Making the variable _name webapp specific would break the entire point of the variable.
The variable is webapp specific (meaning it's defined by the webapp), but the variable _name is not. There are no partyMainDecoratorLocation variables, only mainDecoratorLocation. BJ, would it be possible for you to explain the webapp your developing. Off the top of my head, I'm unable to picture a scenario where wanting to maintain the decorator for two web applications is beneficial and would keep one sane. The only scenario that I can think of that even comes close is because of two different conventions being used in the screens of different components. ----- Original Message ---- From: Jonathon -- Improov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 12:03:18 AM Subject: Re: mainDecoratorLocation change to [applicationname]mainDecoratorLocation > Making the variable name webapp specific breaks the entire point of the > variable. The way the screen widgets are written now, the parameter "mainDecoratorLocation" is already webapp-specific. The key question is where we want to tie mainDecoratorLocation to. If it is specific to webapps, we tie it to controller.xml, so that views defined in a webapp will always use the decorator defined for that webapp. But if it is specific to an OFBiz component, then we tie it to a component config, like in component://party/config/SomeConfigFile.xml . Obviously, the screen widgets expect a correct value from ${parameters.mainDecoratorLocation}. Where should this be specified? If it is not webapp-specific, then does that imply screen widgets look for a global OFBiz-wide ${parameters.mainDecoratorLocation} somewhere? If the variable name "mainDecoratorLocation" wasn't webapp-specific, we wouldn't have this thread complaining about clashing or missing "mainDecoratorLocation" parameters when combining controller.xml(s) from multiple webapps. > For example, do you determine the variable from the included controller of > the request-map or from the view-map. You would likely choose the view. If > it's the view, how do you determine when that component has multiple webapp > as in product, etc/. I would choose neither the request map nor the view map. I suggest tying "mainDecoratorLocation" to controller.xml itself. If "mainDecoratorLocation" were view-specific, we would tie it to a view map. As the screen widgets are written now, they are webapp-specific. Jonathon Chris Howe wrote: > Hi Jonathon, > > Making the variable name webapp specific breaks the entire point of the > variable. I'm under the impression that most deployments of OFBiz use very > few of the applications as is, OOTB. Taking away the ability to change > the decoration of the application puts that much more burden on custom > applications to maintain a code base that is already maintained by the > community when all they want to do is extend and tweak subtle areas. > > The solution of further processing of the web.xml context-params in order to fill the > context starts to pull us away from the design of traditional web > applications. This has the effect of steepening the learning curve. In addition, there is too much ambiguity in deciding which mainDecoratorLocation would be chosen that I think it really would be best to determine it through a custom preprocessor so that one would end up with the desired results. For example, do you determine the variable from the included controller of the request-map or from the view-map. You would likely choose the view. If it's the view, how do you determine when that component has multiple webapp as in product, etc/. > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Jonathon -- Improov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 10:56:14 PM > Subject: Re: mainDecoratorLocation change to [applicationname]mainDecoratorLocation > > 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. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > > > > >
