Defining child objects for a primary object

You can use child object definitions when you need to have multiple property values or translatable data. For example, attributes are declared as child objects under Products. Child objects can have their own child objects. For example, attributes have translatable data and need their own language-sensitive child objects.

Before you begin

Before you define a child object for a primary object:

Review the Management Center modeling guidelines.
Create the Management Center services required to support the child object, such as create, update, or delete services.
Work with these services to develop client libraries, new commands, and business logic.
Create new Management Center objects.
Review the lzx/commerce/foundation/restricted/ObjectDefinition.lzx/wcfChildObjectDefinition class for more information about child object definitions.
Define a lzx/commerce/foundation/restricted/BrowseService.lzx/wcfGetChildrenService class under the parent lzx/commerce/foundation/restricted/ObjectDefinition.lzx/wcfPrimaryObjectDefinition class that returns instances of the new child object.

Procedure

Select a unique object type, such as CatalogEntryDefiningAttribute.
Open WebSphere Commerce Developer and switch to the Enterprise Explorer view.
Complete one of the following steps:
- In the Enterprise Explorer view, expand LOBTools > WebContent > WEB-INF > src > lzx > your_company_name > Management_Center_component > objectDefinitions, where Management_Center_component is the name of your new custom tool.
- In the Enterprise Explorer view, expand LOBTools > WebContent > config > your_company_name > Management_Center_component > objectDefinitions, where Management_Center_component is the name of your new custom tool.

Open the file that contains the primary object definition.

For example:

Option Description

Option	Description
ProductPrimaryObjectDefinition.lzx	Add the wcfChildObjectDefinition instance under the primary object definition. For example: `<class name="extMyPrimaryObjectDefinition" ... <!-- Child Object Definitions --> <wcfChildObjectDefinition objectType="MyChildObject" displayName="${myResources.myChildObject_DisplayName.string}" idProperty="myIdProperty"> ... </wcfChildObjectDefinition> ... </class>` Specify the create, update, or delete services for the child object. Declare the property definitions for this child object. Declare the child objects for this child object. Declare the reference objects for this child object.
ProductPrimaryObjectDefinition.def	Add the child object definition under the primary object definition. For example: `<PrimaryObjectDefinition definitionName="extMyPrimaryObjectDefinition" ... <!-- Child Object Definitions --> <ChildObjectDefinition objectType="MyChildObject" displayName="${myResources.myChildObject_DisplayName}" idProperty="myIdProperty"> ... </ChildObjectDefinition> ... </PrimaryObjectDefinition>` Specify the create, update, or delete services for the child object. Declare the property definitions for this child object. Declare the child objects for this child object. Declare the reference objects for this child object.

ProductPrimaryObjectDefinition.lzx

Add the wcfChildObjectDefinition instance under the primary object definition. For example:

<class name="extMyPrimaryObjectDefinition" 

    ... 

    <!-- Child Object Definitions --> 
    <wcfChildObjectDefinition 
        objectType="MyChildObject" 
        displayName="${myResources.myChildObject_DisplayName.string}" 
        idProperty="myIdProperty"> 

        ... 

    </wcfChildObjectDefinition> 

    ... 

</class>

Specify the create, update, or delete services for the child object.
Declare the property definitions for this child object.
Declare the child objects for this child object.
Declare the reference objects for this child object.

ProductPrimaryObjectDefinition.def

Add the child object definition under the primary object definition. For example:

<PrimaryObjectDefinition definitionName="extMyPrimaryObjectDefinition" 

    ... 

    <!-- Child Object Definitions --> 
    <ChildObjectDefinition 
        objectType="MyChildObject" 
        displayName="${myResources.myChildObject_DisplayName}" 
        idProperty="myIdProperty"> 

        ... 

    </ChildObjectDefinition> 

    ... 

</PrimaryObjectDefinition>

Specify the create, update, or delete services for the child object.
Declare the property definitions for this child object.
Declare the child objects for this child object.
Declare the reference objects for this child object.

What to do next

After you complete your customization:


Version	Steps
	Right-click LOBTools Project; then click Build OpenLaszlo Project to produce an updated ManagementCenter.swf file under the `workspace_dir`\LOBTools\WebContent directory. This setting is the default environment setting. Test your changes by viewing them in the Management Center, using this URL: https://`hostname`:8000/lobtools. Deploy your changes to your production environment.
	Test your changes by viewing them in the Management Center, using this URL: https://`hostname`:8000/lobtools. Deploy your changes to your production environment.