Request Handlers
Request Handlers are Java classes which implement the com.ee.common.IRequestHandler interface. The fully qualified Java class name is mapped to a url under the ee/request url space. The web application will create an instance of the handler class (one instance per request), initialize it, and call it's process method. The responsibility for handling the HTTP request is then passed to the handler.
This is the most extensive, and complex means of customizing or extending the Elements web application. However it allows almost any functionality to be added.
Additional information about the Filter Request Handler including information on XSLT transforms, rendering, and parameterized filters.
Additional information about the Diagram Request Handler including options you can pass in the query string to control the type, size and layout of the diagram.
Formatted Datasets, XSLT Transformations.
Formatted datasets are a set of SQL SELECT statements which are converted to an xml representation and then processed through an XSLT stylesheet. This is a very flexible mechanism for generating web content. The stylesheets can generate xhtml, or svg, they can be used for simple reporting, or form generation.
More details on how this is implemented in Elements can be found at Named Text, and XSLT
Template Tags
The Elements Template System, provides a tool for html developers to create "template pages" in their favorite html editor. This feature is described in Templates.
Portal Display Customization
The simplest method of customizing the appearance of the portal display is through the use of Portal Display Parameters
You may supply your own xhtml markup to be used in portals.
- See Templates for a comprehensive method.
- A simpler method allows you to create an Html User Markup object with eExplorer. The user markup object is inserted into the portal display at runtime. The major requirement is that your snippet be a well formed xhtml fragment.
Element Detail Report Customization
Element Detail Reports are defined by Templates see Element Detail Reports for more information.
Javascript
The Elements web application makes use of Javascript in several ways.
- ePortalPage
- The ePortalPage class provides the functionality for the Actions menus found in portals, and detail reports.
- eTable
- The eTable class renders queries as sortable, paged, dynamic tables.
- eDecorator
- The eTable class uses the eDecorator class which is responsible for decorating individual table cell data with hyperlinks, and images based on column meta data.