Portlet Anatomy Oracle Fusion Middleware Online Documentation Library

1-4 Oracle Fusion Middleware Developers Guide for Oracle Portal

1.4 Portlet Resources

Portlet resources include the many prebuilt portlets available out of the box from many sources, including Oracle Portal, Oracle E-Business Suite, and third-party sources. Portlet resources also include portlet-building tools available through the Oracle Portal user interface as well as from the PDK and other Oracle tools. Each of these tools offers different product features that are targeted toward different developer roles. This section describes different portlet resources, suggests the level of expertise required to use them, and provides examples of when they might best be used. It includes the following subsections: ■ Section 1.4.1, Out-of-the-Box Portlets ■ Section 1.4.2, Other Sources of Prebuilt Portlets ■ Section 1.4.3, Web Clipping ■ Section 1.4.4, OmniPortlet ■ Section 1.4.5, Portlet Builder ■ Section 1.4.7, Programmatic Portlets This section introduces you to the various portlet resources. For specific information on each tool and its benefits, see Chapter 2, Portlet Technologies Matrix.

1.4.1 Out-of-the-Box Portlets

What Are They? Out-of-the-box portlets are prebuilt, fully developed, registered portlets that are immediately available from the Portlet Repository when you install Oracle Portal Figure 1–5 . They include such portlets as Search, Saved Searches, Favorites, and My Notifications. Figure 1–5 The Portlet Repository Youll find information on the prebuilt portlets in Oracle Portal in Oracle Fusion Middleware Users Guide for Oracle Portal. Understanding Portlets 1-5 Who Is the Intended User? Out-of-the-box portlets are best suited for use by end users and page designers, though they are available to users at all levels of expertise. When Should They Be Used? Use out-of-the-box portlets when your needs are satisfied by the functions the portlets offer, and the level of personalization readily available is sufficient to complete the desired task. Consider alternatives when you need to extend or personalize the portlet, such as when you need a different user interface, or when the functionality you require is not available out of the box. For more information on when you should use each technology, see Chapter 2, Portlet Technologies Matrix.

1.4.2 Other Sources of Prebuilt Portlets

What Are They? Other sources of prebuilt portlets include partner portlets and integration solutions. Partner portlets are available through Oracles partnerships with leading system integrators, software vendors, and content providers. You can access these portlets by using the keywords portal or portlet when searching the Oracle PartnerNetwork Solutions Catalog: http:solutions.oracle.com Examples of these prebuilt portlets include portlets for the following purposes: ■ Generating point-to-point driving directions ■ Accessing IT information from a wide variety of sources ■ Viewing summary information on news, stocks, and weather Portal Integration POINT Solutions provide solutions for customers who require basic functionality for popular applications such as Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, SAP, IMAP, SMTP, and the like. These portlets are available on the Oracle Portal Integration Solutions page on OTN: http:www.oracle.comtechnologyproductsiasportalpoint.html Who Is the Intended User? Fully developed, downloadable portlets are best suited for use by end users and page designers who understand how to download, install, and register Web and database providers in Oracle Portal. They are available for use by all levels of experience. When Should They Be Used? As with out-of-the-box portlets, use prebuilt portlets from other sources when your needs are satisfied by the functions the portlets offer, and the level of personalization readily available is sufficient to complete the desired task. Consider alternatives when you need to extend or personalize the portlet, for example, when you need a different user interface or when the functionality you require is not available out of the box.