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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.
Replacing a control factory
In rare cases, it may be necessary to replace a control factory that was provided by the Sales Center with a customized implementation.

Replacing a control factory

In rare cases, it may be necessary to replace a control factory that was provided by the Sales Center with a customized implementation.

Procedure

Declare a new control factory using the controlFactories extension point. Specify the same control type as the control factory that is being replaced.
Use the system configurator to indicate that the new control factory should be used instead of the control factory that is being replaced. All control declarations with the specified type that are used in the Sales Center user interface will be delegated to the new factory for construction.