1. The uPortal Framework and Channels
Robert Sherratt
Digital University Project (
University of Hull

2. The uPortal Framework and Channels
Background – uPortal and JA-SIG
Channels
APIs
deployment in the portal
What next…

3. JA-SIG Java Architectures Special Interest Group Formed in 1999
Formerly Administrative Computing
Formed in 1999
Consortia of over 200 institutions
Clearinghouse
uPortal
JA-SIG UK

4. What is uPortal Open source portal framework Developed by JA-SIG
Based on open standards
Java, XML, XSL
Used for production of institutional portals
Staff, students (alumni, perspective students)
c. 35 live sites

5. uPortal details Designed to integrate with existing IT infrastructure
Servlet containers, databases, directory services, authentication systems
Very flexible layout engine
Layout details stored in db via JDBC
Output (XML), Structure (XSL), Skins (CSS + graphics)
Customization

6. uPortal details - 2 User profile Framework contributions
LDAP/JDBC storage
Uses eduPerson standard
Add your own attributes
Framework contributions
Development community plus core team
Both commercial and higher education

7. uPortal versions 1.0 - July 2000 1.5/1.6 – 2001 2.0 – February 2002
Roles, performance
2.0 – February 2002
XSLT
2.1 – December 2002
Groups & Permissions, Composite group service
2.2 – October 2003
Aggregated layouts, i18n

8. What is a channel?
User
Channel
Portal layer
Content
Data
Applications

9. uPortal Channels For displaying content within uPortal
Access back-end content/functions and present to user
Default channel types
Applet, Image, Inline Frame, Remote Channel Proxy, RSS, Web Proxy, XML Transformation
“Proprietary” Channel APIs
IChannel – simple structure
Multithreaded/cacheable - base classes and interfaces

10. The Channel APIs - IChannel
setStaticData
called once when the channel is started
setRuntimeData
called every time the channel is used
renderXML
transforms the channel content

11. IChannel – Hello Name setRuntimeData
public void setRuntimeData (ChannelRuntimeData rd) {
runtimeData = rd;
sName = runtimeData.getParameter ("name"); }

12. IChannel - renderXML
public void renderXML (ContentHandler out) throws PortalException {
StringWriter w = new StringWriter ();
w.write ("<?xml version='1.0'?>\n");
w.write ("<content>\n");
if (sName != null)
w.write (" <name>" + sName + "</name>\n");
w.write ("</content>\n");
XSLT xslt = new XSLT(this);
xslt.setXML(w.toString());
xslt.setXSL(sslLocation, "main", runtimeData.getBrowserInfo());
xslt.setTarget(out);
xslt.setStylesheetParameter("baseActionURL", runtimeData.getBaseActionURL());
xslt.transform(); }

13. Transforming content – Stylesheet list
private static final String sslLocation = "CHelloName/CHelloName.ssl";
<?xml-stylesheet title="main" href="CHelloName/xhtml.xsl" type="text/xsl" media="netscape"?>
<?xml-stylesheet alternate="yes" href="CHelloName/xhtml.xsl" type="text/xsl" media="explorer"?>
Use to support different devices/formats

14. Transforming content - XSL
<xsl:template match="content">
<xsl:choose>
<xsl:when test="name">
Welcome to uPortal <xsl:value-of select="name"/> .<br />
</xsl:when>
</xsl:choose>
Please enter your name:<br />
<form action="{$baseActionURL}" method="post">
<input type="text" name="name" size="10" class="uportal-input-text"/>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" class="uportal-button"/>
</form>
</xsl:template>

15. Multithreaded and cacheable channels
Multithreaded channels are trusted to keep their own state/session
the same methods as IChannel and also include channel instance key
renderXML the same except for:
ChannelState channelState = (ChannelState)channelStateMap.get(uid);
ChannelStaticData staticData = channelState.getStaticData();
ChannelRuntimeData runtimeData = channelState.getRuntimeData();
additional methods for generating a channel instance key

16. The channel within the framework

17. General settings

18. Channel specific data

19. Channel categories

20. Channel groups

21. What next Easier deployment with CARs JSR 168 awaiting final release
Web Services…
WSRP awaiting approval as an OASIS standard
Next version of uPortal, 2.2, will have:
WSRP producer channel
WSRP consumer channel

22. Questions? Digital University Project (www.digital.hull.ac.uk)