Tips for Building your First XPages Java Application

Tips for Building Your First XPages Java Application
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And mention us: @Teamstudio @TLCCLTD
@mmcgarel @gacres99
Dec. 2, 2014

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Who We Are
• Teamstudio’s background is in creating tools for
collaborative computing in mid-size and large
enterprises, primarily for IBM Notes
• Easy-to-use tools for developers and administrators
• 2300+ active customers, 47 countries
• Offices in US, UK, and Japan
• Entered mobile space in 2010 with Unplugged: easy
mobilization of Notes apps to Blackberry, Android
and iOS

Teamstudio Unplugged
• Your mobile Domino server: take your IBM Notes
apps with you!
• End-users access Notes applications from mobile
devices whether online or offline
• Leverages the powerful technology of XPages
• Unplugged v3.1

Unplugged Templates
• Continuity – Mobile offline access to
BCM programs
• OneView Approvals – Expense
approvals; anywhere, anytime
• CustomerView – lightweight CRM
framework for field sales and field
service teams
• Contacts – customer information database
• Activities – customer activity log
• Media – mobile offline file storage and access

XControls
• Set of Controls for IBM Domino XPage developers
working on new XPages apps and on app
modernization projects
• Re-write of the Teamstudio Unplugged Controls
project, but adds full support for PC browser-based
user interfaces as well as mobile interfaces
• Enables XPage developers to create controls that
are responsive
• Learn more: http://xcontrols.org

Teamstudio Services
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• http://www.teamstudio.com/solutions/services/

• Modernization Services promotion:
o Now through December 15, sign up to learn about our Modernization Services, and
be automatically entered to win an iPhone 6.

1
#XPages
Tips for your First Java
XPages Application
Your Hosts Today:
Howard Greenberg
TLCC
@TLCCLtd
Paul Della-Nebbia
TLCC
@PaulDN

How can TLCC Help YOU!
2
• Private classes at
your location or
virtual
•XPages Development
•Support Existing Apps
•Administration
• Let us help you
become an expert
XPages developer!
• Delivered via Notes
• XPages
• Development
• Admin
• User
Self-
Paced
Courses
Mentoring
Instructor-
Led
Classes
Application
Development
and
Consulting
Free
Demo
Courses!

TLCC Java Courses and Package for XPages Developers
Java 1 for XPages Development (9.0)
• Covers the Java Language
Java 2 for XPages Development
• Debugging
• Expression Language
• JavaBeans and Managed Beans
• Third Party Java Libraries
• Exporting to PDF and Excel files
• On Sale for $599, save $300
Java for XPages Package
• Has both Java courses
• On Sale for only $999, save $500
3
Sale prices good through 12/31/2014
Click here for more information on the Java courses

Upcoming and Recorded Webinars
4
• Future webinars for 2015 to be announced later this month
www.tlcc.com/xpages-webinar
View Previous Webinars
(use url above)

Asking Questions – Q and A at the end
5
Use the Orange Arrow button to
expand the GoToWebinar panel
Then ask your questions in the
Questions pane!
We will answer your questions
verbally at the end of the
webinar

Your Presenters Today:
6
Graham Acres
Brytek Systems
@gacres99
#XPages
Mike McGarel
Czarnowski
@mmcgarel

AD107: Don’t Put the Cart . . .
Graham Acres
 IBM Lotus Notes Developer/Designer
since v2.1
 Brytek is an IBM Business Partner based
in Vancouver, Canada
 Currently focus on application
development (Social Business, XPages,
Mobile)
 OpenNTF Contributor
 Away from work
Cyclist, Ride to Conquer Cancer

Mike McGarel
 Collaborative Solutions Developer at
Czarnowski Display Service, Inc.
Working with Notes/Domino since version 4.6
Working on the Web for over 14 years
 OpenNTF Contributor
 Maintain MWLUG site

Disclaimer
We are
Professionals, but
NOT Experts (in
this case anyway)
 This advice is
likely not Best
Practices, but it is
our experience in
learning Java

Midwest Biking Inc.

Agenda
Where to Begin
 Planning Your Application
 Shopping Cart Demo
 Let’s Look at the Code
 Lessons Learned and Cool Tips
 Resources
 Questions

You Where to Begin? Are Here

Why Java?
 XPages is built on Java
 SSJS is converted to Java
 Futureproofs YOUR skill set
 Syntax is not that different from LotusScript
‘LotusScript
Dim strName As String
strName = “Schwinn”
//Java
String strName = “Schwinn”;

“I Don’t Know What I Don’t Know”

“Checking the Roadmap”
Websites galore!
 Blog posts
 Notes in 9 videos
 Books
 Colleagues
 Java APIs
 Conference sessions

Java “Rules of the Road”
 Case sensitive
 Mandatory semicolon;
 XPages version is Java 6
 Data types: Primitive vs. Class (double <> Double)
Primitive (lower case), e.g., double, int, char
Class (proper case), e.g., Double, Integer, String

Don’t “Reinvent the Bicycle Wheel”
 Example: String class has 72 methods!

Collections
 You will almost always use collections whenever you
interact with a database
 LotusScript has them, e.g., NotesDocumentCollection,
ViewEntryCollection
 Java has many more, e.g., ArrayList, Vector, HashMap,
TreeMap, LinkedHashSet, TreeSet
 List – stores index position
 Map – has a key-value pairing
 Set – no duplicates

“Planning your route”

Application Design
 Front end UI
 Functionality
 Back end structure
 Client-side code
 Server-side code

Java Class Design
 Java classes needed
 Order
 Shopping cart
 Cart item
 Optional
 Utility
 Catalog
Order
ShoppingCart
CCaartrIttIetemm CCaartrIttIetemm CartItem

Class Elements
 Properties
 Often tied to form or document fields, e.g.,
 unit price for a cart item
 if the cart contains items
 Methods
 Standard getters / setters
 Custom, e.g., calculate cost (quantity x price)

Java Beans (a canned explanation)
A Java object defined by specific standards
 Public Java class
 Serializable
 Private properties (optional)
 Public constructor with no arguments
 Public methods

Sample Bean (outside)
package com.mbi.shopping;
import java.io.Serializable;
/* other possible libraries */
public class Sample implements Serializable {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private String myText;
public Sample() {
}
public String getMyText() {
return myText;
}
public void setMyText (String txt) {
this.myText = txt;
}
}

Sample Bean (inside)
package com.mbi.shopping;
import java.io.Serializable;
/* other possible libraries */
public class Sample implements Serializable {
private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
private String myText;
public Sample() {
}
public String getMyText() {
return myText;
}
public void setMyText (String txt) {
this.myText = txt;
}
}

Shopping Cart Demo

ShoppingCart Class
 Properties:
private LinkedHashMap<String,CartItem> cart;
private BigDecimal totalCost;
Why a LinkedHashMap ?
 Keeps the insertion order
 Uses a key,value structure
 The key can be used on other parts of the page,
e.g., "Add to Cart" button rendering

LinkedHashMap Class Methods
 .containsKey()
 .get()
 .isEmpty()
 .put(K key, V value)
 .size()
 .values()

XPage Code for “Add to Cart” Button
<xp:button value="Add to Cart" id="btnAddToCart">
<xp:this.rendered>
<![CDATA[#{javascript:var productId = productEntry.getColumnValues()[0];
!Order.containsKey(productId)}]]>
</xp:this.rendered>
<xp:eventHandler event="onclick" submit="true” refreshMode="partial"
refreshId="content">
<xp:this.action>
<![CDATA[#{javascript:var id = productEntry.getColumnValues()[0];
var name = productEntry.getColumnValues()[1];
var price =
new java.math.BigDecimal(productEntry.getColumnValues()[4].toString());
var qty = new java.lang.Double(1);
Order.addCartItem(name,id,price,qty)}]]>
</xp:this.action>
</xp:eventHandler>
</xp:button>

ShoppingCart Class Code for addCartItem
public ShoppingCart() {
this.cart = new LinkedHashMap<String,CartItem>();
totalCost = new BigDecimal(0);
}
public void addCartItem (String name, String id,
BigDecimal price, Double quantity) {
try {
CartItem cartItem = new CartItem();
cartItem.load(name,id,price,quantity);
cart.put(id,cartItem);
calcTotalCost();
} catch (Exception ex) {
ex.printStackTrace();
}
}

CartItem Class Properties
Contains only what’s needed for processing, e.g.,
Name, ID, price, quantity, cost:
private String itemName;
private String itemId;
private BigDecimal itemPrice;
private Double itemQuantity;
private BigDecimal itemCost;

CartItem Class Methods
Mostly getters / setters, e.g.,
public Double getItemQuantity() {
return itemQuantity;
}
public void setItemQuantity (Double qty) {
this.itemQuantity = qty;
}

CartItem Loading Method
In ShoppingCart Class:
CartItem cartItem = new CartItem();
cartItem.load(name,id,price,quantity);
cart.put(id,cartItem);
In CartItem Class:
public void load (String name, String id,
BigDecimal price, Double quantity) {
setItemName(name);
setItemId(id);
setItemPrice(price);
setItemQuantity(quantity);
setItemCost(calcItemCost(quantity));
}

Order Class
 Managed bean
 Instantly available
 Loaded in faces-config.xml file
Tip: available in 9.0.1 through Domino
Designer without Package Explorer.
Preferences > Domino Designer >
Application Navigator > Application
Configuration > Faces-config

Faces-config.xml Sample
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<faces-config>
<managed-bean>
<managed-bean-name>Order</managed-bean-name>
<managed-bean-class>com.mbi.shopping.Order
</managed-bean-class>
<managed-bean-scope>session</managed-bean-scope>
</managed-bean>


</faces-config>

Order Class Properties and Methods
 Contains ShoppingCart property
Wrapped methods for easier access, e.g.,
private ShoppingCart cart;
public Order() {
this.cart = new ShoppingCart();
}
public void addCartItem (String name, String id, BigDecimal price,
Double quantity) {
this.cart.addCartItem(name,id,price,quantity);
}
public void removeCartItem (String key) {
this.cart.removeCartItem(key);
}

Lessons Learned and Cool Tips

Lesson Learned #1 – Number Field
 Number value becomes JavaScript number
(thanks to JSF number converter)
 Equivalent to Java Double (the class not the primitive)
 Originally used Integer class for the item quantity
Integer or int reference results in type mismatch error
Error not showing up using System.out.println
Error display control worked, because problem was
on the XPage itself

Lesson Learned #2 – Date Fields
 Java Calendar object

Lesson Learned #2 – Date Fields

Lesson Learned #3 – Try / Catch Blocks
 Error management
 Different from LotusScript
 Not just errors

Lesson Learned #4 – Managed Beans
 Not every Java object need to be a managed bean
 Where a bean is managed is also important
 ApplicationScope
 SessionScope
 ViewScope
 RequestScope
 Depending on need, may copy from one scope to another
 Be careful!

Cool Tip #1 – To Do Reminder
 Add to your Java code for a handy reminder
Written as: TODO in any comment line

Cool Tip #2 – Comparing Strings
 Here is where your LotusScript background can bite you
‘LotusScript
Dim strName As String
If (strName = “Schwinn”) Then
‘ do some processing
End If
//Java
String strName = "Schwinn";
if (strName == "Trek") {
// do some processing
// will always be FALSE!
}
Use this!
if (strName.equals("Trek")) {
// do some processing
}

Resources: Tutorials and Books
 Tutorial on Collections
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/index.html
 Head First Java

Resources: Websites
 Java 6 API
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/
 Notes in 9
http://www.notesin9.com
 OpenNTF
http://www.opentf.org
 OpenNTF Domino API
 Collaboration Today
http://collaborationtoday.info
 StackOverflow
http://stackoverflow.com
 How to Program With Java
http://www.howtoprogramwithjava.com

Resources: Community Blogs
 Jesse Gallagher
https://frostillic.us
 Nathan Freeman
http://nathanfreeman.wordpress.com
 Paul Withers
http://www.intec.co.uk/author/paulwithers/
 Declan Lynch
http://www.qtzar.com
 Tim Tripcony
http://www.timtripcony.com/blog.nsf
 Niklas Heidloff
http://heidloff.net/

“You’re On Your Way”

Thank You!
Graham Acres
Blog - http://grahamacres.wordpress.com/
Twitter - @gacres99
Email - graham.acres@brytek.ca
Mike McGarel
Blog - http://www.bleedyellow.com/blogs/McGarelGramming/
Twitter - @mmcgarel
Email - mcgarelgramming@gmail.com

Questions????
7
Use the Orange Arrow button to
expand the GoToWebinar panel
Then ask your questions in the
Questions panel!
Remember, we will answer your
questions verbally

Question and Answer Time!
Mike McGarel Graham Acres
Upcoming Events:
Paul Della-Nebbia Courtney Carter
ConnectED, Orlando in January
Engage, March 30/31 in Ghent, Belgium
8
Teamstudio Questions?
contactus@teamstudio.com
877-228-6178
TLCC Questions?
howardg@tlcc.com paul@tlcc.com
888-241-8522 or 561-953-0095
Howard Greenberg
#XPages
@mmcgarel
@gacres99
@TLCCLtd
@Teamstudio
@PaulDN
To learn more about Java in XPages:
Special offer for webinar attendees on TLCC’s Java Package

Tips for Building your First XPages Java Application

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