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User Guide
The information contained in this section applies to IBM WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0.0.9 and Feautre Pack 8. The documentation also applies to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.
Developing
The topics in the Developing section describe tasks performed by an application developer.
Presentation layer
WebSphere Commerce uses Java Server Pages (JSP) to implement the view layer of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern. The view layer is in charge of retrieving data from the database through the use of data beans and formatting it to meet the display requirements. The view layers determines whether the request is sent to a browser or streamed out as XML. JSP files present a clean separation between data content and presentation.
Customizing IBM Sales Center
In the IBM Sales Center for WebSphere Commerce there is a set of user interface panels, views and dialogs that contain the most commonly used features. You can add to or configure the user interface to suit your needs, as well as changing the content and format of the data that is passed between the client and the server.
WebSphere Commerce integration
Business Object Document messages sent from the IBM Sales Center client to the WebSphere Commerce Server are mapped to WebSphere Commerce controller commands through the WebSphere Commerce message mapper. The WebSphere Commerce configuration file contains this message mapper entry. The contents of the file are:
Userdata changes in support of command extension
There are two types of extensions that are supported with Business Object Documents (BODs) in the IBM Sales Center, that do not require a change to the BOD schema definitions. For create and sync BOD messages you can add new name-value pairs to the Userdata element. By default, the create and sync Business Object Documents will map the name value pairs in the Userdata element to the request properties of the mapped controller command. For get BOD messages, you can add new search criteria to the ReturnCriteria element.
Userdata properties
When you need to send additional data from the IBM Sales Center client to WebSphere Commerce, you have approximately three choices.

Userdata properties

When you need to send additional data from the IBM Sales Center client to WebSphere Commerce, you have approximately three choices.

Userdata provides the simplest mechanism and does not require changes to the business object document (BOD) schema. All current BOD messages contain the Userdata element. Userdata provides the ability to pass name-value pairs.

Extending an existing BOD and Model Object is useful when you have a large volume of data to pass, especially where there are repeating groups of data that do not fit well into name-value pairs.

The final method, creating a new BOD and model object, should only be used when the information required to be passed is unrelated to the existing BODs provided by IBM. The data is not related to Customer, Operator, Order, or Product.

These are the advantages and disadvantages to adding data to the Userdata element:

Advantages
- Requires no schema changes
- Fields are automatically mapped on WebSphere Commerce side
- Difficult with record data - lists of repeating data
Disadvantages
- Limited amount of data can be passed
- Restricted to name-value pairs
- Cannot use for passing complex data structure, such as a nested one

For more information about adding UserData for WebSphere Commerce objects, see Adding data to an existing Management Center object.