IBM Business Monitor, V8.0.1 > Reference > Developing for Monitor dashboard spaces

Create widgets

To create custom widgets, you create the files for the widgets, create a catalog file to register the widgets, and then package and deploy the widgets.

There are a variety of tools that you can use to create widgets:

• Basic tools such as a text editor or more complex tools that support XML, JavaScript, and Dojo programming to create the widget files.
• IBM Eclipse-based tools such as Rational Application Developer or Integration Designer for a rich development environment.

See the tool-specific topics for information.

As part of coding custom widgets, you might want to support customization using the four widget attribute layers to vary how users can customize a widget. See Widget attribute layers for information about these layers and Supporting widget customization and personalization for information about how to use these layers. You can also use code to have your widgets open temporary pages and switch pages.

After you have created the files for your custom widgets, you create a catalog file. The catalog file registers the widgets when you deploy them and categorizes the widget for the widget palette. See Registering custom widgets using catalog files for information.

If you want to integrate the documentation for the widgets into the documentation, create one or more documentation plugins. See Create a documentation plug-in for information.

After you have coded the widgets, created the catalog file for them, and optionally created documentation plugins, you are ready to package and deploy them. See Packaging and deploying custom widgets for information.

• Create widgets using basic tools
  

  You can use basic tools such as a text editor or other editors to create custom widgets.

• Create widgets using Rational Application Developer
  

  You can use Rational Application Developer or Integration Designer to help you create custom widgets.

• Supporting widget customization and personalization
  When you are developing widgets, consider how users might want to customize and personalize the widgets. You can then provide the appropriate code in the various widget attribute layers.
• Create a documentation plug-in
  

  You can provide users of your widgets with help files.

  You can put these files anywhere, but if you want to integrate them within the help, create a documentation plug-in.

• Registering custom widgets using catalog files
  Use a catalog file to register each custom widget and to specify the location of the various resources used by each widget.
• Packaging and deploying custom widgets
  

  You can package your custom widgets to prepare them for use in a runtime environment. You can also deploy the widgets to add them to the server.

Developing for Monitor dashboard spaces

Related concepts:
Overview of widgets
Anatomy of a widget

Related tasks:
Opening temporary pages using code
Switching pages using code
Create a documentation plug-in

Related reference:
Environment for developing a widget