Mastering XPages: A Step-by-Step Guide to XPages Application Development and XSP Language

Description

The Definitive XPages Development Guide--Straight from the XPages Team at IBM Lotus

XPages is the most significant improvement to Lotus Notes/Domino development in 20 years. Now, three IBM Lotus insiders have written the definitive programmer's guide to this breakthrough web application development framework. Packed with tips, tricks, and best practices, Mastering XPages brings together all the information you need to become an XPages expert, whether you're experienced with Notes/Domino development or not.

The authors begin with a high-level overview of XPages: how it works, why it works that way, and why it's such a powerful step forward. Next, you'll install XPages and Domino Designer, and start building your expertise through practical code examples using real-world XPages applications. As you progress, you'll master XPages from the bottom up, gain deep insight into the entire XPages development model, and discover how XPages can be used to solve everyday application development challenges.

Coverage includes

* Understanding how XPages development differs from--and is similar to--traditional Notes/Domino development

* Getting started with XPages development using Lotus Domino Designer

* Defining application metadata and binding XPages controls to Domino data

* Managing all aspects of Domino view and document data

* Navigating and linking XPages to form a cohesive application

* Building XPages business logic using various programming technologies

* Reading and writing XPage source (XSP markup) directly

* Mastering XPages programming and extensibility features, including custom controls, advanced scripting, as well as creating your very own components

* Making the most of XPages applications on the Notes client platform

* Building slick and effective application user experiences using themes

* Tuning XPages performance and maximizing application scalability

* Securing applications with Access Control Lists (ACL), Execution Control Lists (ECL), and Active Content Filtering (ACF)

CONTENTS:

Foreword by Philippe Riand xx

Preface xxiv

Part I: Getting Started with XPages 1

Chapter 1 An Introduction to XPages 3

XPages Fundamentals 3

Brand New Technology? 4

A Different Development Paradigm 5

The More Things Change, the More Things Stay the Same 7

New Horizons 7

Conclusion 8

Chapter 2 Getting Everything You Need 9

Downloads, Versions, and Locations 9

Installing Domino Designer 10

Installing Client Fix Packs 11

Client Configuration 11

Quick Tour of Domino Designer 12

Chapter 3 Building Your First XPages Application 23

Part II: XPages Development: First Principles 43

Chapter 4 Anatomy of an XPage 45

Data Sources 61

Controls 64

Containers 87

XPage Resources 101

Dojo Module 105

Converters 107

Chapter 5 XPages and JavaServer Faces 129

Conclusion 156

Chapter 6 Building XPages Business Logic 157

Simple Actions 167

Using JavaScript with XPages 186

Conclusion 211

Part III: Data Binding 213

Chapter 7 Working with Domino Documents 215

Working with Domino Documents - Programmatically! 235

Rich Documents 238

Chapter 8 Working with Domino Views 243

Other View Content Modifiers 256

A Page with Two Views 259

When Is a View Not a View? 261

Caching View Data 265

Chapter 9 Beyond the View Basics 273

Data Table 305

Repeat Control 316

Some Fun with the Pager 321

Part IV: Programmability 325

Chapter 10 Custom Controls 327

Using the compositeData Object 346

Custom Control Design Patterns 357

Conclusion 365

Chapter 11 Advanced Scripting 367

Event Parameters 384

Working with Traditional Notes/Domino Building Blocks 401

Managed Beans 412

Chapter 12 XPages Extensibility 421

Building a Component 428

Working with Component Properties 438

Create the Initial xsp-config Definitions 446

Specifying Complex Properties 453

Where to Go From Here 491

Conclusion 493

Chapter 13 XPages in the Notes Client 495

Further Adventures with Composite Applications 540

Part V: Application User Experience 541

Chapter 14 XPages Theming 543

Styling with Class! 552

Theming on Steroids! 567

Conclusion 620

Chapter 15 Internationalization 621

Localizing Computed Expressions and JavaScript 636

Localizing Script Libraries 640

International Enablement 643

Part VI: Performance, Scalability, and Security 651

Chapter 16 Application Performance and Scalability 653

Reducing CPU Utilization 658

Reducing Memory Utilization 668

Conclusion 672

Chapter 17 Security 673

Workstation ECL Layer of Security 686

Let's Get Started 687

Programmability Restrictions 691

Restricted Operation 693

XPages Security in the Notes Client 696

Active Content Filtering 699

SessionAsSigner 704

Part VII: Appendixes 709

Appendix A XSP Programming Reference 711

Appendix B XSP Style Class Reference 719

Appendix C Useful XPages Sites on the Net 727

Index 729