Before you can integrate an AB Suite or EAE application with ePortal, you must use the ePortal Generator in AB Suite Client Tools to generate the artifacts required by an ePortal data source project. These artifacts are created from the AB Suite/EAE Model definition and include:
Ispec XML files
There is one XML file (ispec-name.xml) created for each Ispec in the Component Enabler bundle. These XML files contain Ispec data definitions, presentation properties of the forms designed in EAE and AB Suite Painter, and teach screen definitions.
Ispec Model files
Ispec Model files are Windows Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) that contain the information needed to execute a transaction for each Ispec (ispec-name.dll). These files are used by ePortal at runtime to communicate with the AB Suite/EAE host application from the ePortal environment.
Application.cexml
The Application.cexml file contains application metadata (application name, bundle name, package prefix, versions, etc.). It also contains a catalog of Ispec XML files, along with their version number and time stamp. This file is used by the AB Suite/EAE Ispec Import dialog box to display the list of Ispecs available for import and to determine if an Ispec has changed after the initial import.
IspecList.xml
The IspecList.xml file contains the list of Ispec names along with their descriptions. At runtime, the application user can select an Ispec from this list if the application user wishes to switch to another application screen.
Images
Image files represent all of the images required by the AB Suite or EAE application.
Field Translators
Field Translators are DLLs that match the country (ISOC) and language (ISOL) codes that were set up in the view configuration for the AB Suite or EAE application.
For detailed information on using the ePortal Generator, refer to the Agile Business Suite Component Enabler User Guide.
Directory Structure for Artifacts Generated by the ePortal Generator
The ePortal Generator in AB Suite Client Tools produces the following directory structure:
<PackagePrefixDirs>
<Application>
<Bundle>
fieldtranslators
Images
ispecs
views
<LanguageN>
Where
<PackagePrefixDirs> | Series of directories based on the package prefix |
<Application> | Application name |
<Bundle> | Bundle name |
fieldtranslators | Directory that contains the Field translator DLLs, if any. |
Images | Directory that contains all images required by the AB Suite/EAE application. |
ispecs | Directory that contains the Ispec Model files. |
views | Directory that contains the Application.cexml file as well as the language directories. |
<LanguageN> | One or more language directories, one for each language supported by the AB Suite/EAE application. Each language directory also contains the IspecList.xml file and all individual Ispec XML files. |
The following example illustrates the directory structure for an AB Suite or EAE application with a package prefix of com.unisys, an application name of sample and a bundle name of eport. This application supports two languages, lang1033 and lang1034.
com unisys sample eport fieldtranslators Images ispecs views lang1033 lang1034
Information Required to Use the AB Suite/EAE Ispec Import Dialog
When you run the AB Suite/EAE Ispec Import dialog box, you must know the following:
Location of the Application.cexml file - The Application.cexml file is located in the views directory that is generated by the ePortal Generator in AB Suite Client Tools.
Name of the language that you wish to integrate with ePortal - You must select one particular language that you plan to use with ePortal. If you want to use more than one language, you must create a separate ePortal solution for each language.
AB Suite/EAE Application Configuration Information – After the import dialog completes, ePortal opens the project properties dialog, if necessary, so you can modify the application configuration information. This only occurs if you have not yet configured the required information. Refer to AB Suite/EAE Data Source Project Property Pages Dialog for details.
You must select every Ispec associated with the AB Suite or EAE application that will be used in the new ePortal presentation method. The AB Suite/EAE Ispec Import dialog box creates a ClearPath ePortal server message (.eprec) for each selected Ispec.