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Interactive Portlets

This presentation discusses the need for interactive portlets in web applications and the functionality elements of WSIA/IWS. It also explores the integration of web applications into multiple platforms and the benefits of using interactive portlets. The presentation concludes with a call for consolidated efforts with WSIA.

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Interactive Portlets

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  1. Interactive Portlets Presentation for WSRP Meeting March 18, 2002 Eilon Reshef VP Products and Co-Founder WebCollage

  2. Outline • WebCollage • Who are we, why are we here? • Interactive Portlet Example • Corporate credit card account • The Need for Interactive Portlets • Data APIs are not enough • WSIA Use Cases • WSIA/IWS Functionality Elements

  3. WebCollage • Web Application Integration Platform • Turning standard Web applications into reusable Interactive Web Services • … and into interactive Portlets • Republish Web applications in multiple ways • Focus on B2B Scenarios • Travelers Checks, Boutiques, Configurators • A.k.a. “Application Syndication” • Interest in WSRP • Platform for transforming standard Web applications into Portlets

  4. The Need for Interactive Portlets • Data APIs are Not Enough • Development effort to incorporate • Existing applications • Rich applications • Configurators, advisors, … • SAP, Siebel, Oracle, … • Data APIs are Often Inadequate for B2B • Brand • Dynamic cross-sell, up-sell, … • Privacy

  5. High Level Requirements • Portlets that include interactive multi-step processes • Benefits: “Drag-and-Drop”, coarse grain, loose coupling • No Portlet-specific code • …with explicit adaptation points to fit Portal • Look and feel, data, flow • …and which fits existing paradigms • Existing know-how, existing applications and code-base

  6. OASIS WSIA – Main Use Cases • “Embedded” • Side by side Portlets • “Customized” • Adaptation of look and feel • In and out parameters • “Coordinated” • Event wiring between Portlets • “Orchestrated” • Composed flow between Portlets

  7. WebCollage IWS  Portal Portlet GetPresentation(…) Presentation [HTML/WML/XML]  Action    “Interactive Web Services” (IWS) End User

  8. WSIA/IWS Functionality Elements • Definition (WSDL, …) • Instantiation (with Initial Data) • Navigation (URL Rewriting) • Adaptation (HTML Transformations) • State Management • Data Export (Exit Points)

  9. WSIA Not yet addressed WebCollage IWS A Portlet has a standard WSDL interface Multiple SOAP operations Designated operations are “interactive” and have a specific “signature” Same across Portlets Two types of integration points into a Portal Navigation and presentation (generic) Operation invocation (specific) WSIA/IWS Definition

  10. WSIA Not yet addressed WebCollage IWS Any SOAP operation can instantiate a Portlet Data can be transferred State is returned Or start directly with “interactive” operations GetPresentation() No explicit termination WSIA/IWS Instantiation

  11. WSIA Is URL rewriting done by Portlet or by Portal? Portlet Portal sends the container URL as part of the operation Portlet rewrites URLs Portal Portlet needs to specify URLs to rewrite Markup XPATH? JavaScript? WebCollage IWS Portal transfers a “controller” URL (Portal URL) as part of the call Portlet responsible for rewriting relevant links Some may “leak”… WSIA/IWS Navigation

  12. WSIA Property-based versus stream-based Property-based Portal sends property values as part of call Portlet returns adapted output Stream-based Portlet defines “locators” into the output (XPATH,…) Portal implements logic for manipulating output WebCollage IWS Property-based adaptation Properties defined via XML Schema as part of WSDL definition Arbitrary type Name, description, … Property sheets can be stored persistently by Portlet or by Portal WSIA/IWS Adaptation/Customization

  13. WSIA Not yet addressed WebCollage IWS Transient state Returned by Portlet, resent by Portal on every call Persistent state Returned by Portlet, resent by Portal on every call Also saved by Portal (persistency) “Remember me” WSIA/IWS State Management

  14. WSIA Not yet WebCollage IWS Any SOAP operation can return data Must send state Pre-defined denotes termination of navigation E.g., “Export Expense Report” WSIA/IWS Data Export

  15. Points to Consider • Basic Model for “Interactive Components” • Relationship between WSIA and WSRP • Portal-Specific Requirements • Administration, user management, …?

  16. Summary • Looking forward for a standard for interactive Portlets • Standard is strategic for WebCollage • No technical preferences • Will happily contribute knowledge and experience • “Interactive Web Services” specification and reference implementation • Looking for consolidated efforts with WSIA

  17. Thank You!

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