PLSQL Portlets Development Tool

Portlet Technologies Matrix 2-15 To facilitate the development of database providers and PLSQL portlets, you can use the PLSQL Generator, a hosted utility that creates installable PLSQL code for a database provider and its PLSQL portlets. The PLSQL Generator is a Web application that receives the provider and portlet definitions in the form of an XML file. The syntax of the XML tags that are used for the provider and portlet definition is a subset of the XML tags that are used for defining Web providers with the PDK-Java. The output of the PLSQL Generator is a SQL script that can be run from SQLPlus. The script contains SQL commands for installing the provider and portlet packages. The hosted PLSQL Generator is available on the Oracle Portal Developer Kit page of OTN: http:www.oracle.comtechnologyproductsiasportalpdk.html

2.7 Portlet Creation Style

Oracle Portal supports the following two types of portlet creation as shown in Figure 2–5 : ■ Develop in-place ■ Develop first, add later The figure also indicates that the develop first, add later portlet creation is usually the task of the portlet developer, while the develop in-place portlet creation is the page designers responsibility. Figure 2–5 Portlet Creation Style 2-16 Oracle Fusion Middleware Developers Guide for Oracle Portal

2.7.1 OmniPortlet and Web Clipping

OmniPortlet and Web Clipping both offer a develop in-place portlet creation style. First you add the portlets to a portal page and then you define them in place on the page.

2.7.2 Java Portlets

Typically Java portlets offer a develop first, add later portlet creation style. Two wizards are available through Oracle JDeveloper to assist with the creation of Oracle PDK-Java and JSR 168 portlets. The wizards generate the basic files required for portlet creation. The developer hand-codes the portlet logic. The development sequence for Java portlets is to create the portlet, deploy it to a provider, register the provider with Oracle Portal, and then add the portlet to a page.

2.7.3 Portlet Builder

With Portlet Builder you define the portlets first. The previously defined portlets are then made available to you in the Portlet Repository so you can add them to your pages. For simple portlets, though, Portlet Builder offers you the develop in-place experience, similar to OmniPortlet and Web Clipping.

2.7.4 PLSQL Portlets

Similar to the Java portlets, PLSQL portlets typically follow the develop first, add later creation path. Extensive coding is required to develop in-place PLSQL portlets. For example, simple in-place portlets that are offered by Portlet Builder are written in PLSQL.

2.8 User Interface Flexibility

This section describes the portlet building tools in terms of the control you have over the user interface.

2.8.1 Web Clipping

Because of its nature, Web Clipping always displays the remote Web site content, therefore UI flexibility is not a requirement for this portlet.

2.8.2 OmniPortlet

OmniPortlet enables you to use a number of different prebuilt layouts, such as scrolling news, tabular, and chart. You can also use the built-in HTML layout to personalize the look and feel of your portlet using HTML and JavaScript. Note: With extensive coding, you can create develop in-place Java portlets. For example, Web Clipping and OmniPortlet are both Java portlets. Note: Portlets built with Portlet Builders develop in-place technology are somewhat limited as compared to those built using the Navigator.