OFBiz Widgets: Was: Extending OFBiz: The BigFish eCommerce Project

[Ruth Hoffman-2]

All:

For more information about how to use OFBiz Screen, Menu, Tree and Form
widgets, I did a concise write-up in the Apache OFBiz Cookbook available
from PACKT Publishing:

     [http://www.packtpub.com/apache-ofbiz-cookbook/book]

After re-reading this section (I did this over a year ago), I now recall
why I said "lists". HTML lists (ul/ol) are created automatically by Menu
and Tree widgets.

Regards,
Ruth Hoffman

On 12/3/11 3:51 PM, Ruth Hoffman wrote:

> Hi Jacques:
> Sorry, by "list" I really mean Screen widgets with entity-condition
> lists. Never meant to imply that I would not use a Screen widget. No,
> always I use Screen widgets with Freemarker templates and Groovy
> scripts (not XML conditional statements in the actions part of the
> Screen Widget.)
>
> And yes, jQuery is a godsend. I've been using it now for some time and
> love it. Haven't had a chance to use it with a Form or Menu widget yet
> but who knows...
>
> Agreed about the User ML.
>
> Regards,
> Ruth
> http://www.myofbiz.com
>
> On 12/3/11 2:23 PM, Jacques Le Roux wrote:
>> To simplify, I'd say; go with Form/Menu widgets  as long as you can
>> and switch to Freemarkers templates when your needs go beyond what  
>> Form/Menu widgets can offer. BTW I don't know what List widgets stand
>> for Ruth ;o). Alos you need screen widgets in all cases. Remember
>> that you can use Jquery (and js by and large) also with Form/Menu
>> widgets and sometimes it opens you awesome possiblities. You can find
>> examples in OFBiz trunk and R11.04
>>
>> I just wonder if this thread should not be in user ML rather...
>>
>> Jacques
>>
>> From: "Ruth Hoffman" <[hidden email]>
>>> Hi Gareth:
>>> Can't help but add my 2 cents here...
>>>
>>> First, I take issue with Han's statement: "...it is an
>>> implementation of a 'simple' OFBiz component all in a single
>>> webapp...". I would argue that there is no such thing as a "simple"
>>> OFBiz component. To my way of thinking, "simple" adds no value to
>>> the discussion. A component is a component.
>>>
>>> Second, components are not implemented in webapps. User interfaces -
>>> built from one or more OFBiz webapps - which provide browser access
>>> to OFBiz features and functions, are implemented within a component.
>>> Not the other way around.
>>>
>>> Third, after many years of using OFBiz and developing many new
>>> applications (and working with existing ones), IMHO the menu, form
>>> and list widgets are of limited value. Here is when I (sometimes)
>>> use them: If you need to build a quick webpage (HTML) view into a
>>> single database table, perhaps an entity you have added to implement
>>> some new business function, you may want to consider using these
>>> widgets. To add and remove data to a single table or list the
>>> contents of a table, widgets work just fine.
>>>
>>> The problem arises in that most modern, web based user interface
>>> designs don't lend themselves to this very one-dimensional view of
>>> the data model.
>>>
>>> It is extremely difficult (and IMHO a waste of time) to build an
>>> OFBiz user interface with these widgets when you have the best tool
>>> available (Freemarker) to do this. Use the right tool for the job
>>> and you will be rewarded handsomely!
>>>
>>> Best of luck
>>> Ruth
>>> http://www.myofbiz.com
>>>
>>> On 12/3/11 8:59 AM, Gareth O'Brien wrote:
>>>> Hans,
>>>>
>>>> I'm new to ofbiz; also to the tools and components that it
>>>> comprises having
>>>> come from a Windows .NET C# background.
>>>>
>>>> I'm interested in your comment about it being a pity that only ftl
>>>> is used.
>>>> Can you expand a bit on that?
>>>>
>>>> What are the shortcomings of ftl?
>>>> What alternative(s) would you recommend and why?
>>>>
>>>> The whole area of UI, especially simplified and deployed as an
>>>> end-user
>>>> package will feature heavily in a project due to kick off in January.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Gareth.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Hans Bakker [mailto:[hidden email]]
>>>> Sent: 02 December 2011 06:45
>>>> To: [hidden email]
>>>> Cc: Len Shein
>>>> Subject: Re: Extending OFBiz: The BigFish eCommerce Project
>>>>
>>>> I think this is pretty interesting, it is an implementation of a
>>>> 'simple'
>>>> OFBiz component all in a single webapp....a pity that only ftl is
>>>> used, but
>>>> still......
>>>>
>>>> A demo version would be helpfull.
>>>>
>>>> what is the license of this contribution, is it a contribution?
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Hans
>>>>
>>>> On 12/01/2011 01:06 AM, Len Shein wrote:
>>>>> OFBiz Community:
>>>>>
>>>>> We have developed an eCommerce specific solution, something like a
>>>>> "Store In a Box". We call it BigFish.
>>>>>
>>>>> Built on top of OFBiz; completely ready-to-go, with lots of
>>>>> flexibility and configuration options. We are looking for
>>>>> adopters! We
>>>>> are looking for the OFBiz community to download, support, critique,
>>>>> suggest improvements, and validate our efforts.
>>>>>
>>>>> To participate take a look at
>>>>> <http://www.salmonllc.com/downloads/bf_deploy.doc>
>>>>> http://www.salmonllc.com/website/downloads/bf_deploy.doc
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> * BigFish eCommerce
>>>>>
>>>>> * A fully functional eCommerce implementation (a real working "Store
>>>>> In A Box")
>>>>> * Includes product categories, products, configurations, check-out
>>>>> etc.
>>>>> * BigFish eCommerce is a single framework that can be used to
>>>>> implement any number of eCommerce stores, all with their own
>>>>> products,
>>>>> look-and-feel and behavior
>>>>> * The Product Catalog data drives all aspects of the shopping
>>>>> experience
>>>>> * And look-and-feel is modified within the CSS styling and the
>>>>> BigFish
>>>>> configuration
>>>>> * With flexible configuration options to fine-tune the user
>>>>> experience
>>>>> and functionality (all easily maintained in the Admin Module)
>>>>> * Features:
>>>>>
>>>>> * Flexible Home Page configuration
>>>>> * The OFBiz Product Catalog drives many aspects, including the main
>>>>> navigation bar, listing and detail pages
>>>>> * Fully functional Product Listing Page (PLP), with options for
>>>>> sorting and integration with SOLR for faceted navigation
>>>>> * Complete Product Detail Page, with options for Ratings and Reviews
>>>>> * Site Search: using SOLR
>>>>> * Complete Customer Account Management features, register, login,
>>>>> forgot password, address book, order status
>>>>> * Complete Check-Out process
>>>>> * sitemap.xml generator
>>>>> * email generation for each relevant trigger
>>>>> * Flexible and powerful Static Page solution for About-Us, Terms and
>>>>> Conditions etc.
>>>>>
>>>>> * BigFish Admin Module
>>>>>
>>>>> * The Admin Module exposes all the great back-end OFBiz functionality
>>>>> that is applicable to our eCommerce store
>>>>> * Intended to be used by the business experts, without IT involvement
>>>>> * Features:
>>>>>
>>>>> * Manage your Product Catalog
>>>>> * Customer Management
>>>>> * Order Management
>>>>> * Manage home page content
>>>>> * Approve customer reviews
>>>>> * Manage specific Page content spots
>>>>> * Control how the faceted navigation will behave
>>>>> * Maintain Static Pages
>>>>> * Manage email templates and generation
>>>>> * and more
>>>>>
>>>>> * Coming Soon (scheduled into our dev team)
>>>>>
>>>>> * Guest Checkout
>>>>> * Single Page Checkout
>>>>> * Store Locator
>>>>> * Manage Promotions
>>>>> * Full multi support:
>>>>>
>>>>> * Language
>>>>> * Country Formatting (date, tel, address)
>>>>> * Currency
>>>>>
>>>>> * Road Map
>>>>>
>>>>> * SEO User Friendly URL's
>>>>> * You Previously Viewed
>>>>> * Flexible import and export features
>>>>> * Home Page "carousel"
>>>>> * Multi-Catalog, Multi-Site
>>>>> * Site Search:
>>>>>
>>>>> * auto complete
>>>>> * spell-check
>>>>> * did you mean?
>>>>> * search non-catalog content
>>>>> * store Locator: click and collect
>>>>>
>>>>> * Enhanced Order Management
>>>>> * Enhanced Customer Management
>>>>> * Integrate with more OFBiz features:
>>>>>
>>>>> * Inventory
>>>>> * Back-Orders
>>>>> * Warehousing
>>>>> * etc.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> To participate, and for complete download / install instructions look
>>>>> at<http://www.salmonllc.com/downloads/bf_deploy.doc>
>>>>> http://www.salmonllc.com/website/downloads/bf_deploy.doc
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Best Regards,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Len Shein
>>>>>
>>>>> Salmon LLC
>>>>>
>>>>> www.salmonllc.com<http://www.salmonllc.com/>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> O: 516.742.7888
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>