Lotus My Team Workplaces (QuickPlace) Version 5.02

The IBM Lotus My Team Workplaces portlet lets users find, work in, and request new team workplaces as well as view workplace details. This portlet can be integrated with People Finder as part of the Collaboration Center, or deployed independently.

The Collaboration Center is included with WebSphere Portal Express Plus only.

As with the other Collaboration Center portlets, people links are visible in the My Team Workplaces portlet to make employee interaction fast and easy, improving personal and organizational productivity.

The My Team Workplaces portlet is provided by the portlet application, LotusMyTeamWorkplaces.war.

 

Use the My Team Workplaces portlet

With the My Team Workplaces portlet, users have a central location from which to see and visit the online workplaces to which they belong. Users can quickly find workplaces to see summary views of activity and recent events, to get more detailed information about the workplace, and to work in the place. People links in team workplaces provide a way for place members to interact with each other. Users with Edit permission to this portlet can edit the display properties to set their preferences. Administrators install, configure, and deploy the My Team Workplaces portlet in the portal as they do other portlets.

Restriction The My Team Workplaces portlet cannot be deployed in a public page in the portal. That is, the portlet is not available to anonymous (unauthenticated) portal users. Registered (authenticated) users - users who have logged in to the portal - can use My Team Workplaces in the pages to which they have access.

 

Test assumptions

The My Team Workplaces portlet has been tested on and is compatible with all supported WebSphere Portal platforms, as listed in Supported hardware and software .

 

Set up the My Team Workplaces portlet

Before you install the Web module LotusMyTeamWorkplaces.war and deploy the LotusMyTeamWorkplaces portlet application, ensure that your portal environment meets the requirements for Collaboration Center capabilities. Refer to the Collaboration Center Release Notes for the list of supported hardware and software.

Client requirements

This portlet supports browsers and devices capable of rendering HTML markup. The following table provides detailed information.

Minimum requirements for HTML
Markup level

  • HTML 4.01 Transitional
Java applet

  • None
JavaScript

  • 1.30
<iframe>

  • No
Style sheets

  • Portal styles only

Software

This portlet has been tested on the following browsers:

  • Internet Explorer Version 5.5 and 6.0

  • Netscape Version 6.2

  • Mozilla Version 1.0
Accessibility

Yes

Server requirements

You need to set up the QuickPlace server as prescribed for WebSphere Portal, followed by some additional steps that the My Team Workplaces portlet requires for Collaboration Center.

Deployment/Installation

See the WebSphere Portal Help and Information Center for more information about installing portlets.

 

Prerequisites

Before you configure the My Team Workplaces portlet, ensure that the following tasks have been completed:

  • Refer to Lotus QuickPlace Administrator's Guide if you are not familiar with setting up a QuickPlace server.

  • Install and configure QuickPlace on the Domino server, as described in the Collaboration section.

    When you add the QuickPlace servlet to the QuickPlace server, ensure that the QuickPlace Server document specifies the distinguished name of users and the QuickPlace server name in both fields of the Security settings for Run Java/COM Restrictions:

    • Run restricted Java/Javascript/COM:

      Example: */cn=users/dc=yourcompany/dc=com, yourQuickPlaceServer

    • Run unrestricted Java/Javascript/COM:

      Example: */cn=users/dc=yourcompany/dc=com, yourQuickPlaceServer

    Make sure that you have installed (or updated) the latest version of the Lotus Collaborative Components files on both the WebSphere Application Server and the QuickPlace server:

    • The Collaborative Services Java archive, cs.jar

    • The People Awareness Sametime Links JavaScript file, pa_stlinks.js

    • The People tag language definition file, people.tld

    For file locations and other information, refer to the Collaboration reference topic that identifies the collaborative components installed with WebSphere Portal.

    The Collaboration Center installation program looks for the latest version of these files, which come with WebSphere Portal. If Application Server or Portal Server does not have the latest version of these files, the Collaboration Center installation program installs them. You should verify that the latest version of the Lotus Collaborative Components files are installed on Application Server and Portal Server and on the QuickPlace server.

    To update the Lotus Collaborative Components files on both servers, remember to restart WebSphere Application Server and the QuickPlace server after you have updated files.

    Verify that the QuickPlace servlet has been installed properly by addressing the following URL in your browser:

    http://<yourserver.ibm.com>/servlet/QPServlet?actionType=69

    The browser should return a message similar to the following:

    QPServlet:LCS Build [Version][Date][WPS build stream]=[KS3224wa][0302.2600][5.0]
    Posted Build
    Use with QP3.0.1
    SESSION
    68=whoami
    actionType=6969&s=searchstring

  • Log in to the QuickPlace server as an administrator and change the User Directory to the LDAP that is configured for WebSphere Portal. Define the LDAP search base. Disallow new users.

  • Set up the QuickPlace server to use the SSO LTPA token key that you generated and exported from the WebSphere Application Server Security Center when you installed WebSphere Portal.

    Import the SSO LTPA token key that you exported from the WebSphere Application Server Security Center. Refer to the Information Center topics that address security and authentication using LDAP and SSO.

  • In the Domino Server document on the QuickPlace server, for Internet Protocols - Domino Web Engine, HTTP Sessions - Session authentication, activate Multi-server SSO.

  • At this point, you should verify that the SSO LTPA token is accepted when you log in to the portal. Also verify that you can open a page in an existing Team Workplace (QuickPlace) in the same browser session and that you can return to the portal from the Team Workplace (QuickPlace). In your browser, address the URL http://<yourserver>/wps/myportal.

    If you cannot navigate between the portal and a team workplace, the SSO configuration is not correct. You will not be able to complete the configuration of the QuickPlace server and the My Team Workplaces portlet. Check the SSO configuration in both WebSphere Application Server Security Center and in the Domino Server document of the QuickPlace server. Make sure that the LTPA token key that you generated and exported from Application Server is the same one you imported on the QuickPlace server.

  • On the QuickPlace server, set up Domino Search to enable the searching of My Team Workplaces.

    Refer to the QuickPlace Administration Guide, Configuring Additional Server Settings, Configuring the Search Places feature for complete information.

For more information, see the troubleshooting topics for My Team Workplaces in Troubleshooting.

 

Configuration parameters

The following configuration parameters are available in this portlet. Any change to these portlet configuration parameters requires refreshing the portlet or logging off and logging in to the portal again.

Parameter Value
QuickPlaceHostnameThis parameter is required. Do not delete it.

The fully-qualified Internet hostname of the QuickPlace server.

By default, the value of this parameter is empty.

When the QuickplaceHostname of the portlet settings contains <yourQuickPlaceServer>.<yourcompany>.com, the parameter from the <wp_root>/shared/app/config/CSEnvironment.properties file is taken.

When the parameter is different from <yourQuickPlaceServer>.<yourcompany>.com, the value itself is taken.
QuickPlacePortThis parameter is required. Do not delete it.

The port ID of the QuickPlace server.

Default value: 80
QuickPlaceProtocolThe security protocol of the QuickPlace server, either HTTP (unsecured) or HTTPS (Secure Sockets Layer).

Default value: http
EditHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in Edit mode.

Default value: /help/twEditHelp.jsp
ListHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in the My Team Workplaces List view.

Default value: /help/twListHelp.jsp
SearchResultsHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in the Search Results view.

Default value: /help/twSearchResultsHelp.jsp
DetailHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in the Details view.

Default value: /help/twDetailHelp.jsp
AdvSearchHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in the Advanced Search view.

Default value: /help/twAdvancedSearchHelp.jsp
NewWorkplaceHelpURIThe location and name of the JSP containing topics launched from the Help icon in the Request New Team Workplace view.

Default value: /help/twReqNewHelp.jsp
NewQuickPlaceRequestIndicates whether a user can submit a request for a new team workplace from within the portlet. One of the following values: yes or no

Yes causes the New Workplace command to appear in the portlet. Users can request a new team workplace from within the portlet.

No means that the New Workplace command does not appear in the portlet.

Default value: no

Restriction: Use only English text values. Non-English text is not accepted for this parameter.
CreateQPViaEmail_toEmailIf NewQuickPlaceRequest is allowed (parameter value is Yes), this parameter is required. Do not delete it.

The e-mail address to which requests for new team workplaces are submitted.

Parameter is checked to ensure that e-mail address exists when the request for a new workplace is sent.

Default value: NewQPRequest@yourcompany.com
CreateQPViaEmail_smtpServerIf NewQuickPlaceRequest is allowed (parameter value is ), this parameter is required. Do not delete it.

The name of the SMTP server to which e-mail containing the request for a new team workplace is sent.

Default value: servername@yourcompany.com
CreateQPViaEmail_XMLIndicates whether a request to create a new team workplace can be sent in XML.

One of the following values: yes or no

When yes is specified, the request for a new team workplace can be sent in XML form.

When no is specified, the request for a new team workplace must be sent in plain text as name/value pairs.

If this parameter is left empty, the setting defaults to No and will not be validated when the request is sent.

Default value: yes

Restriction: Use only English text values. Non-English text is not accepted for this parameter.
DetailsPagingSizeThe number of items displayed in Details pages. Portlet users can change this setting using Edit mode.

Default value: 25
SearchPagingSizeThe number of items displayed in each page of Search Results. Portlet users can change this setting using Edit mode.

Default value: 25
ViewPagingSizeThe number of QuickPlaces to show per page. Portlet users can change this setting using Edit mode.

Default value: 10
AddMetaData1A field to add to the QuickPlace Catalog metadata and the Request Workplace page.

This parameter is not validated when a request for a new team workplace is sent.

Default value: Create.Description

You can add or delete parameters for QuickPlace metadata that supports a portlet user's request for a new team workplace. The value that you specify for a QuickPlace metadata parameter serves as the resource key for the display label stored in the resource properties file for the portlet. Make sure that the resource key in properties file of the portlet matches the metadata value that you specify here. The value also functions as the name/value pair that is sent in the CreateQP notification.
AddMetaData2A field to add to the QuickPlace Catalog metadata and the Request Workplace page.

This parameter is not validated when a request for a new team workplace is sent.

Default value: Create.Department

You can add or delete parameters for QuickPlace metadata that supports a portlet user's request for a new team workplace. The value that you specify for a QuickPlace metadata parameter serves as the resource key for the display label stored in the resource properties file for the portlet. Make sure that the resource key in properties file of the portlet matches the metadata value that you specify here. The value also functions as the name/value pair that is sent in the CreateQP notification.
AddMetaData3A field to add to the QuickPlace Catalog metadata and the Request Workplace page.

This parameter is not validated when a request for a new team workplace is sent.

Default value: Create.CostCenter

You can add or delete parameters for QuickPlace metadata that supports a portlet user's request for a new team workplace. The value that you specify for a QuickPlace metadata parameter serves as the resource key for the display label stored in the resource properties file for the portlet. Make sure that the resource key in properties file of the portlet matches the metadata value that you specify here. The value also functions as the name/value pair that is sent in the CreateQP notification.
AddMetaData4A field to add to the QuickPlace Catalog metadata and the Request Workplace page.

This parameter is not validated when a request for a new team workplace is sent.

Default value: Create.ExpirationDate

You can add or delete parameters for QuickPlace metadata that supports a portlet user's request for a new team workplace. The value that you specify for a QuickPlace metadata parameter serves as the resource key for the display label stored in the resource properties file for the portlet. Make sure that the resource key in properties file of the portlet matches the metadata value that you specify here. The value also functions as the name/value pair that is sent in the CreateQP notification.

 

See also