Management Center: Overview of customizing Management Center

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Overview of customizing Management Center

Customize the Management Center user interface by adding, changing, or removing elements within the user interface.

What know before you start

To customize Management Center, you should be able to use WebSphere Commerce Developer and you should know the following programming languages:

OpenLaszlo

XML

SQL

JSP

You should also have the knowledge described in the following table:

Required knowledge See
Understand Management Center features IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce
Management Center user interface elements Management Center user interface
Understand the Management Center framework Management Center framework
Understand the API information used by the Management Center framework. Be especially familiar with the API information applicable to the customization OpenLaszlo API
Understand the Management Center user interface Management Center user interface
Understand modeling guidelines Management Center modeling guidelines
Understand file directory structure Management Center file directory structure
Understand naming conventions Management Center file and class naming conventions
Understand main elements of the Management Center Object path
Language-sensitive objects
Resource access control
Under the Management Center Web application Management Center Web application
Understand maintenance and migration considerations Maintenance and migration considerations for the Management Center

Tutorials and procedures

When you have the required skills and knowledge, and you are ready to customize Management Center, you can choose one of the following tutorials or procedures.

Tutorial Description Learning objectives
Tutorial: Adding new properties to a WebSphere Commerce service using the data service layer In this tutorial you customize the Catalog service to support warranty information and care instructions for Catalog Entries. This customization includes updating the WebSphere Commerce schema to store the new information, and customizing the Catalog service to include the new information as user data in the CatalogEntry noun.

Understand the WebSphere Commerce Data Service Layer

Overview of simple extension and customization tasks.

Tutorial: Adding new fields in the Catalogs tool This tutorial continues the Warranty scenario introduced in the tutorial "Adding new properties to a WebSphere Commerce service using the data service layer", where you extended the Catalog schema with warranty and care instruction information. In this tutorial, you extend the Management Center Catalogs tool to manage the warranty and care instruction information, as well as adding logic to show the information about store product pages.

Extend WebSphere Commerce query templates to include new data.

Update an object definition to include new userdata or attribute property.

Update a Properties view to include new widget for new property.

Update a list view to include new widget for new property.

Create a new JSP file that displays information using the get data tag.

Update the product display JSP file to link to the new JSP page.

Tutorial: Extending simple search in the Catalogs tool This tutorial shows how to extend simple search in the Catalogs tool in the IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce. Simple search is a function performed in the search widget of the Management Center, which provides the capability to search on a single property – such as the price or size of a product. The current Catalogs tool provides several simple searches such as search catalog entries by name, and search category by name. In this tutorial, we will provide search on catalog entries by warranty term, warranty type and care instruction.

Configure parametric search to include custom tables

Update the search widget in the Catalogs tool to include new search definition

Create a new controller JSP file to retrieve and mediate the Management Center object

Create a new ExpressionBuilder in get-data-config.xml to invoke the new query and pass query parameters.

Tutorial: Adding new search conditions in the advanced search of the Catalogs tool This tutorial demonstrates how to add new search conditions to the Advanced Search dialog in the Catalogs tool.

Extend the Advanced Search dialog to include extended properties as search

Extend the controller JSP file to transfer extended search parameters

Configure parametric search to search on custom data

Create a new expression builder to override a default expression builder

Add the extended properties as a column to a list view

Tutorial: Adding a validation rule in the Marketing tool This tutorial demonstrates how to add a new validation rule for the start and end dates of Web Activities in the Marketing tool. A validation rule is used to ensure that the activity is active for at least 10 days. If the user enters a start date and an end date that are not at least 10 days apart, a validation error is displayed. The new rule is implemented on both the Management Center client and the WebSphere Commerce Server side. This ensures that the dates are validated, regardless of how they are created in the activity (by way of the Management Center or any client that interfaces with the server).

Understand how to add a validation rule.

Tutorial: Adding a new locale for Management Center WebSphere Commerce is available in thirteen languages. If required, you can add additional languages to WebSphere Commerce stores and WebSphere Commerce tools. This tutorial demonstrates how to add United Kingdom English (en_GB) to Management Center.

Add a new locale to Management Center.

Tutorial: Creating a new promotion type This tutorial shows you how to customize the Management Center Promotions tool to add support for a new promotion type.

Identify the user input necessary to create a new promotion type and define an OpenLaszlo object to represent the information

Define a resource bundle for custom text strings

Define a promotion template

Use existing OpenLaszlo user interface widgets to build a properties view

Create and register an XSL template to create the runtime promotion XML

Create a new tool in the Management Center - the Recipes tool scenario

The Recipes tool scenario is a series of tutorials covering a specific customization scenario. This scenario simulates the scope of a complete customization project. Over the course of the scenario, you add a new tool to the Management Center, add display logic for Recipes to the storefront, and create a WebSphere Commerce service module to handle Recipe business logic and persistence.
Database support for the Recipes tool scenario is limited to the Apache Derby and DB2 database engines. If you intend to use workspaces or complete Tutorial: Extending the Recipes tool to support workspaces; then complete the Recipes tool scenario using a DB2 database. You cannot use a Apache Derby database with workspaces. If you do not plan to use workspaces, then you can complete the Recipes tool scenario using either DB2 or Apache Derby. The Recipes tool scenario is not supported on an Oracle database, and no Oracle-specific SQL statements are provided in these tutorials.

Tutorial Description
Tutorial: Creating the Project BOD service module In this tutorial, we will develop a new service module - Project. The services provided by the module will be Get, Change and Process. As part of creating the service module, we will design the logical model (noun) and physical model (database schema) based on the business requirement.
Tutorial: Adding a Recipes tool to the Management Center This tutorial shows you how to add a tool, the Recipes tool, to the Management Center. You will learn to use the Management Center programming framework to create a presentation layer using OpenLaszlo and JSPs files.
Tutorial: Supporting extended sites in the Recipes tool This is the third tutorial in the Recipes tool scenario. The objective of this tutorial is to support extended site features for the Recipes tool that you created in Tutorial: "Adding a Recipes tool to the Management Center".
Tutorial: Modifying the storefront to display Recipe information This tutorial demonstrates how to modify the storefront to display a new Recipes section.
Tutorial: Extending the Recipes tool to support workspaces This tutorial demonstrates how to add workspace support to the Recipes tool. This is the final tutorial in the series of Recipes tool tutorials.
To complete the task, enable workspace support for the Project service module. This will prevent the same object from being edited by users in different task groups within the same workspace. Workspaces in the Management Center use BOD service modules. BOD service modules support workspaces by allowing you to customize what aspects of the physical and logical layers of a BOD service module are under change control. This change control data is passed back to the presentation layer where you can show it in the Management Center workspaces.
Tutorial: Tracking and displaying the most viewed recipes This tutorial demonstrates how to extend the recipe tutorials to add a new function for displaying the most viewed recipes. This function is implemented using the ranking list framework for marketing actions. The Madisons starter store uses the Management Center Marketing tool to set up the corresponding web activities to display the top viewed recipes in e-Marketing Spots in the storefront.

Procedures

After you have learned how to customize Management Center by taking the tutorials, see these generic procedures to perform the own Management Center customization.

Topic What it contains
Customize the Management Center shell You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Customize an existing Management Center tool You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Create a new tool for the Management Center You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Create a new tool for the Management Center You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.

Related concepts

Management Center modeling guidelines
Management Center file directory structure
Management Center file and class naming conventions
Object path
Language-sensitive objects
Resource access control
Maintenance and migration considerations for the Management Center
Management Center shell
Management Center user interface

Related tasks

Customize the Management Center shell

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Required knowledge	See
Understand Management Center features	IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce
Management Center user interface elements	Management Center user interface
Understand the Management Center framework	Management Center framework
Understand the API information used by the Management Center framework. Be especially familiar with the API information applicable to the customization	OpenLaszlo API
Understand the Management Center user interface	Management Center user interface
Understand modeling guidelines	Management Center modeling guidelines
Understand file directory structure	Management Center file directory structure
Understand naming conventions	Management Center file and class naming conventions
Understand main elements of the Management Center	Object path Language-sensitive objects Resource access control
Under the Management Center Web application	Management Center Web application
Understand maintenance and migration considerations	Maintenance and migration considerations for the Management Center

Tutorial	Description	Learning objectives
Tutorial: Adding new properties to a WebSphere Commerce service using the data service layer	In this tutorial you customize the Catalog service to support warranty information and care instructions for Catalog Entries. This customization includes updating the WebSphere Commerce schema to store the new information, and customizing the Catalog service to include the new information as user data in the CatalogEntry noun.	Understand the WebSphere Commerce Data Service Layer Overview of simple extension and customization tasks.
Tutorial: Adding new fields in the Catalogs tool	This tutorial continues the Warranty scenario introduced in the tutorial "Adding new properties to a WebSphere Commerce service using the data service layer", where you extended the Catalog schema with warranty and care instruction information. In this tutorial, you extend the Management Center Catalogs tool to manage the warranty and care instruction information, as well as adding logic to show the information about store product pages.	Extend WebSphere Commerce query templates to include new data. Update an object definition to include new userdata or attribute property. Update a Properties view to include new widget for new property. Update a list view to include new widget for new property. Create a new JSP file that displays information using the get data tag. Update the product display JSP file to link to the new JSP page.
Tutorial: Extending simple search in the Catalogs tool	This tutorial shows how to extend simple search in the Catalogs tool in the IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce. Simple search is a function performed in the search widget of the Management Center, which provides the capability to search on a single property – such as the price or size of a product. The current Catalogs tool provides several simple searches such as search catalog entries by name, and search category by name. In this tutorial, we will provide search on catalog entries by warranty term, warranty type and care instruction.	Configure parametric search to include custom tables Update the search widget in the Catalogs tool to include new search definition Create a new controller JSP file to retrieve and mediate the Management Center object Create a new ExpressionBuilder in get-data-config.xml to invoke the new query and pass query parameters.
Tutorial: Adding new search conditions in the advanced search of the Catalogs tool	This tutorial demonstrates how to add new search conditions to the Advanced Search dialog in the Catalogs tool.	Extend the Advanced Search dialog to include extended properties as search Extend the controller JSP file to transfer extended search parameters Configure parametric search to search on custom data Create a new expression builder to override a default expression builder Add the extended properties as a column to a list view
Tutorial: Adding a validation rule in the Marketing tool	This tutorial demonstrates how to add a new validation rule for the start and end dates of Web Activities in the Marketing tool. A validation rule is used to ensure that the activity is active for at least 10 days. If the user enters a start date and an end date that are not at least 10 days apart, a validation error is displayed. The new rule is implemented on both the Management Center client and the WebSphere Commerce Server side. This ensures that the dates are validated, regardless of how they are created in the activity (by way of the Management Center or any client that interfaces with the server).	Understand how to add a validation rule.
Tutorial: Adding a new locale for Management Center	WebSphere Commerce is available in thirteen languages. If required, you can add additional languages to WebSphere Commerce stores and WebSphere Commerce tools. This tutorial demonstrates how to add United Kingdom English (en_GB) to Management Center.	Add a new locale to Management Center.
Tutorial: Creating a new promotion type	This tutorial shows you how to customize the Management Center Promotions tool to add support for a new promotion type.	Identify the user input necessary to create a new promotion type and define an OpenLaszlo object to represent the information Define a resource bundle for custom text strings Define a promotion template Use existing OpenLaszlo user interface widgets to build a properties view Create and register an XSL template to create the runtime promotion XML

Tutorial	Description
Tutorial: Creating the Project BOD service module	In this tutorial, we will develop a new service module - Project. The services provided by the module will be Get, Change and Process. As part of creating the service module, we will design the logical model (noun) and physical model (database schema) based on the business requirement.
Tutorial: Adding a Recipes tool to the Management Center	This tutorial shows you how to add a tool, the Recipes tool, to the Management Center. You will learn to use the Management Center programming framework to create a presentation layer using OpenLaszlo and JSPs files.
Tutorial: Supporting extended sites in the Recipes tool	This is the third tutorial in the Recipes tool scenario. The objective of this tutorial is to support extended site features for the Recipes tool that you created in Tutorial: "Adding a Recipes tool to the Management Center".
Tutorial: Modifying the storefront to display Recipe information	This tutorial demonstrates how to modify the storefront to display a new Recipes section.
Tutorial: Extending the Recipes tool to support workspaces	This tutorial demonstrates how to add workspace support to the Recipes tool. This is the final tutorial in the series of Recipes tool tutorials. To complete the task, enable workspace support for the Project service module. This will prevent the same object from being edited by users in different task groups within the same workspace. Workspaces in the Management Center use BOD service modules. BOD service modules support workspaces by allowing you to customize what aspects of the physical and logical layers of a BOD service module are under change control. This change control data is passed back to the presentation layer where you can show it in the Management Center workspaces.
Tutorial: Tracking and displaying the most viewed recipes	This tutorial demonstrates how to extend the recipe tutorials to add a new function for displaying the most viewed recipes. This function is implemented using the ranking list framework for marketing actions. The Madisons starter store uses the Management Center Marketing tool to set up the corresponding web activities to display the top viewed recipes in e-Marketing Spots in the storefront.

Topic	What it contains
Customize the Management Center shell	You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Customize an existing Management Center tool	You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Create a new tool for the Management Center	You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.
Create a new tool for the Management Center	You can customize the Management Center shell, which encompasses all of the common (non-tool-specific) aspects of the Management Center. The shell includes the Management Center menu, banner, tool tabs, and status area.