lotus forms webform server 3.0 overview & architecture

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IBM Software Group

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Webform Server 3.0

Overview and Architecture

IBM Software Group | WPLC software | Lotus Forms

2

Agenda

What’s new in 3.0

About Webform Server

Architecture Overview

Scaling Webform Server

Creating a Servlet

Creating a Portlet

Differences Between Webform Server and Viewer

Form-based Settings

Document Accessibility Wizard


3

What’s New in 3.0


4

What’s new in 3.0? Support for iSeries (under PASE) server side

Support for Firefox 2.0 on Mac and Vista for client side

Supports JavaScript API

Must use SQL database for Access Control Database Allows ACS to be clustered to provide failover mechanism

Supported DB: DB2, Cloudscape (Apache Derby)

Print to PDF, PDF/A

PKI and Authenticated Clickwrap Signing Support

Performance Improvements Templating

On Demand Page Loading (ODPL)

Added BIDI support (Hebrew and Arabic)


5

About Webform Server


6

What is Webform Server?

A Zero Footprint Forms Solution

Lotus Forms are rendered directly in a web browser as DHTML.

Uses same XFDL files as Viewer.

XFDL forms are converted to DHTML, then sent to user.

DHTML is converted back to XFDL when user submits form.

Forms looks almost exactly as they do in the Viewer.

Most notable difference is the toolbar Webform Server provides, although this toolbar can be removed if desired.

Removes the need to deploy and manage the Viewer.

Forms are accessible to all users, including general public.


7

What is Webform Server

A Cross-Platform Fill Experience Supports both Windows and Macintosh.

IE 6.0, Windows 2000 sp4, Windows XP sp1, sp2

IE 7.0 for Windows XP sp2, (New)Vista

Firefox 1.5, and 2.0 Windows and Macintosh

Provides a cross-platform front-end for forms applications.

Can be used as forms front-end for applications, just like Viewer.

An Internationalized product Supports G0, G1, and G2, and some G3 languages.

(New in 3.0) Support for 18 Arabic Locales and 1 Hebrew Locale

All Webform Server interface elements reflect language selected.

Forms remain in the language they were designed – does not translate forms.


8

Where does it work?

Server Support Supports WAS V 6.0.2 and 6.1.0 (dropped 5.1)

Supports Portal V 6.0.1 (dropped 5.1.0.1 – 6.0.0)

(New) Multiple forms may appear on a portal page at same time

Platform Support Server is supported on:

AIX 5.2, 5.3 (pSeries 32bit) w/ XL C/C++ Final 7 Runtime PTF or later

Solaris 9 – 10 (SPARC 32bit)

Linux RH ES/AS 4.0 (Intel 32bit)

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 (32-bit intel)

MS Windows 2000 Server SP4 and 2003 Server Standard Ed. (Intel)

iSeries (PASE) 5.3, 5.4


9

How does it work?

Works as either a servlet or a portlet (JSR 168) You code a servlet/portlet that extends the Webform Server framework.

Servlet/portlet processes the XFDL form.

Translation of form to HTML is ‘invisible’ to the servlet/portlet application.

Automatically detects Viewer If the end-user has the Viewer installed, it will serve XFDL – if not, HTML.

You can force HTML if you prefer.

Provides accessibility support Provides support for enhanced focus indicator (as in Viewer) and JAWS

screen reader - V7.10.


10

How does it look?

Almost exactly like Viewer, except: Some differences in form appearance due to nature of HTML

widgets.

Only 6 buttons on toolbar.

Intended to replicate look and feel of Viewer Maintains “sign what you see” philosophy.

Forms signed in Webform Server will look the same when inspected in Viewer, and vice versa.


11

How does it look?


12

How does it look?

Open Form – opens form from local file system.

Save Form – saves form to local file system.

Print Form – prints form to local printer.

Refresh Form – refreshes data model and redraws form.

Toggle Accessibility Mode – enables enhanced focus indicator and screen readers.

Enter Wizard Mode – displays fields one page at a time (accessibility)

About – provides version information for Webform Server.


13

What is Webform Server Not?

Webform Server is not a zero-cost Viewer replacement.

Does not provide all of the functionality of the Viewer.

Differences are discussed in detail later.

Imposes a heavier load on the server.

Forms must be translated before they can be served to the user.

Increased traffic between server and client.

Requires development of a servlet/portlet application.


14

Architecture Overview


15

How does Webform Server work?

Portal/Application Server

Portlet/Servlet Framework

XFDL FormsPortlet/Servlet

WPF API

Application Server

Webform ServerTranslator Logging

Service

Shared FileSpace

C

L

I

E

N

T

Access

Control

DB


16

How does Webform Server work (Request HTML)?




WPF API

Application Server


Service

Shared FileSpace

GET request

HTML response

C

L

I

E

N

T

Access

Control

DB


17

How does Webform Server work (Request Form)?




WPF API

Application Server


Service

Shared FileSpace

XFDL response

GET request

DHTMLDHTML

C

L

I

E

N

T

Access

Control

DB


18

How does Webform Server work (Submit Form)?




WPF API

Application Server


Service

Shared FileSpace

XFDL response

Post DHTML DHTML

XFDL request

DHTML

C

L

I

E

N

TDHTML

Access

Control

DB


19

How does Webform Server work (AJAX Updates)?




WPF API

Application Server

Translator

LoggingService

Shared FileSpace

C

L

I

E

N

T

Ajax User Event

Ajax

Client

Forwarder Ajax User Event

Change list returned (Ajax)

User Event

Forwarder

‘Running’ Form notified

of event

Change list retrieved and

sorted

XML change list createdChange list (Ajax)

Changes

made to

HTML

Form Cache(Memory)

Access

Control

DB


20

How does Webform Server work (XForms Submit)?




WPF API

Application Server

Translator

C

L

I

E

N

T

Ajax User Event

Ajax

Client

ForwarderAjax User

Event

Change list returned (Ajax)

User Event

Forwarder

‘Running’ Form notified

of event

Form Updated with New Data

XML change list created

Change list (Ajax)

Changes

made to

HTML

Web Service

Or

XMLoverHTTP

Request

Response

Do XForms Submit


21

Scaling Webform Server


22

Webform Server Scalability

Vertical Scaling You can deploy multiple Translators to the same machine, and the machine will be able

to respond to the same level of requests, but with better response times.

Horizontal Scaling You can deploy many Translator machines as a cluster behind a load balancer

Supports WAS ND (Network Deployment)

You can deploy many App Server machines as a cluster – and they each can point to a single load balancer as their Translator – session affinity must be enabled so that the same translator responds to every request for a given form.

Many Translators can share the same Log Server Log Server can be replicated – but rarely required.

Translators should share the same Access Control DB Access Control DB can be replicated, but single access point is required (virtual IP).

Translators should share the same Shared File Cache Normally a networked file share

Each Translator (or multi-translator machine) can have its own Shared File Cache


23


Webform ServerTranslator




Portlet/Servlet Wrapper


PE API




PE API

Webform Server Architecture

Browser

OptionalCluster Server




PE APIO

ptional Cluster S

erver



LoggingService

Shared FileSpace

How does it scale?

Access

Control

DB

Access

Control

DB


24

Signature Support

New to 3.0 is the ability for users to be able to sign using their Generic RSA or CryptoAPI based certificates, or Authenticated Clickwrap.

An ActiveX control is automatically installed the first time a user requests to sign. ActiveX control provides certificate selection and signing functionality.

Once installed, user can select certificate (from IE Store only) and form will be signed – but no overlap and layout tests are done (Viewer only).

ActiveX control performs signing client side – certificate is not transported.


25

Print to PDF

Default is still to print to PNG.

Must change translator.properties file to enable printing to PDF or PDF/A

Can set printOutputFormat to one of: png — Outputs a PNG file (default).

pdf — Outputs a PDF file.

pdfa — Outputs a PDF archive file.

gif — Outputs a GIF file.


26

Creating a Servlet


27

Creating a Servlet

Extend IBMWorkplaceFormsServerServlet class Provided as part of Webform Server framework.

Extends the HttpServlet that is normally used for servlets.

Write your servlet as normal Your servlet will work with an XFDL file, it will never see HTML.

Your servlet can call the Workplace Forms API, or any other APIs.

Servlet can serve both HTML and XFDL By default, Webform Server will auto-detect Viewer and serve the right file

type.

Functions useHTML and useXFDL allow you to set a specific response type.


28

Creating a Servlet

Set up your web.xml file to include Webform Server configuration Detailed in Administration Guide.

Package your servlet as a war file Package your application along with some key supporting files (jars).

Package can also contain the forms you want to serve to users.

Deploy your servlet to your application server


29

Templating

Normally, a web application uses our API to load a blank form, pre-populate it, and then the form is sent to the Translator, who it turn loads the form in the API again. Very expensive.

Most web applications serve the same form(s), but might pre-populate the with user data before serving the form out to the user.

(New in 3.0) You can tell the Translator what forms your application is going to be serving out. These forms are called Templates.

The Translator will then build a cache of instances for each Template, and as instances of that form are used up, the Translator will replenish its cache automatically.

Even when template cache is exhausted under load, resources (images, etc) are shared between template instances, so memory utilization is more efficient.

Additional classes and methods have been added to the framework to handle Templates: TemplateManager.


30

Templating Interface

Call getTemplateManager() to get a TemplateManager Object.

TemplateManager has the following method: addFormTemplate() - add a form as a Template to the Translator

There are more methods, but don’t use them just yet.

To use an instance of a template, call this.setTemplateId(response, template id)

This informs the translator that you want to send an instance of that template to the user.

Prepopulation this.addXFormsInstance() will add the passed XForms instance data into the

template instance before it is passed to the user

See JavaDocs in infoCenter for further details


31

Template Example

public class MyServlet extends IBMWorkplaceFormsServerServlet

public void init()

{

FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(aTemplateFile);

this.getTemplateManager().addFormTemplate(“TemplateID_123”, fis);

}

public void doGet()

{

this.setFilename(response, someFileName);

this.setFormName(response, “someFormName");

response.setContentType("application/vnd.xfdl");

this.setTemplateId(response, “TemplateID_123”);

// could also call this.addXFormsInstance() to pre-populate form

}


32

Samples Show Templates in Action

Both Servlet and Portlet Sample Code have been updated in 3.0 to show how to use Templates

New FormTemplates Directory has been added.

Any forms placed into SampleForms/FormTemplates directory will be pushed as a Template to the Translator.

Compare the response time between a form loaded as a template, and the old fashioned way. The larger the form, the more effective Templating is.


33

translator.properties and Templates

translator.properties file has poolSize property that controls the number of instances (per Template) the template cache is supposed to have available. (default setting is 1)

If you have 5 template forms, and poolSize = 4, then the translator will attempt to keep 5 * 4 = 20 forms in the template cache.

fcCacheSize – The maximum number of forms a translator will keep in memory at any given time – default 30 The number of template instances counts towards this number In memory concurrent users = fcCacheSize – number of template instances Do not allow number of template instances > fcCacheSize

If form cache is maxed, and it needs more room, translator will evict either user forms or templates from cache as follows If template instances > user forms – it will evict a template instance If user forms > template instances – it will evict a user form This ratio will be configurable in a later release.


34

Exercise: Altering Sample Servlet

In this exercise, we will load the sample servlet provided into Eclipse, understand what it does, modify it, and deploy the resulting application to WAS.

The modification will consist of adding a hidden datestamp field to the form, then reading that field with the servlet and storing the submitted form in a folder based on the datestamp.

This will give you a quick look at the basic process of creating a servlet-based Webform Server application.


35

Examining the Sample Servlets

3 servlets: FormViewServlet, FormListServlet, SampleUtilities


36

FormListServlet

FormListServlet provides a list of forms (one form in this example) in an HTML page for the user to select, with options for forcing Viewer, forcing HTML, or auto-detect Viewer.

Parameters passed to FormViewServlet determine this: mode=xfdl, mode=HTML. Leaving out mode parameter results in auto-detect.


37

FormViewServlet

FormViewServlet extends IBMWorkplaceFormsServerServlet. This is where the “work” happens. doGet method sends form to user

doPost method accepts form as submission and writes the form out to a directory

handleReplaceAll method accepts a xformsreplaceall action from the form and returns the text of the xforms:submit in a new browser window

New sample code to show how Templating is done. loadFormTemplates method shows an example of how to tell the Translator

what forms your application is going to use as Templates


38

Creating a Portlet


39

Creating a Portlet

Extend IBMWorkplaceFormsServerPortlet class Provided as part of Webform Server framework.

Extends the GenericPortlet that is normally used for portlets.

You implement a doViewEx method and a processActionEx method, which extend the normal doView and processAction methods.

Write your portlet as normal Your portlet will work with an XFDL file, it will never see HTML.

Your portlet can call the Workplace Forms API, or any other APIs.

(New) Many Forms can be displayed on a single portal page


40

Creating a Portlet

Portlet can serve both HTML and XFDL By default, Webform Server will auto-detect Viewer and serve the right file

type.

Functions useHTML and useXFDL allow you to set a specific response type.

Set up your portal.xml to include Webform Server configuration Detailed in Administration Guide.

Package your portlet as a war file Package your application along with some key supporting files (jars).

Package can also contain the forms you want to serve to users.


41

Creating a Portlet

Deploy your portlet to your application server

All steps are documented in more detail in the Webform Server Administration Guide. Examples shipped with product are a good starting point.


42

Communicating Between Portlets

Portlets often need to communicate with each other One portlet may present a list of all forms, and a second may display the

form the user selects. First portlet must tell the second which form has been selected.

Session beans are one approach User selects a form, which triggers processActionEx of first portlet. Portlet writes details about which form was selected to a session bean. Once the portlet’s action is finished, all portlets update. As part of update, second portlet runs doViewEx, which reads the

information from the session bean. Second portlet then loads and displays the correct form.

Other approaches are also possible JavaScript API


43

JavaScript API

Both Viewer and Webform Server support the the JavaScript API.

JavaScript normally exists in main html or jsp page, where forms or other html pages exist within frames or div tags.

You must include the LF_XFDL.js and LF_FormNodeP.js in your web application, and then load them in any html page that wishes to use the JavaScript API as follows: <SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript" SRC="LF_XFDL.js"></SCRIPT>

<SCRIPT TYPE="text/javascript" SRC="LF_FormNodeP.js"></SCRIPT>

Files are found in C:\Program Files\IBM\Lotus Forms\Server\3.0\Webform Server\redist


44

JavaScript API Example / Exercise

To setup the example, you must have a running Webform Server with the Sample Servlet running.

Place the LF_XFDL.js and LF_FormNodeP.js files in the root of the Servlet Sample war file: C:\WAS DIR\installedApps\profile\WebformSampleApp.ear\Samples.war

Place the js_example.html and top_frame.html file in the same directory

Navigate to the js_example.html file through the servlet sample http://localhost:8085/Samples/js_example.html

In the lower frame, open the preapprovalForm.xfdl file in the webform server

You should then be able to click the buttons in the upper frame, and see how the JavaScript API can interact with a live running form under the webform server.


45

Differences Between Viewer and

Webform Server


46

About the Differences

Webform Server generally replicates Viewer functionality.

But, Webform Server cannot do everything the Viewer does.

These differences are caused by a number of factors, including: HTML has certain limitations that are difficult to overcome.

JavaScript cannot be used to replicate all functionality.

Webform Server requires the user to have a constant connection to network.


47

Opening and Saving Forms

Forms are typically opened from a web site and submitted back to that site, however…

User can open XFDL forms from local computer Assumes you provide proper link or leave “open” button active on toolbar.

XFDL form is uploaded to server and converted to DHTML for user.

User can save forms on local computer Assumes you leave the “save” button active on toolbar.

XFDL version of form is downloaded to user and saved locally.

Allows for “ad hoc” routing of forms.


48

Form Layout and Printing

Form Layout Looks almost exactly like Viewer.

Some slight differences due to nature of HTML widgets.

Some widgets not supported:

calendar, slider, RTF fields

Printing Print version is based on XFDL file, not HTML.

PNG image of form is generated by server and sent to end-user for printing.

Browser imposes it’s own margins on the page, so printable area might be slightly smaller than Viewer.

Form is scaled to account for this.

Best to use new 3.0 PDF printing to better avoid these issues.


49

Type Checking and Attachments

Type checking is passive, not predictive The user’s data is not checked until they move the focus to another item

If the data does not match the formatting, it is flagged as an error

Attachments User can only attach one file to the form at a time

May dictate different form design that used in Viewer


50

Actions and Computes

Actions are very limited Actions will not repeat properly

Actions that are set to run once will run every time the page is refreshed

Computes are supported through Ajax, but have some limitations Some event model computes (activated in popup/combo, keypress,

mouseover, printing) are not supported.

Other event model computes (focused, focuseditem) can be turned on or off through the Translator’s configuration file.

Most computes happen real-time without a refresh, but some automatically trigger a refresh.

New to 3.0 is better support for dirtyFlag


51

Submissions and Email

Submissions do not support multiple URLs Submission will only send data to one URL, regardless of the version of your

form.

Submissions and computed URLs For servlets, computed URLs are supported, but only if they submit to the

server that is running Webform Server

For portlets, computed URLs are not supported

Email is not directly supported No email toolbar button.

Submit buttons with an email URL will not work.

Users must save the form locally, then attach the form to a standard email.


52

Signatures and Accessibility

Only Clickwrap, Authenicated Clickwrap, CryptoAPI, and Generic RSA signatures are supported Can create and inspect Clickwrap signatures no matter what browser.

IE required to support Authenticated Clickwrap and CryptoAPI based signatures.

Accessibility similar to Viewer Supports JAWS screen reader (as opposed to MSAA compliant).

Supports enhanced focus indicator and keyboard shortcuts.

Does not support high contrast mode.

Supports additional W3C accessibility mode (discussed later)


53

XML Data Model and XForms

XML Data Model is supported, with some exceptions/differences Can configure whether data model is updated automatically, or only when

user clicks update button.

Smartfill feature is not supported.

Web Services are not supported in XML Data Model (but are in XForms).

XForms is supported, with some exceptions/differences XForms submissions that try to replace the entire data model are ignored.

XForms submissions will cause a redraw of the form (unlike Viewer).


54

Other Differences

XFDL support Webform Server supports XFDL 6.0 and later (Viewer is 5.0 and later)

Calendar Widget Converted to date field in Webform Server

Inactive Cells Webform Server omits inactive cells in IE, but shows them in Firefox

Viewer shows inactive cells in both browsers

Rich Text Fields Converted to plain text fields in Webform Server


55

Other Differences

Schema Validation Restricted to server-side validation in Webform Server

Slider Item Not supported.

Smartfill Not supported.

Can create similar effect with XForms submission.

Spellchecking Not supported.


56

Other Differences

Viewer Functions (viewer package) Not supported.

Includes functions such as messageBox, setCursor, and so on.

Viewer Settings (ufv_settings option) Supports menu, with some differences from Viewer (discussed later).

Supports all of the format error settings (print, save, sign, and submit).

Ignores all other settings.

List Item If text in cells is wider than list, text is truncated (Viewer provides scrollbars).


57

Other Differences

Web Services Only supported under XForms.

Use XForms submit to send/receive Web Services data.

Viewer Extensions (.ifx files) Supported on server-side only.

Zoom Not supported.

Requirements option Not supported.


58

Other Differences

“file” URIs Not support for XFDL submission or XForms submissions


59

Form-based Settings


60

About Form-based Settings

Individual forms can control Webform Server in the following ways: Can control which buttons are on the toolbar.

Can control whether forms can be printed, saved, signed, or submitted when they contain formatting errors.

These settings are specific to a single form The form itself controls Webform Server.

The next form in the sequence can make different settings if desired.

Can include as many settings as needed


61

About Form-based Settings

Settings are placed within the ufv_settings option

...

<globalpage sid="global">

<global sid="global">

<ufv_settings>

setting1

setting2

...

</ufv_settings>

</global>

</globalpage>

...

Each setting is a child of the ufv_settings

option

ufv_settings is a child of the global item in the global page (or the

global item of any page)


62

Inheritance

Pages inherit ufv_settings from the form global

ufv_settings on individual pages override any form global settings Note that ufv_settings acts as a single option for inheritance – either all

settings are inherited or no settings are inherited

This means that a single setting on a page will override all settings in the form global


63

ufv_settings: menu

Sets which buttons are available in the Webform Server toolbar Can control all buttons except About button, or hide toolbar altogether

Does not affect controls added to the form itself, such as save and print buttons

Three valid settings for each button: on – the button works normally

off – the button is visible, but inactive

hidden – the button is hidden, and all other buttons shift left in the toolbar


64

ufv_settings: menu

Default All buttons are on.

Location: form global, page global


65

ufv_settings: menu

Each button is represented by its own keyword Open Form – open

Save Form – save

Print Form – print

Refresh Form – refresh

Toggle Accessibility Mode – accessibility

Entire toolbar - toolbelt

Cannot control the About button. Preserves product branding.


66

ufv_settings: menu

<ufv_settings>

<menu>

<save>off</save>

<print>off</print>

<accessibility>hidden</accessibility>

</menu>

</ufv_settings>

<ufv_settings>

<menu>

<visisble>hidden</visible>

</menu>

</ufv_settings>

Turns the save and print buttons off, and hides the accessibility

button completely

Hides toolbar completely


67

ufv_settings: printwithformaterrors

Controls whether the user can print when there are type checking errors in the form

Three settings permit – the user can print despite type checking errors

warn – the user is warned that there are errors, and is asked if they want to print anyway

deny – the user is informed that there are errors, and is not allowed to print

Default: warn



68

ufv_settings: printwithformaterrors

<ufv_settings>

<printwithformaterrors>permit</printwithformaterrors>

</ufv_settings>

Allows the user to print when there are type

checking errors; does not warn the user


69

ufv_settings: savewithformaterrors

Controls whether the user can save when there are type checking errors in the form

Three settings permit – the user can save despite type checking errors

warn – the user is warned that there are errors, and is asked if they want to save anyway

deny – the user is informed that there are errors, and is not allowed to save

Default: warn



70

ufv_settings: savewithformaterrors

<ufv_settings>

<savewithformaterrors>permit</savewithformaterrors>

</ufv_settings>

Allows the user to save when there are type



71

ufv_settings: signwithformaterrors

Controls whether the user can sign when there are type checking errors in the form

Three settings permit – the user can sign despite type checking errors

warn – the user is warned that there are errors, and is asked if they want to sign anyway

deny – the user is informed that there are errors, and is not allowed to sign

Default: warn



72

ufv_settings: signwithformaterrors

<ufv_settings>

<signwithformaterrors>permit</signwithformaterrors>

</ufv_settings>

Allows the user to sign when there are type



73

ufv_settings: submitwithformaterrors

Controls whether the user can submit when there are type checking errors in the form

Three settings permit – the user can submit despite type checking errors

warn – the user is warned that there are errors, and is asked if they want to submit anyway

deny – the user is informed that there are errors, and is not allowed to submit

Default: warn



74

ufv_settings: submitwithformaterrors

<ufv_settings>

<submitwithformaterrors>permit</submitwithformaterrors>

</ufv_settings>

Allows the user to submit when there are type checking errors;

does not warn the user


75

Document Accessibility Wizard


76

About the Wizard

Based on W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines v1.0 Accessibility guidelines for page layout in HTML

W3C Recommendation as of May 5, 1999

A new mode in Webform Server “Wizard” view that only shows one form item at a time

User steps from item to item, going forward or backward

Prints error messages on page, rather than using “fly over” text (easier to read with screenreader)

Uses no javascript (part of W3C specification)


77

Normal Mode vs. Wizard Mode

Normal mode displays whole form

Type checking is automatically performed through javascript

Wizard mode displays one item at a time

Type checking performed when user moves to next item (which submits current data)

No reliance on javascript

Toggled by Wizard button on toolbar


78

Labels for Items

Labels are constructed by combining the following elements (in order): Item’s acclabel option

Item’s help option (text from associated help item)

Item’s label option

You must design the form to account for this – requires accessibility messages to be added to form


79

Error Messages

Formatting errors are found when the user tries to move to the next item

If an error is found, the item is redrawn with the error text above the label

Errors are constructed from the following messages (in order): Signature lock error Format error Format message

Users cannot move to the next item until the error is resolved


80

Questions?

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