Choosing builders that share functionality or resources across models

Portlet Factory, Version 6.1.2

Choosing builders that share functionality or resources across models

This topic describes builders that help you share functionality or resources across models.

Table 1. Builders to share functionality or resources across models
Task Builder you should use
Create an architecture that uses existing common builders in all of your Models. Use the Imported Model builder to import the complete builder list of a second model into your model. In the simple case, you can import all the builders as is. To parameterize builder inputs in the second model, you can profile those inputs and set the Profile Handling input to Set individual inputs.
Reuse one or more pages from a model within another model. Use the Model Container builder to visually insert another model into a page. The other model can have its own page-to-page navigation without affecting the outer or container model.
Reuse the actions or methods from a model within another model. Use the Linked Model builder to provide access to any method, Linked Java Object (LJO), or action list in another model. You can also access pages in the linked model, but in general Model Container is better for reusing visual elements of another model.
Automate control of all field behavior for each field types. For example, you want all date fields to use a calendar picker with formatting and validation that you can control. Other examples:

all tax ID fields uses formatting based on regular expressions.
every input for a US state uses a drop-down list.
every model that uses a particular schema automatically uses a standard set of behaviors defined for that schema.
The Rich Data Definition builder can be used to automate all the UI behavior for fields that are generated from schemas.
Automate a common design pattern for use in a number of models. You may want to consider creating a custom builder. See the IBM® WebSphere Portlet Factory product documentation for more information.
There are a number of builder inputs in multiple models that you always want to have the same value, and you want to be able to edit that value in a single place. For example, in SQL Call builders in multiple models, to be able to easily edit the SQL DataSource name for all the builders and models. Profile all those builder inputs to the same profile set and the same profile entry. Then whenever you edit the value, all the builder inputs in all the models are updated automatically.

Library | Support |

Task	Builder you should use
Create an architecture that uses existing common builders in all of your Models.	Use the Imported Model builder to import the complete builder list of a second model into your model. In the simple case, you can import all the builders as is. To parameterize builder inputs in the second model, you can profile those inputs and set the Profile Handling input to Set individual inputs.
Reuse one or more pages from a model within another model.	Use the Model Container builder to visually insert another model into a page. The other model can have its own page-to-page navigation without affecting the outer or container model.
Reuse the actions or methods from a model within another model.	Use the Linked Model builder to provide access to any method, Linked Java Object (LJO), or action list in another model. You can also access pages in the linked model, but in general Model Container is better for reusing visual elements of another model.
Automate control of all field behavior for each field types. For example, you want all date fields to use a calendar picker with formatting and validation that you can control. Other examples: all tax ID fields uses formatting based on regular expressions. every input for a US state uses a drop-down list. every model that uses a particular schema automatically uses a standard set of behaviors defined for that schema.	The Rich Data Definition builder can be used to automate all the UI behavior for fields that are generated from schemas.
Automate a common design pattern for use in a number of models.	You may want to consider creating a custom builder. See the IBM® WebSphere Portlet Factory product documentation for more information.
There are a number of builder inputs in multiple models that you always want to have the same value, and you want to be able to edit that value in a single place. For example, in SQL Call builders in multiple models, to be able to easily edit the SQL DataSource name for all the builders and models.	Profile all those builder inputs to the same profile set and the same profile entry. Then whenever you edit the value, all the builder inputs in all the models are updated automatically.