Customizing the look of iNotes®

You can customize the look and behavior of IBM® iNotes® by creating an extension forms file that has several customization points built in for you. The default name of the extension forms file is Forms9_x.nsf, but you can use a file name of your choice.

About this task

Once the extension forms file is created, you can edit the forms file using IBM® Domino® Designer to customize iNotes®.

Note: Multiple extension forms files are not supported on a single IBM® Domino® server.

The extension forms file contains these subforms you can use to customize iNotes®:

  • Custom_Common_Utils -- to add functions that will be called from Custom_JS
  • Custom_CSS -- to add new CSS styles
  • Custom_JS -- contains callback functions you can use to add or remove action bar items, add additional code when pages are displayed or submitted. Used for older "classic" architecture forms. Most of the code uses the newer forms, however there are a few of the older forms still in use.)
  • Custom_JS_Edit -- to add more fonts to the rich text editor
  • Custom_Masthead -- to add a masthead to all pages
  • Custom_Name_Lite - the code for Korean name display format
  • Custom_Page_Dictionary -- to add new variable values for use with the Custom_CSS subform
  • Custom_WelcomePage -- to add more choices for the end user's Welcome Page
  • Custom_Page_Dictionary -to add NotesVars which are available for use in the Custom_CSS subform
  • Custom_xxx_Dictionary subforms - These new custom dictionary subforms have been added to each main area form, Mail, Calendar, ToDo, etc., to allow easier inclusion of new NotesFields and NotesVars
  • Custom_LazyLoad_Subforms - to add customization code to the lazy load table
  • Custom_Logout - to add customization code to be run on logout
  • Custom_About - to display the forms file version and a user-specified file version number. The version numbers are displayed in the iNotes console log when iNotes starts up.
  • Custom_SessionInfo - to add items to the iNotes session info object.

Creating an extension forms file

Procedure

  1. From Domino® Designer or the IBM® Notes® client, select File > Application > New.
  2. Under Specify New Application Name and Location, select your Domino® server.
  3. For File name enter Forms9_x.nsf and locate it in the iNotes® directory under the Domino® data directory.
  4. Under Specify Template for New Application, select your Domino® server.
  5. Select Show advanced templates.
  6. Select the iNotes® Extension Forms (9.0) template (Forms9_x.ntf).
  7. Select Inherit future design changes to pick up any new customization forms and subforms from future versions of the template. Existing forms and subforms are not overwritten.

Modifying the iNotes® common forms file

About this task

Use this process any time you modify the Forms9_x.nsf file.

Procedure

  1. Copy Forms9_x.nsf to a temporary directory.
  2. Make changes to the forms as desired in the temporary copy of the Forms9_x file.
  3. Flush the Domino® server database cache using the dbc f server command.
  4. Copy the Forms9_x file back to the iNotes® directory under the Domino® data directory.
  5. Stop and restart the HTTP process on the server using the tell http restart server command.
  6. Clear the browser cache.
  7. Test the changes.