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HCL Domino Designer Basic User Guide and Reference
This guide provides information on using HCL Domino Designer and programming language reference information.
Application Design
Welcome to the Application Design section of Domino® Designer Help.
Designing forms
Forms, like pages, display information. Everything that can be done with a page can be done with a form. What sets forms apart from pages is that forms can be used to collect information. A form provides the structure for creating and displaying documents, and documents are the design elements that store data in the database. When a user fills out the information in a form and saves it, the information is saved as a document. When a user opens the document, the document uses the form as a template to provide the structure for displaying the data.
Testing a form before deploying it
There are two ways to test a form before using it in the actual application. You can preview the form from the Notes® client or through a Web browser to see how it will look to a user and to make sure form elements are working. In addition, you should test the form in the application by creating documents, examining the documents through different views, and testing all actions.

HCL Domino Designer Basic User Guide and Reference
This guide provides information on using HCL Domino Designer and programming language reference information.
- What's new in Domino Designer 12?
  The following features are new for developers in HCL Domino® Designer 12.
- Accessibility and keyboard shortcuts
  Accessibility features assist users who have a disability, such as restricted mobility or limited vision, to use information technology content successfully.
- Application Design
  Welcome to the Application Design section of Domino® Designer Help.
  - Introduction to Domino® Designer
    Welcome to Domino® Designer. Domino Designer is an integrated application development environment that lets developers and Web site designers create, manage, and deploy secure, interactive applications.
  - Planning an application
    Before you begin any design work, create a plan for how users will access and use your application. At the minimum, your application plan should address these questions:
  - Creating an application
    All Domino® applications begin with a Domino database. Domino databases are the containers for your application. Databases hold the data, logic, and design elements for your application. Your Domino application can be made up of one or more Domino databases.
  - Designing pages
    Pages and forms are similar in certain ways. A page is a database design element that displays information. Pages can be used anywhere in your application that you have text, graphics, or an embedded control, such as an outline, to present to the user. A page or form can contain the following:
  - Designing forms
    Forms, like pages, display information. Everything that can be done with a page can be done with a form. What sets forms apart from pages is that forms can be used to collect information. A form provides the structure for creating and displaying documents, and documents are the design elements that store data in the database. When a user fills out the information in a form and saves it, the information is saved as a document. When a user opens the document, the document uses the form as a template to provide the structure for displaying the data.
    - Designing with XPages
      XPages are new for this release of Domino® Designer. An XPage is a new Domino Designer design element that lets you create Web 2.0 enabled pages based on the JSF technology. Specific features of XPages include:
    - Form elements
      You can use the following elements in a form or subform. Many of these elements can also be used in pages.
    - Forms and documents
      When a user creates and fills out the information in a form and saves it, the information is saved as a document. When a user opens the document, the document uses the form as a template to provide the structure for displaying the data. When designing forms, you should consider where and how the resulting documents will be displayed.
    - Creating and deleting forms
    - Tips for designing forms
    - Naming forms
      Each form in a database must have a unique name. If you make a copy of a form and paste it into the same database it came from, Domino® Designer will automatically prepend "Copy Of" to the form name to keep the names unique. If you create multiple databases that contain the same information, use the same names for the forms. Standard names enable users to recognize commonly used forms; they also make it easier for users with similar databases to communicate. For example, suppose you have four customer-tracking databases, one in each regional sales office. If the Southern regional manager wants to discuss a shared account with the Western regional manager, both managers should know what a "Company Profile" document is.
    - Making a form available to Web browsers
    - Selected form properties
      You can use the Form Properties box to set form attributes.
    - Controlling the HTML generated for a form
    - Creating a response hierarchy
    - Version tracking
      Version tracking allows you to maintain a history of changes to a document. In order to activate version tracking, you must designate the form used to create documents as a version-tracking form.
    - Customizing a form's window title
      The window title is the text that appears in the title bar when you compose, read, or edit a document. By default, the word "Untitled" appears in the title bar. To help users understand the context of the document they're reading, create a descriptive window title.
    - Using subforms
      A subform is a collection of form elements that are stored as a single object. Subforms can contain the same elements as regular forms. Subforms save redesign time. When you change a field on a subform, every form that uses the subform updates. Common uses of subforms include adding a company logo to business documents or adding mailing label information to mail and memo forms. A subform can be a permanent part of a form or can appear conditionally, depending on the result of a formula. For example, you might offer users a choice of custom mail forms with different graphics and styles for various types of mail messages, such as memos, alerts, or letters. Note that field names used in the subform can't be used elsewhere on the form. Changes you make to a subform affect all forms and documents that use the subform.
    - Layout regions
      A layout region is a fixed-length design area on a form or subform. The advantage of using layout regions is that related elements can be dragged and moved easily and can be displayed in ways not possible on regular forms and subforms. A layout region can contain static text, graphics, buttons, and all fields except rich text fields. You can hide or collapse a layout region and all its components under certain conditions.
    - Embedded controls
      There are three types of embedded controls that can only be used on a form:
    - Profile forms
    - Forms that prompt users for input
      You can create forms that prompt users for input. For example, you can create a form that mimics the behavior of a dialog box. Use this kind of form to collect user input to populate fields in a host form.
    - Designing a form that presents a dialog box
    - Designing a form that prompts users for information
    - Designing a form that lets users make selections from a view
    - Designing a form for a Domino® billing application
    - Designing a form for contact printing
    - Customizing the "Form processed" confirmation for Web users
      When Web users submit a document, Domino® sends them the default confirmation message "Form processed." To change the default message, add a computed text field to the form, name it $$Return, and use HTML as the computed value.
    - Displaying a customized error message on the Web
      To customize the appearance of error messages that display to Web users, add custom error message forms to the database. If an error condition occurs and a custom form exists for it, Domino® uses the custom form to display the error message. Otherwise, Domino uses the default error message form. Message forms that you add to a database override any server-wide messages set up by an administrator.
    - Customizing search forms
      The Search utility lets users find information within a single application or an entire domain. You can customize search forms to suit organization-specific needs. An application developer can, for example, add a corporate logo to either form, or rearrange the fields.
    - Tips for improving document display time
      To help users create and read documents quickly, follow these guidelines when designing forms:
    - Testing a form before deploying it
      There are two ways to test a form before using it in the actual application. You can preview the form from the Notes® client or through a Web browser to see how it will look to a user and to make sure form elements are working. In addition, you should test the form in the application by creating documents, examining the documents through different views, and testing all actions.
  - Designing fields
    A field is the part of an application that collects data. You create fields on forms, subforms, or in layout regions. Each field stores a single type of information. A field's field type defines the kind of information a field accepts, such as text, numbers, dates, or names. When a user, either in a Notes® client or a Web browser, creates a form, fills out the information in the fields, and saves the form, the data in the fields is stored in an individual document. The contents of the fields can then be displayed in documents and views or can be retrieved for use in formulas. A field can be used on a single form, or you can create shared fields for use in multiple forms in a database.
  - Designing framesets
    A frameset is a collection of frames and can add structure to your Web site or Notes® database. A frame is one section, or pane, of the larger frameset window and is independently scrollable.
  - Designing views
  - Designing navigation for an application
    You can use the following navigational tools in your application:
  - Adding automation to applications
    Automation in an application speeds up repetitive tasks, handles workflow, updates information, performs calculations, runs programs, and checks for errors.
  - Developing applications using third-party tools and WebDAV
    As you are developing an application, you may want to supplement the tools provided with Domino® Designer with tools of your own choosing. For example, you may have a favorite graphics editor you use to design images for your application, or you may have a favorite HTML editor that you want to use to design pages. You launch and use third-party tools from within Designer.
  - Connecting to enterprise data
    Incorporating back-end data into everyday business processes maximizes the value of a Domino® Designer application. Designer includes a range of technologies for the security and control of business processes, forms routing, and approvals management. With enterprise integration technologies, you can incorporate traditionally difficult-to-reach data into your business applications.
  - Including Java™ applets in applications
    Applets are self-contained Java™ programs that can run in your Domino® application. Java applets are often used to add animation to Web applications. Although Java applets are mostly used for Web applications, you can also include them in the following elements of a Domino application:
  - Including Java™ servlets in Web applications
    A servlet is a Java™ program that is run by the Domino® Web server in response to a browser request. Servlets provide a convenient way to add powerful functionality to your Web application. In some ways, servlets act like CGI programs, but they are more tightly integrated with the server and can take advantage of special Java classes. For example, a servlet may connect to a relational database or enterprise system and get data in response to a Web browser request.
  - Including XML in Designer applications
    Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a standard for creating markup languages that describe the structure and meaning of data in a document. XML separates the content of a document from its presentation and provides a common format for transferring data across the World Wide Web (WWW) or company intranet. The result is a technology that makes data available regardless of the proprietary systems involved.
  - Including OLE objects in applications
    Using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) and OLE tools lets you extend the capability of Domino® Designer. OLE technology lets you integrate data from other applications, such as spreadsheets, graphics tools, and other data sources, into your application.
  - Creating a workflow application
    Workflow applications let you automate tasks. These tasks most often involve automatically sending mail messages or automatically routing documents, such as tracking orders and project plans to be reviewed. All projects need one or more people to complete a series of tasks and can benefit from workflow applications because they guide the project through these tasks automatically. Workflow applications reduce overhead and errors, speed processes, and track the status of a project. For example, a workflow application might automatically send a document in a publishing company from writer to editor to proofreader to production. At each stage, an individual is responsible for specific tasks related to that document. Once the task is complete, the workflow application ensures that the individuals responsible for the next task are notified and receive the data they need to execute their part of the project.
  - Domino® Designer templates
    The templates described in the following table are available with Domino® Designer and are specifically intended for use by application developers.
  - Importing to and exporting from views
  - Developing applications using MAPI
    Domino® Designer Release 6 and later supports the messaging application program interface (MAPI), which allows mail integration between Domino and a MAPI-compliant messaging application, such as Microsoft™ Outlook, Microsoft Office applications, or user-written C++ programs.
  - Features to avoid using in Web applications
    Developers creating applications specifically for the Web, or for the dual purpose of serving Notes® and Web clients, should review the following tables for features that are not supported on the Web.
  - URL commands for Web applications
    You have a variety of options for programming a Web site. You can directly manipulate objects such as documents or views in an application using Domino® URL commands. Adding Domino URL commands as HTML in forms gives users shortcuts for navigating databases and performing other tasks quickly.
- Application Management
  Welcome to the Application Management section of Domino® Designer Help.
- Domino® Query Language
  Domino® Query Language (DQL) is a facility running on a Domino server that provides a terse, shorthand syntax for finding documents. It supports a wide variety and complexity of search terms. It leverages existing design elements, avoiding the need to write detailed code to access them. DQL consolidates all methods in Domino for searching document contents.
- Composite Applications - Design and Management
  Composite applications are a key element in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and contextual collaboration strategy. The ability to create and edit composite applications lets you easily integrate different types of components and technologies.
- DB2® Access views
  Domino® Designer includes two types of design elements to assist you in managing data contained in DB2® enabled Notes® databases:
- Programming Overview and User Interface
  This section contains general guidelines and examples that show where to use Java, LotusScript, and the formula language.
- Formula Language
  This section documents the formula language.
- LotusScript® Language
  Welcome to the LotusScript® Language section of Domino® Designer Help.
- LotusScript/COM/OLE Classes
- Java/CORBA Classes
  This section documents the Java/CORBA classes.
- Connectors
  Connectors provide native access to a wide variety of DBMS products, ODBC, the platform File system, Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and Transaction Processing systems.
- Javadoc™ for Domino® Designer related APIs
  As part of providing additional Java™ reference documentation, Domino® Designer ships with a help plugin that contains Javadoc™ for additional Domino Designer related APIs.

Testing a form before deploying it

There are two ways to test a form before using it in the actual application. You can preview the form from the Notes® client or through a Web browser to see how it will look to a user and to make sure form elements are working. In addition, you should test the form in the application by creating documents, examining the documents through different views, and testing all actions.

If you are testing a response form or a response to response form, you should do one of the following:

Select a document to respond to from the Notes® Client in order to test the form.
Deselect the type "response" or "response to response" on the Form Properties box until you have thoroughly tested the form.

For more information on previewing your work, see Previewing your design work.