Develop > Presentation layer > Management Center framework > Customize the Management Center user interface
Create a new tool for the Management Center
The Management Center offers the Catalogs, Marketing, Promotions, Assets, and Tasks tools, ready to use. As part of the Management Center customization, you can create a new custom tool. All tools are instances of the wcfBusinessObjectEditor class and display in separate tabs within the Management Center.
When you create a new tool, you define the objects and artifacts for the tool, which are consumed by the Management Center framework:
- Define a main tool definition
The first step to adding a new custom tool to the Management Center is to create a new OpenLaszlo library file containing a class that extends the wcfBusinessObjectEditor class.
- Define OpenLaszlo classes instantiated in a tool definition class
An instance of the wcfBusinessObjectEditor class contains child elements that define the characteristics of the tool definition. These child elements are class instances that define the services and objects used by the tool. Before you instantiate these classes define them.
- Work with UI text and images
You define text and icons as part of creating a tool for the Management Center. The Management Center framework uses the defined text and icons on user interface widgets such as list views, properties views, calendar views, the explorer view, menus, and tooltip text.
- Add an OpenLaszlo library to the Management Center
As part of creating a new custom tool for the Management Center, once you have defined all the OpenLaszlo classes, define a single library that includes all the .lzx files that contain OpenLaszlo classes. The Management Center reads this file to understand and recognized all the associated classes for the new tool.
- Add a new tool to the Management Center menu
As part of creating a new custom tool for the Management Center, add it to the Management Center menu so that business users can open the tool.
Related concepts
Management Center user interface
Management Center user interface views
Related information
Tutorial: Adding a Recipes tool to the Management Center