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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.
Controls
The layout of the IBM Sales Center dialogs and editors are constructed using configured controls. A configured control is a user interface element that is declared using the controls extension point. The definition of a configured control includes a unique identifier, the type of control, and additional attributes and properties that are specific to the type of control being defined. The control type is used to locate a control factory class that will construct the new configured control. Examples of control types include text, label, requiredLabel, combo, pushButton, checkBox, radioButton, table and composite. The complete list of controls is found in the extension point documentation.
Control factories
Control factories (also known as widget factories) are responsible for interpreting control declarations and constructing new configured control instances. The controlFactories extension definition is declared with a specific control type. This type will be used to map control declarations to the appropriate control factory. The IBM Sales Center includes control factories for all of the control types used to construct the user interface. You can reuse these control types if you are customizing the IBM Sales Center or you may define your own control factories.
Declaring a control factory
A control factory is responsible for constructing instances of a configured control. The extension definition requires a controlType. This type will be used to map control declarations to the appropriate control factory. The IBM Sales Center will include control factories for all of the control types used to construct the IBM Sales Center user interface. These control types can be reused by a developer who is customizing the IBM Sales Center or he may define his own control factories.

Declaring a control factory

A control factory is responsible for constructing instances of a configured control. The extension definition requires a controlType. This type will be used to map control declarations to the appropriate control factory. The IBM Sales Center will include control factories for all of the control types used to construct the IBM Sales Center user interface. These control types can be reused by a developer who is customizing the IBM Sales Center or he may define his own control factories.

Procedure

Create a new plug-in to contain your customizations.

In your plug-in's plugin.xml, use the com.ibm.commerce.telesales.widgets.controlFactories extension point to declare your control factory. For example:


   <extension
point="com.ibm.commerce.telesales.widgets.controlFactories">
      <controlFactory
id="com.ibm.commerce.telesales.widgets.textControlFactory"
                    
factoryClass="com.ibm.commerce.telesales.widgets.controls.TextControlDescriptorFactory"
                     controlType="text"/>
    </extension point>