Getting started with Widgets and Live Text

Widgets and Live Text is designed for three main user types -- end user, power user and application developer, and administrator. Policy and preferences control various access levels. Roles often overlap. For example, a power user may create and deploy widgets to end users while end users may use widgets that have been created for them, rather than create their own.

A widget can consist of one or more components and actions. An action can optionally contain a wired content type and recognizer to define the Live Text pattern to act on and specifically how to act on that Live Text. A widget can also be designed to provision items to client systems. For example, a widget can be used to install and update a stand-alone or third-party feature by calling a feature update site to either initially deploy or later provision updates to a client plug-in.Use types and typical tasks are as follows:

• Administrators create and manage the widget catalog and assign Widgets and Live Text access capabilities using a combination of Domino® server-managed policy and Eclipse preferences. Administrators can also manage client plug-ins using widgets that deploy and provision features and plug-ins to an existing HCL Notes® or HCL Expeditor client install.
• Power® users typically create, edit, and publish widgets for end user availability.
• Users typically act on Live Text to engage widgets that have been created for, and made available to, them.

Documentation for administrative users and deployers is available in the Domino® documentation.

• Administrator

  The administrator is responsible for creating the catalog application and assigning Widgets and Live Text access.

  An Administrator controls which users are designated as power users and end users and typically perform the following tasks:

  • Create and edit the widget catalog on a central server.
  • Control user access to the catalog.
  • Control which Widgets and Live Text functionality is available to specific users.
  • Create and manage widgets in the catalog.
  • Create and designate widget categories to control which widgets are available to specific users.
  • Deploy a feature or plug-ins to client users using a widget that calls an update site.
• The power user or application developer

  The power user or application developer is responsible for creating and deploying widgets. For example, a power user may create a widget that links a ZIP code with a national weather website. By clicking on a Live Text ZIP code, the user could automatically engage that widget and discover the current weather conditions in that ZIP code.

  A power user will typically perform the following tasks:

  Note: Power users have all the capabilities listed for the end user and may have some or all of the capabilities listed for the administrator.
  • Use a wizard to configure new widgets.
  • Publish widgets to the catalog to make available to other users.
  • Control which users have access to specific widgets based on use of widget categories.
  • Configure new and edit existing widgets components and actions, content types, and recognizers.
  • Create new actions, content types, and recognizers for new or existing widgets.
  • Display and act on Live Text.
  • Browse or edit the catalog.
  • Install a widget.
  • Wire content types and recognizers.
  • Set preferences such as catalog server and application name.
  • Import and export widgets.
  • email a widget to another user.
  • Remove a widget from the My Widgets sidebar panel.
  • Update the My Widgets sidebar panel with widgets from the catalog.
• User

  The user uses existing and available widgets to act on Live Text in their documents based on policy and preferences settings.

  A user will typically perform the following tasks:

  Note: Users may also have some of the capabilities described for the power user.
  • Act on Live Text using widgets that have been made available to them.
  • Change the display of Live Text or optionally toggle that display on and off using preferences.
  • Create a dashboard if multiple actions are available for a Live Text instance.
  • Possibly install a widget.
  • Possibly set preferences such as catalog server and application name.