, Export, Finance and

others Each audit “type” has a different set of questions Each audit type is updated annually The audit cycle is a 60 day window in Q4 Audits are assigned to individuals

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The Demo Application

• Complexity level is perfect for “beaning” Multiple audit types Multiple questions Multiple users Annual updates Hard deadlines

• Persistence is required User activity needs to be tracked throughout application We need cross-document access We need access to the same keywords throughout application

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Annual Audits Application

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Agenda


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Basic Java Syntax Rules

• Java is very similar to Server-Side JavaScript

Java is case sensitive

Statements end with a semi-colon;

Most data types are objects Only a few primitives Integer (object) vs. int (primitive)

If statements are used for testing if(x==9) { Do something }

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Basic Java Syntax Rules

• Try/Catch blocks surround methods that “throw” exceptions

• Methods may or may not return values

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The Bean Rules

• A Plain Old Java Object is considered a bean if it follows this basic structure

private fields(properties)

No-Argument Constructor

Operational methods

Getters/Setters

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The Bean Rules

• Managed beans should implement the Serializable interface

• Serialization is the ability to store the state of a Java object for later use Removed from memory Stored typically to disc Read from disc Restored into memory

• serialVersionUID value is used to aid verification during the process

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Adding the Serial Version UID

• Domino Designer will generate the required serialVersionUID for you if you hover over the class name

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Creating The Audit Bean Class

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Before You Bean…Architect Your Solution

• Managed bean flexibility can be a “Bridge to Nowhere”

• Time spent planning architecture is well worth it! What functions will beans provide?

Reading/writing, emailing, math operations… What events will be handled by your managed beans?

Saving, editing, approving/not approving… How many managed beans do you need and what will they do?

Administrative bean, user bean, config bean, audit bean, utility bean…

What properties and methods will each bean have?

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Annual Audits Application Beans And Classes

AdminBean

• Provides Keyword Choices• Audit Record Maintenance functions

AdminUtils

• Provides static utilityfunctions to other beansand classes

AuditBean

• Represents a singleaudit in its entirety

AuditUserBean

• Represents the current user

AuditLogBean

• Provides activity loggingto all other beans and classes

AuditQuestion

• Represents a singleaudit question

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Bean Relationships

auditUserBean• First Name• Last Name• Full Name• Administrator?• Visited home

page?

auditLog Bean

auditQuestion Class• Format• Text• Required?• Question Key• Audit Control

Number• Answer Doc UNID

auditBean• Year• Type• Assigned To• Key• Control Number• Status

auditQuestion

auditQuestion

auditQuestion

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Annual Audits Architectural Overview

• Question configuration separated from answers Each config is keyed to a specific annual audit year and type

• Answers are stored in individual documents One answer = one document

• Audit.xsp repeat control loops through a sorted list of questions and answers

• Custom controls in the repeat are dynamically bound to correct answer documents

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Advantages/Disadvantages

• Advantages Data normalization Individual answers can be easily maintained through code The data model lends itself very well to producing data exports,

reports and PDF files Allows for individualization on a per question basis Unlimited flexibility for audit creation

• Disadvantages A lot of documents A little more code Missing answer documents are fatal

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Audit Bean Task #1 – Set Basic Audit Information

• Audit.xsp uses the AuditBean properties for audit information display

Title of the audit

The name of the current user

Audit record control number

Any other information that is audit-specific

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AuditBean Step #1 – Setting Basic Audit Information

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Audit Bean Task #2 – Building The Questions

• Next up, the AuditBean creates a list of all the questions for this audit

The list of questions is sorted by key Each question is represented as an auditQuestion object

auditQuestion properties: Format of the question Question text Whether it is required Question key UNID of the associated answer document

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Java TreeMaps

• Java has a wonderful object called a TreeMap Perfect for tracking auditQuestion objects

• Java TreeMaps…

Sort themselves automatically

Are comprised of MapEntry objects

Each MapEntry object has a key and a value

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AuditBean Step #3 – Building The Questions

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Connecting the Audit Record to an Audit

• Audit Records contain information about the year and type of audit

• Audits are represented by an AuditBean instantiated before the audit is accessed

• AuditBean initialization method called from a link in the audit records view

• AuditBean built before audit.xsp is opened

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Path From Link To Audit

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Connecting The Audit Record To The AuditBean

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How Audit.xsp Works

• When auditPage.xsp opens… Repeat Control accesses the AuditBean Loops through the TreeMap of auditQuestion objects

Automatically sorted in question order for this specific year and audit type

A questionControl Custom Control is repeated once for every auditQuestion object

The questionControl contains: Document data source Question Text Custom controls for different answer formats (Radio, Text) Everything the questionControl needs to know about the

current question is contained in the auditQuestion object

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Creating AuditPage.xsp

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Sharing Data Between Managed Beans

• Sharing data between beans is very common Why duplicate information when you can just go read it?

• Several ways to do this: “Note Passing” via the sessionMap

Bean injection and managed properties One managed bean can be a property of another managed

bean

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Using the SessionMap To Share Data

• The sessionMap is a Java Map Objects accessible by a key value You already use this when you write sessionScope.put(“x”,5)

• Utility functions can be used to read from/write to the sessionMap Handy mechanism especially since all of your sessionScoped

managed beans exist in the sessionMap Does require you to keep track of the scoped variables being

passed around Documentation anyone?

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SessionMap Utility Functions

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Using Managed Properties

• Managed beans can be configured to have default values for their properties

• Set in the faces-congif.xml

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Using A Managed Bean As A Managed Property

• Managed beans often have properties that are Java objects questionsList property of AuditBean is a TreeMap

• A managed property can have a default value that is another managed bean

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Sharing Managed Bean Data

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Agenda


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Q & A

• Questions?• ¿Preguntas?• Domande?• Haben Sie Fragen?• 有问题吗？• Spørsmål?• Spørgsmål?• 質問はありますか？

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Recommended Resources

• The BalusC Code EXCELLENT resource on Java and JSF! http://balusc.blogspot.com/

• StackOverflow http://StackOverflow.com

• Code Ranch JSF Forum - http://www.coderanch.com/forums/f-82/JSF Active discussion on All Thinge JSF and Java

• NotesIn9 http://NotesIn9.com

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Thank You For Coming!

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Follow Up

How to contact me:Russell [email protected]

Managed Beans: When, Why and How

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