Adding attributes | HCL Digital Experience

The VMM is configured with a default attribute schema that might not be compatible with your LDAP server. Add attributes to extend the VMM attribute schema and then map them between HCL Digital Experience and your user registry.

About this task

You can add multiple attributes at one time by creating an XML file that includes the properties and attributes for each property. The XML file is referred to as a deployment file. Create the XML file before you start this procedure.

The following sample is an XML deployment file that is used to add three properties. 

	<wplc-add-property>
		<resource propertyName="attribute_name_1" dataType="Int" entityTypes="Group" multiValued="true" />
		<resource propertyName="attribute_name_2" dataType="String" entityTypes="PersonAccount" multiValued="true" />
		<resource propertyName="attribute_name_3" dataType="Base64Binary" entityTypes="Group,PersonAccount" multiValued="false" />
	</wplc-add-property>

The resource tag includes attributes that are specific for the property: propertyName, dataType, entityType, and multiValued.

Procedure

  1. This task requires server connections.
    • In a stand-alone environment, ensure that the HCL Digital Experience server is running.
    • In a clustered environment, stop all application servers on the system. Ensure that the HCL Portal server is stopped. Then, start the node agent and deployment manager servers.
  2. Install the enterprise archive (.ear) file on WebSphere® Application Server:
    1. Open a command line.
    2. Change to the wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine directory.
    3. Run the following task:
      Table 1. Stand-alone and cluster tasks to install the enterprise archive (EAR) file Use the wp-la-install-ear task to install the EAR.

      The wp-la-install-ear task installs the enterprise archive file.
      Environment Task
      Stand-alone environment
      • AIX® HP-UX Linux™ Solarisz/OS®: ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=password
      • IBM® i: ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=password
      • Windows™: ConfigEngine.bat wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=password
      Clustered environment
      • AIX® HP-UX Linux™ Solarisz/OS®: ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=dmgr_password -DServerName=dmgr_server_name -DNodeName=node_name
      • IBM® i: ConfigEngine.sh wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=dmgr_password -DServerName=dmgr_server_name -DNodeName=node_name
      • Windows™: ConfigEngine.bat wp-la-install-ear -DWasPassword=dmgr_password -DServerName=dmgr_server_name -DNodeName=node_name

      Where the default value for dmgr_server_name is dmgr. You can find the dmgr_server_name value in the WebSphere® Integrated Solutions Console. Go to System administrator > Deployment Manager > Configuration tab > General Properties > Name.

      Where node_name is the name of the node where the deployment manager is located. You can find the node_name value in the WebSphere® Integrated Solutions Console. Go to System administrator > Deployment Manager > Runtime tab > General Properties > Node Name.
  3. Stop and restart the appropriate servers to propagate the changes. For instructions, go to Starting and stopping servers, deployment managers, and node agents.
  4. Use a text editor to open the wkplc.properties file in the wp_profile_root/ConfigEngine/properties directory.
  5. Find the VMM Property Extension Properties heading. You can either add a single attribute or multiple attributes.
    • To add a single attribute, update the following properties with information about the property to add.
      la.providerURL
      Description
      The remote endpoint where your portal server or deployment manager installation is available. Check the value for hostname:port. The port points to the BOOTSTRAP_ADDRESS port of either the HCL Portal server or the deployment manager. The deployment manager is used in a clustered environment.
      la.propertyName
      Description
      The name of the property that you are adding.
      la.entityTypes
      Description
      This value is a list of entity types that the new property is applicable to. If you need to enter multiple values, use a comma to separate each value, for example "value1,value2".
      Valid values
      Group
      PersonAccount
      la.dataType
      Description

      Defines the type of data that is stored in the attribute that is being created. If this attribute is mapped to LDAP, this data type must match the corresponding attribute type in LDAP. Consult your LDAP administrator if you are unsure of the data types in LDAP. If this attribute is stored in the VMM property extension database, the data type must match the corresponding attribute type as defined in the database of VMM.

      While it is possible to add attributes of different types to VMM, the Registration/Edit My Profile Portlet is only capable of working with attributes of type String and Int. If you need UI support for other types, you would need your own custom form or portlet that can process those types. Portal does not have a UI that reads or updates group attributes. The one exception is the UI that is used to create a group.

      Valid values
      String
      Int
      DateTime
      Base64Binary
      IdentifierType
      Boolean
      Long
      Double
      Short
      la.multiValued
      Description
      Defines if the property can contain multiple values or not.
    • To add multiple attributes, update the following properties:
      la.providerURL
      Description
      The remote endpoint where your portal server or deployment manager installation is available. Check the value for hostname:port. The port points to the BOOTSTRAP_ADDRESS port of either the HCL Portal server or the deployment manager. The deployment manager is used in a clustered environment.
      la.deployfile
      Description
      Use this property when you want to create multiple properties by using a single ConfigEngine operation. Specify the path and name of the XML file that contains the properties that you want to add. You can specify a path that is relative to the ConfigEngine directory or the fully qualified file system path. If you specify a value for this property, do not specify a value for la.propertyName, la.dataType, or la.Multivalued.

      The following is a sample of an XML deploy file that is used to add three properties.

      						<wplc-add-property>
						   <resource propertyName="attribute_name_1" dataType="Int" entityTypes="Group" multiValued="true" />
						   <resource propertyName="attribute_name_2" dataType="String" entityTypes="PersonAccount" multiValued="true" />
						   <resource propertyName="attribute_name_3" dataType="Base64Binary" entityTypes="Group,PersonAccount" multiValued="false" />
						</wplc-add-property>

      The resource tag includes attributes that are specific for the property: propertyName, dataType, entityType, and multiValued.

  6. Save your changes to the wkplc.properties file.
  7. Run the wp-add-property task to add a property that maps to an attribute in your user registry. If you are defining a new property to store in the property extension database, run wp-add-la-property.
    Note: This task calls an EJB that must authenticate against WebSphere® Application Server. Depending on the configuration in the sas.client.props file, you might receive a prompt that asks for your user ID and password. Enter the WebSphere® Application Server user ID and password.
    • AIX® HP-UX Linux™ Solaris: ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-add-property -DWasPassword=password
    • IBM® i: ConfigEngine.sh wp-add-property -DWasPassword=password
    • Windows™: ConfigEngine.bat wp-add-property -DWasPassword=password
    • z/OS®: ./ConfigEngine.sh wp-add-property -DWasPassword=password
  8. Stop and restart the appropriate servers to propagate the changes.