I think BJ's method is fine. It's the only way to couple the webapp-specific parameter
"mainDecorationLocation" to a particular webapp, and to decouple it from the single global servlet
context (single to a webapp).
Say a parent webapp includes the controller.xml of a child webapp, we use "parent" and "child" so
it's easy for me to write here.
When we <include> the child's controller.xml from the parent webapp, the servlet context is still
the parent's, not a mix of 2 webapps. There will be only one "mainDecoratorLocation" parameter for
all the widgets listed in both controller.xml(s).
When we need to process the views (or widgets) specified in the child's controller.xml, we need to
do something extra. Those views require a specific "mainDecoratorLocation" value in order to work,
say "component://child/widget/MainDecorScreens.xml". The parent will need to play by those rules,
and create "mainDecoratorLocation" with that expected value for the child's views to work.
Specifically, I mean "for the child's views to work in the parent's servlet context".
The problem comes when the parent also has its own "mainDecoratorLocation", say
"component://parent/widget/MainDecorScreens.xml". Then there is a clash. Because the 2 webapps'
widgets operate in a single servlet context, there can only be one parameter
"mainDecoratorLocation" for both webapps.
BJ's method is the only quick fix there is. Decouple "mainDecoratorLocation" from the global
servlet context, and encapsulate that attribute together with the widgets that require that
particular attribute with a particular value.
That means changing all widgets to point to say "<webapp-name>:mainDecoratorLocation". Another
solution could be to add a new attribute to <decorator-screen>, like "param-location" which
automatically hunts for a parameter named "<webapp-name>:mainDecoratorLocation". So a value of
"myDecoratorLocation" might prompt the widget engine to look for a parameter named
"<webapp-name>:myDecoratorLocation".
That is a simple fix.
For a better fix, we need to truly decouple "mainDecoratorLocation" from the global servlet
context (web.xml), and put it into the controller.xml. The widget engine could look in the
controller.xml for a variable "mainDecoratorLocation" every time it processes a screen widget.
That would ensure perfect re-usability of any included widgets (included with a controller
<include>), without the need to meddle with passing in the expected "mainDecoratorLocation" for
those included widgets.
Some changes to ConfigXMLReader, RequestManager and ControlServlet may be
required.
Hope that makes sense.
I love how OFBiz already has many powerful "clean extension" mechanisms, much like object-oriented
programming and sub-classing. This "mainDecoratorLocation" thing may be a good area to work on.
Jonathon
BJ Freeman wrote:
so far you and I are on the same page.
I thinks the confusion is, I am not defining a mainDecoratorLocation
for my application. So this is not about how to use ainDecoratorLocation
in my web.xml for my widgets.
the web.xml has been used to provide context for widget's
mainDecoratorLocation, which as you point out is a component.
here are the steps:
include another controller in your apps controller.
Now the mainDecoratorLocation is defined in the web.xml of the included
controller, but not mine.
so if I don't delcare a mainDecoratorLocation in my web.xml I get an
error, about the mainDecoratorLocation not being found, when I access
the included controls widget.
If I define a mainDecoratorLocation in my web.xml that has the path for
one of the application that is included in my controller, it works fine.
But just for that application.
This lets me only define one mainDecoratorLocation for all included
controllers.
so I can not define a mainDecoratorLocation in my web.xml for each
application with the path defined in the application web.xml.
Chris Howe sent the following on 11/21/2007 6:39 PM:
No, the feature of mainDecoratorLocation is the webapp being called defines the
default value of mainDecoratorLocation. You should be able to run a
pre-processor to override the value that is found in the called webapp's
web.xml file.
It may help to identify here the difference in terminology that is used.
There's a component and a web application. The web application is what is
generally under the webapp folder and does not include the widgets. The
widgets (form, screen, tree, menu) belong to the component, not the webapp.
The controller controls the web application along with the context provided by
the web.xml definitions. So, if I have webapp: myApp, the context should be
provided by the web.xml file in the web application myApp, at least by default.
Simply because you are including elements from another document does not mean
you should change what provides the default context.
webapp/myApp
/WEB-INF
/controller.xml <--Controls web
application myApp
/web.xml <--provides context for
web application myApp
----- Original Message ----
From: BJ Freeman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 7:59:52 PM
Subject: Re: mainDecoratorLocation change to
[applicationname]mainDecoratorLocation
If i understand you correctly the path to mainDecoratorLocation should
be the same for all apps.
however if the path is in the application should it not be distinguish
for that application?
Chris Howe sent the following on 11/21/2007 5:50 PM:
The "problem" that you're having is the exact feature that is created
by mainDecoratorLocation. Appending [applicationname] breaks that
feature. Are you unable to override parameters.mainDecoratorLocation
through a preprocessor or by another means?
----- Original Message ----
From: BJ Freeman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 7:02:18 PM
Subject: mainDecoratorLocation change to
[applicationname]mainDecoratorLocation
when including other controllers, the context for
mainDecoratorLocation
has to be defined in the web.xml of the home controller location.
this causes a problem when all the application use
mainDecoratorLocation.
so would like to propose that the mainDecoratorLocation is used for
the
framework/common/webapp/
and preappend the application name to mainDecoratorLocation
([applicationname]mainDecoratorLocation) in the applications
web.xml.
