[opencms-dev] Writing a simple MasterModule

Alexander Kandzior alex at opencms.org
Tue Jan 27 14:30:02 CET 2004 

Yea I have thought about OpenCms modules and portlets. 

They way I see it there is no need for OpenCms to become a portlet container
itself. There are already 2 good Open Source solutions available, Jetspeed
and Pluto. However, these portal solutions lack CMS capabilities. So what
should be possible with the new module API is to add a kind of "portlet
wrapper" to a module. This will be some little extra work during module
development, but the new API should help you here. The result of this would
be that The contents of an OpenCms module could be exposable as portlet in a
standard portal solution. 

Architecture could be something like this:


OpenCms core
    |
OpenCms (new) module implementation
    |
OpenCms portlet wrapper (implements portlet interface)
    | 
Portlet container (e.g. Pluto, Jetspeed)


Please let me know what you think about that approach.

Best Regards,
Alex.

Alexander Kandzior
Alkacon Software - The OpenCms Experts
http://www.alkacon.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org 
> [mailto:opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org] On Behalf Of Taras Vasylkevych
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 1:24 PM
> To: opencms-dev at opencms.org
> Subject: RE: [opencms-dev] Writing a simple MasterModule
> 
> 
> Hi Alex,
> 
> Concerning developement of new API for Master Module:
> have you considered the possibility to make OpenCMS JSR 168 
> compliant? Is it possible at all?
> 
> So far to extend opencms functionality one need to build 
> modules. The possibility to use standart portlets could make 
> OpenCMS very good not only for websites but also for 
> corporate portal solutions.
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Taras Vasylkevych
> 
> team in medias GmbH - 02 41- 4 09 09 09
> www.inmedias.de
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org 
> [mailto:opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org]On Behalf Of Alexander Kandzior
> Sent: Samstag, 24. Januar 2004 22:38
> To: opencms-dev at opencms.org
> Subject: RE: [opencms-dev] Writing a simple MasterModule
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I think it might be valuable if I add my 2 cent to this discussion.
> 
> The "MasterModule" in fact was developed as an alternative 
> concept to "normal" ContentDefinitions. The basic idea was to 
> provide a simple and intuitive API that actually does not 
> require the creation of new database tables, and 
> automatically adds all "OpenCms" features like locking / 
> unlocking, online / offline / backup versions, publishing, 
> sharing content in different "channels" and full OpenCms  
> backoffice integration with context menues.
> 
> This is what today exists in the master module. I know this 
> must sound great. But beware, there are many hidden issues.
> 
> In the current implementation of this "MasterModule" standard 
> there are serious shortcomings. The perhaps greatest mistake 
> made is that almost all of the above mentioned functionality 
> has been implemented a secound time. Take e.g. the 
> lock/unlock functionality. We already had this in the 
> CmsObject for CmsResources etc. However, instead of extending 
> from this like you would think good OO-programming style 
> should be, it is actually just implemented a secound time, 
> but with a completly different logic. This makes the core 
> code very hard to maintain and extend. Moreover, the design 
> of this current "MasterModule" is completly different from 
> the other CmsObject based design. The code is mixed with 
> XmlTemplate code (no separation from presentation, logic and 
> database layer). Also, the API is unfortunatly very far from 
> being "simple and intuitive". And because of some serious 
> impementation mistakes (e.g. using reflection far too much) 
> the generated modules are also slow in performance for the end user.
> 
> All of the above has led to my decision to start a project 
> with the goal to re-implement a new and improved default 
> module mechanism. This is a project that will start soon and 
> should be finished somewhere in the secound half of 2004.
> 
> Because of that, I do not want to encourage the use of the 
> existing "MasterModule" mechanism. The new mechanism will be 
> much different from the existing one, and very much better. 
> This is also the reason why so little documentation is 
> currently available for the "MasterModule" mechanism. I find 
> it amazing how far module development for OpenCms has already 
> come in the almost complete absence of any documentation for 
> that topic. I fear if I publish documentation for the current 
> mechanism now, it will be cemented as a de-facto standard. A 
> standard nobody will really like because it is very clumsy to 
> use, and one that will drive away many users just evaluating 
> OpenCms. I rather want to create a new standard that is 
> really attrative to developers (from the API side) and end - 
> users (from the GUI side).
> 
> Well so much for my thoughts. Any feedback is welcome. And of 
> course, if someone wants to volunteer for that new project, 
> this is even more welcome.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Alex.
> 
> Alexander Kandzior
> Alkacon Software - The OpenCms Experts
> http://www.alkacon.com
> 
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org 
> > [mailto:opencms-dev-admin at opencms.org] On Behalf Of tol
> > Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2004 5:19 PM
> > To: opencms-dev at opencms.org
> > Subject: Re: AW: [opencms-dev] Writing a simple MasterModule
> >
> >
> > Hi!
> >
> > > Have a look at http://opencms.al-arenal.de/.
> > > Under Tutorials there is a link called vtab.zip and 
> dbtab.zip. This 
> > > is a howto for creating a backoffice module! Perhaps it helps a 
> > > little bit.
> > >
> > > manuel
> >
> > It's great for understanding the backoffice and "normal" 
> > ContentDefinition conecepts step by step! :)
> >
> > But ... if I understand it right, the MasterModule is newer, an 
> > alternativ concept to "normal" ContentDefinition and Backoffice.
> >
> > So this tutorials help me for understanding some generals and for 
> > future questions, but not for solving my current problems.
> >
> > Nervertheless: many, many thanks!! :))
> >
> > Best wishes
> > Tol
> > --
> > independent internet radio berlin
> > http://www.recordcaster.de
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> 
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