Portlet Factory, Version 6.1.2

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About creating builder definitions

The builder definition is an XML file that defines the builder characteristics; for example, the builder generation class, help file, domain type, and builder picker category.

The builder definition also defines the inputs to the builder and the editors with which users can specify the builder inputs.

The following code sample shows the builder definition file for a Hello World builder:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<BuilderDef id="com.bowstreet.examples.builders.webapp.HelloWorldBuilder"
            xmlns="http://www.bowstreet.com/2001/Schemas">
   <ReadableName>Hello  World</ReadableName>
   <GenHandlerClassName>
      com.bowstreet.builders.webapp.foundation.WebAppControlGenHandler
   </GenHandlerClassName>
   <HelpFile>help/fileName.html</HelpFile>
   <RequiredFactoryVersion>5.8.2</RequiredFactoryVersion>
   <Description>Hello World Builder</Description>
   <Domains>
     <Domain>WebApp</Domain>
   </Domains>
  <!-- Add the Hello World builder to the Pages Category in the builder picker  -->
   <Category>Page and Layout</Category>
   <BuilderData>
     <BuilderDataEntry name="BuilderClassName">
        com.bowstreet.examples.builders.webapp.HelloWorldBuilder
     </BuilderDataEntry>
   </BuilderData>
   <InputDefinitions>
     <InputDefinition name="Name" base="com.bowstreet.core.Base.BuilderName"  />
     <!-- Add a page location widget to the Builder Call Editor -->
     <InputDefinition name="PageLocation"
                      base="com.bowstreet.core.WebAppBase.PageLocation" />
     <!-- 
       Add a text input box that can also use the Reference Chooser to populate
       the value -->
     <InputDefinition name="DisplayText"
          base="com.bowstreet.core.Base.IndirectValue">
        <Prompt>Hello World Text</Prompt>
        <HelpText>Enter a String value or Indirect Reference to a String
               that you want to display as the "Hello, world" text.</HelpText>
     </InputDefinition>
    </InputDefinitions>
</BuilderDef

Note: To learn more about builder definitions, install the Tutorials and Samples - Builders feature set.

• Inheriting input and coordinator behavior

  An input definition can inherit from any other input definition in the system, by setting the base attribute of the InputDefinition to the builder ID followed by the input name.

• Suppressing the display of an input

  You can designate an input definition to be hidden from the builder call editor by adding (or setting) the input definition <Visible /> value to false.

• Defining inputs for your builder

  An input definition is a structure in the builder definition that describes the input for a builder in terms of its type, editor widget (for example, text input and select box), the input group to which it belongs and other similar information.

• Creating your own builder input groups

  You can create your own input groups by creating a group definition and setting the <Group/> value for the input definitions you want to display as a group. The XML below shows the syntax for a group definition:

• Inheriting input definitions from the Base builder definition

  This topic describes each of the input types defined in the Base builder definition.

• Inheriting input definitions from the WebAppBase builder definition

  The following table describes some of the input types defined in the WebAppBase builder definition. Refer to the WebAppBase.bdef file in the WEB-INF/builders/com/bowstreet/core directory:

• Grouping inputs

  You can organize inputs by including the common groups such as Advanced, HTML Attributes, or Arguments, shown in the IBM® WebSphere Portlet Factory builder call editors or by creating your own input groups.

• Abstract builder input widget classes

  The following are abstract classes for builder input widgets.

Parent topic: Overview of builder architecture Related concepts

Implementation of generation behavior

About model-based builder creation

About implementing a coordinator

Builder input widgets

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