Configuring component update for composite applications

Domino® NSF-based update sites

Domino® provides the capability to put an Eclipse update site inside an NSF database. An NSF-based update site is typically a separate database that doesn't contain composite applications. However, since any Notes® application NSF can contain a composite application, an update site NSF may contain a composite application. For example, a third-party could deliver a composite application and an update site, with the former pointing to the latter. Or an administrator could put the composite application in an NSF-based update site and make it available to users that way.

For more information about NSF-based update sites, see Creating and using an NSF-based update site in the related links.

Creating and preparing the NSF-based update site

You can import Eclipse update sites into an NSF-based update site application.

1. Create an NSF-based update site, for example updatesite.nsf, using the File > Application > New menu sequence and the Eclipse Update Site template (updatesite.ntf) installed with Domino® or Notes®.

   The updatesite.ntf template is installed with the Domino® server and also during Notes® client install. An update site application (for example updatesite.nsf) acts as an Eclipse-based update site hosted in an NSF Notes® application on a Domino® server. It dynamically provides the site.xml, features, and plug-ins.

   Note: To see the Eclipse Update Site template (updatesite.ntf), click Show Advanced Properties in the New Application dialog box.

   The NSF-based update site acts as an Eclipse update site hosted in a Notes® application on a Domino® server. It dynamically provides the site.xml, features, and plug-ins.

2. Open the NSF-based update site.
3. Click Import Local Update Site.
4. From the resultant explanatory panel, use the Browse button to navigate to the Eclipse update site.
5. Select the site.xml file.
6. Click Open.

   An Importing update site progress bar appears.

Editing a Composite Application's feature requirements update site URL

Recommended method: Using the Composite Applications Editor to specify an update site for feature requirements

The preferred method to edit the update site URL for a feature requirement using the Composite Application Editor (CAE) is as follows:

1. In Notes®, open the composite application.
2. Click Actions > Edit Application.

   The Composite Applications Editor (CAE) opens in a new window.

3. From the resultant component list, right-click the desired component and select Edit Component Properties.
4. Click Advanced.

   A list of properties appears.

5. Select the property for the desired feature, for example url.Feature_NN, and click Edit.

   Alternatively, click Add and enter the name and the value.

6. Click OK to exit the Advanced pane.
7. Click OK to exit the Properties pane.
8. Click Done to close and save the changes.
9. The modified CA XML is re-read and processed.

Alternate method: Configuring a composite application to specify an update site

Use this alternate method to define update sites for the contents of a particular composite application NSF.

1. The administrator obtains a composite application NSF, for example MyCompAppabx.nsf.
2. Accompanying the composite application NSF, the administrator obtains an update site folder, which contains a \features and \plugins subdirectory, as well as a site.xml file. The site.xml file lists features contained within the update site folder.
3. The administrator modifies the composite application's XML to point to a specific Domino® update site.
   1. Open a composite application, for example MyCompAppabx.nsf, in Domino® Designer on the Domino® server.
   2. Click Composite Application > Application.
   3. Click the composite application name in the list then click the Export tab.

      This action outputs to an xml file of the same name, for example MyCompAppabx.xml.

      Leave the composite application open.

   4. Open the XML file created in the previous step.
   5. Modify each url.feature value to point to the needed Domino® update site. For example, for each preference name="url.feature" entry, where url.feature is the placeholder for the update site URL and the specific feature name, point to the needed Domino® update site.

      The following format uses an NRPC protocol:

      NRPC://server/__replicationID/site.xml

      The following format uses an HTTP protocol:

      HTTP://server/updatesite.nsf/site.xml

4. Save and close the XML file.
5. In Domino® Designer and within the open composite application, click the composite application name in the list, click the Refresh tab, and select the modified composite application XML file.
6. Open the NSF-based update site application, for example updatesite.nsf, and import the site.xml file from the local update site folder that accompanies this composite application.
   Note: A user can open the composite application using a Notes® database link, bookmark, or File > Application > New sequence to initiate update.

For information about deploying and provisioning features to an existing client runtime, see Deploying and managing client plug-ins with widgets and the widget catalog.

Retrieving composite application definitions (CA XML) from Domino®

Use the following NRPC URL format to retrieve composite application updates.

NRPC://Server-hint-or-host/replica-id/composite.xml?param=value

Where:

Server-hint-or-host = DNS host name, IP address, or server name

replica-id of the database on the target server

param -- name|unid

Name -- String to be used to lookup CA design element in view -- Look up first as a name and if not found, then as an alias.

UNID -- UNID of the composite application design note

For example:

NRPC://abx_tc.upcdev.ibm.com/__8525634000734621/composite.xml?name=Hannover

WebSphere® Portal and Composite Applications

WebSphere® Portal composite application update is made available to the Notes® user through the Home Portal Account setting in Notes®, as determined by the Domino® administrator. In addition, the administrator must also have installed the WebSphere® Portal composite application support for Notes® on the same WebSphere® Portal server to which the user's Home Portal Account points. WebSphere® Portal composite application update pertains typically to the Notes® user who is working with composite applications that contain Web projections.