Deploying a Widget Catalog

Mindwatering Incorporated

Author: Tripp W Black

Created: 01/21/2010 at 11:56 AM

 

Category:
Domino Upgrades / Installations
Software (Re)Configuration

Widgets and the Widget catalog actually came along in 8.01 or 8.02. They were first created/used in something called a "Toolbox".
Users can create a local widget catalog and add widgets to show up in their Standard 8.x client's sidebar. It's better to deploy one on a server so that all users can get the companies widgets.

You can create widgets from a Notes element (form, view, etc) or use an existing widget (e.g. Google Gadgets). However, apple dashboard ones, don't work. They are too different. Once a widget is added, live text can be used to recognize an address to map, a phone number to dial, etc.

To create a widget catalog:
1. Create the new catalog. File --> Application --> New. Choose the server and the template, Toolbox.nsf.
2. Setup the ACL.
a. Users who will administer this catalog should have Editor access or higher and the [Admins] role.
b. Users who will just download/use the catalog can have Reader access.
3. Create categories for the Catalog's widgets in the Administration/Keyword view.
4. Enabled the Toolbox Sweeper agent, in the Designer. This agents checks the widgets and if one is added that's not properly added/populated, the widget is removed from the user views and placed in the Administration/Document Queue view. The administrators get an e-mail, too, so they can kill it or fix it.

A local Copy of the toolbox is created locally on the user's machines and updated on a 24 hours schedule (by default).

Widgets are maintained either by Domino policy (Desktop Settings document --> Widget tab) or by editing the PLUGIN_CUSTOMIZATION.INI file (<install dir/framework/rcp/plugin_customization.ini). Policy settings take precedence over file settings.

To assign users by Policy:
1. Edit the Desktop Settings document (or create a new one and add the the policy).
2. Switch to the Widgets tab. Under Widget Settings:
Widget catalog server: myserver/Mydomain
Widget catalog application name: toolbox.nsf (or the name you used)
Widget catalog categories to install: <category name> (if you want to force down some widgets)
Enable Live text: Enabled.
<other fields as desired>
3. Save and close the settings document.
4. Now when users go to add a widget, from the sidebar window. (By clicking the Browse the Widget Catalog icon in the Widget window with the toolbox icon.)


Bonus Info on Desktop Policy Custom Settings:

INI Parameters:
com.ibm.notes.branding/enable.update.ui=true
This allows the File --> Application --> Install option to be displayed.
(This functionality is supplied via the Eclipse Update Manager (EUM).)

(not used much, just here for easy reference)
com.ibm.rcp.security.update/UNTRUSTED_SIGNATURE_POLICY=PROMPT
com.ibm.rcp.security.update/EXPIRED_SIGNATURE_POLICY=PROMPT
com.ibm.rcp.security.update/UNSIGNED_PLUGIN_POLICY=PROMPT

Managed Settings
- Set Sametime Community Server:
/instance/com.ibm.rtc.meetings.shelf/stms1354024510799;communityServerName=sametime.mindwatering.net
- Set Meetings Server:
/instance/com.ibm.rtc.meetings.shelf/stms1354024510799;meetings.serverName =meetings.mindwatering.net

Note:
Enter in this order:
Name: authServerUrl
Value: gpcst2.gracepacificcorp.com
Plugin: com.ibm.collaboration.realtime.community
Enforce - <checked>

. . . Gives you this:

authServerUrl=gpcst2.gracepacificcorp.com; com.ibm.collaboration.realtime.community, Enforce


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