7 Working with Page Content

7.1.1 What You Should Know About Adding Content

In the edit page mode of Oracle Composer, you can add content wherever you see the Add Content button (Figure 7-1).

Figure 7-1 Add Content Buttons in Oracle Composer

Clicking Add Content opens the Oracle Composer Catalog, which provides access to all the documents, task flows, Portlets, and layout components you can add to a page (Figure 7-2).

Figure 7-2 Oracle Composer Add Content Button and the Resulting Catalog

Many Catalog resources are organized in folders and subfolders. Because the Catalog can get quite deep with resources, it also provides a search feature for finding the object you want to add. Enter a search term in the Search field (Figure 7-3).

Figure 7-3 The Search Feature in the Catalog

Results display in the Catalog (Figure 7-4).

Figure 7-4 Catalog Search Results

7.1.2 Adding Document Library Content to a Page

You can add content from a document library to an application page to expose a list of files, the content of a particular document, or an entire document library. When you add Document Library content to a page, the way it is rendered depends on the type of content you are adding. For example, folders are rendered as a flat list of files with a subset of the controls you find in a document library. Files are rendered according to the type of file you add:

• A document file is rendered as a link.

• An HTML file is rendered as formatted text.

• An image file is rendered as an image.

  Note:

  An image from the Document Library is different from an Image layout component. For example, you click an Add button to add an image from the Document Library. You click an Add button and then specify an image location for an Image layout component. Additionally, the Image layout component includes a Destination URI property, which you can use to specify a link that executes when users click the image. For more information, see Section 6.5.1.4, "Introducing the Image Layout Component."

This section describes how to add folders and files (including image, HTML, and other file types) to a page.

To add a folder or a file to a page:

1. Log in to your WebCenter application.

   For information about logging in, see Section 2.2.1, "Logging In to a WebCenter Application."

2. Go to the page where you want to add a file or folder.

   For information about locating pages, see Section 2.4, "Hiding, Showing, Opening, and Closing Pages."

3. From the Page Actions menu, select Edit Page to open Oracle Composer (Figure 7-5).

   Figure 7-5 Edit Page Command on the Page Actions Menu

   
   

   Note:

   If the Edit Page command is not available on the Page Actions menu or the Page Actions menu does not display, it is likely that you do not have sufficient page access privileges. If this is the case, ask your application administrator for the privilege to edit pages. See Section 2.7, "Contacting Your Application Administrator."

   In custom WebCenter applications, open Oracle Composer according to your page design. For example, in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, you can open Oracle Composer by clicking the Edit link at the top of the page (Figure 7-6).

   Figure 7-6 The Edit Link in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter

   
   

   Note:

   For more information about the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Developer's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

   The page opens in Oracle Composer (Figure 7-7).

   Figure 7-7 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer

   
   Description of "Figure 7-7 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer"
   
   

4. Click the Add Content button where you want to place the content (Figure 7-8).

   Figure 7-8 Add Content Buttons in Oracle Composer (Click One)

   
   

   The Catalog opens (Figure 7-9).

   Note:

   When the Catalog is open, the page goes gray, and you cannot perform any other actions on the page until you close the Catalog.

   Figure 7-9 The Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

5. Click the Open link next to Documents (Figure 7-10).

   Figure 7-10 The Open Link Next to Documents in the Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

   The content of the Documents folder appears (Figure 7-11).

   Figure 7-11 The Content of the Documents Folder in the Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

   Note:

   When you drill into the Documents folder, you are actually drilling into the live connection with the document repository. The documents you see in the content Catalog are not static resources, but reflect the latest status of files and folders in the content repository associated with your enterprise application.

   Users of custom WebCenter applications see similar types of components.

6. The next link you click depends on your current location in the application:

   • In a custom WebCenter application, or in a group or personal space in WebCenter Spaces, click All Documents to access all documents to which you have access.

   • In a WebCenter Spaces group space, click Group Space Documents to open a list of all of the files and folders to which you have access in the current group space.

   • In a WebCenter Spaces personal space, click Personal Documents to open a list of all the files and folders to which you have access in your personal space.

   If necessary, continue to drill into the Documents folder until you arrive at the content you want to add to the page.

7. Click the Add link next to the folder or file you want to add to the page (Figure 7-12).

   Figure 7-12 Add Link Next to a Folder in the Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

   The document library content you add to a page renders according to its type. For example:

   • A folder is rendered as a list of folders and files (Figure 7-13).

     Figure 7-13 A Document Folder from the Oracle Composer Catalog

     
     

   • An image file displays the image in-place.

   • An HTML file displays the HTML in-place.

   • All other file types are rendered as links.

8. Click the Save button in Oracle Composer to save your changes (Figure 7-14).

   Figure 7-14 The Save Button

   
   

9. Optionally, click the Close button to exit Oracle Composer (Figure 7-15).

   Figure 7-15 The Close Button

   
   

7.1.3 Adding Task Flows to a Page

WebCenter Spaces exposes collaborative, social networking, and personal productivity features through services, which, in turn, expose subsets of their features and functionality through task flows. Services provide a wide variety of functionality in support of personal and team objectives. Task flows provide reusable functionality that may expose all or a subset of the features available from a particular service. See Section 1.2, "Introducing WebCenter Services."

The different task flows of a particular service can range from offering all of the service's features to a subset of those features. For example, the Documents service provides multiple task flows that each provide a different view of your content repository back end and different subsets of the repository's features. One task flow allows for the creation and display of files and folders; another simply lets you view and access files.

Note:

In addition to task flows, you can place a file from a Document Library directly onto a page. How that file is rendered depends on the file's type (see Section 7.1.2, "Adding Document Library Content to a Page").

This section describes how to add a task flow to a page.

1. Log in to Oracle WebCenter Spaces.

   For information about logging in, see Section 2.2.1, "Logging In to a WebCenter Application."

2. Go to the page where you want to add a task flow.

   For information about locating pages, see Section 2.4, "Hiding, Showing, Opening, and Closing Pages."

3. From the Page Actions menu, select Edit Page to open Oracle Composer (Figure 7-5).

   Figure 7-16 Edit Page Command on the Page Actions Menu

   
   

   Note:

   If the Edit Page command is not available on the Page Actions menu or the Page Actions menu does not display, it is likely that you do not have sufficient page access privileges. If this is the case, ask your application administrator for the privilege to edit pages. See Section 2.7, "Contacting Your Application Administrator."

   In custom WebCenter applications, open Oracle Composer according to your page design. For example, in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, you can open Oracle Composer by clicking the Edit link at the top of the page (Figure 7-6).

   Figure 7-17 The Edit Link in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter

   
   

   Note:

   For more information about the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Developer's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

   The page opens in Oracle Composer (Figure 7-7).

   Figure 7-18 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer

   
   Description of "Figure 7-18 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer"
   
   

4. Click the Add Content button where you want to place the content (Figure 7-19).

   Figure 7-19 Add Content Buttons in Oracle Composer (Click One)

   
   

   The Catalog opens (Figure 7-20).

   Note:

   When the Catalog is open, the page goes gray, and you cannot perform any other actions on the page until you close the Catalog.

   Figure 7-20 The Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

5. Optionally, use the Catalog Search feature to locate the task flow of interest (Figure 7-21).

   Figure 7-21 Catalog Search Feature

   
   

6. Click the Add link next to the task flow of interest, or drill to the task flow by clicking the Open link next to the folder that contains it.

7. Optionally, continue to add task flows in this way.

8. Click Close to close the Catalog.

9. Click the Save button in Oracle Composer to save your changes (Figure 7-22).

   Figure 7-22 The Save Button

   
   

10. Optionally, click the Close button to exit Oracle Composer (Figure 7-23).

    Figure 7-23 The Close Button

    
    

Adding a task flow is often just the first step in getting the content you want on your page. Many task flows have unique properties that take values that determine task flow content. For more information, see Section 7.4, "Setting Properties on Page Content."

7.1.4 Adding Portlets to a Page

In addition to task flows and layout components, the Oracle Composer Catalog provides access to all the portlets your application administrator has integrated with your WebCenter application. This section provides information about portlets, describes how to place them on a page, and how to manage them after they are placed. It contains the following subsections:

• Introducing Portlets

• Adding a Portlet to a Page

7.1.4.1 Introducing Portlets

Portlets offer functionality, just like task flows, and they look like any other task flow when you place them on a WebCenter Spaces page (Figure 7-24).

Figure 7-24 Parameter Form and Display Portlets

One difference between portlets and task flows is that portlets are provided by applications rather than services. Central to the purpose of portlets is to provide a standard way for applications to integrate with other applications.

Note:

Before you can access portlets in the Catalog, your application administrator must register the portlet's producer with your WebCenter application. For more information, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Administrator's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

You can create more dynamic sets of pages by wiring portlets to other portlets and to pages using page parameters and contextual events. Use different portlets in combination to create your own enterprise mashups. For more information, see Chapter 8, "Wiring Pages, Task Flows, Portlets, and UI Components."

Note:

For a more-detailed look at portlets, see Chapter 31, "What You Should Know About Portlets."

7.1.4.2 Adding a Portlet to a Page

At runtime, you can add portlets to any WebCenter page on which you have sufficient access. This section describes how.

Note:

Avoid adding a portlet to a Movable Box layout component (see Section 6.5.1.5, "Introducing the Movable Box Layout Component"). The Movable Box layout component duplicates the user interaction functionalities of a portlet. Adding a portlet to a Movable Box creates an unnecessary and potentially error-prone redundancy.

To add a portlet to a page:

1. Log in to Oracle WebCenter Spaces.

   For information about logging in, see Section 2.2.1, "Logging In to a WebCenter Application."

2. Go to the page where you want to add a portlet.

   For information about locating pages, see Section 2.4, "Hiding, Showing, Opening, and Closing Pages."

3. From the Page Actions menu, select Edit Page to open Oracle Composer (Figure 7-25).

   Figure 7-25 Edit Page Command on the Page Actions Menu

   
   

   Note:

   If the Edit Page command is not available on the Page Actions menu or the Page Actions menu does not display, it is likely that you do not have sufficient page access privileges. If this is the case, ask your application administrator for the privilege to edit pages. See Section 2.7, "Contacting Your Application Administrator."

   In custom WebCenter applications, open Oracle Composer according to your page design. For example, in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, you can open Oracle Composer by clicking the Edit link at the top of the page (Figure 7-26).

   Figure 7-26 The Edit Link in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter

   
   

   Note:

   For more information about the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Developer's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

   The page opens in Oracle Composer (Figure 7-27).

   Figure 7-27 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer

   
   Description of "Figure 7-27 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer"
   
   

4. Click the Add Content button associated with the location where you want to place the portlet (Figure 7-28).

   Figure 7-28 Add Content Buttons in Oracle Composer (Click One)

   
   

   The Oracle Composer Catalog opens (Figure 7-29).

   Note:

   When the Catalog is open, the page goes gray, and you cannot perform any other actions on the page until you close the Catalog.

   Figure 7-29 The Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

5. Optionally, use the Catalog Search feature to locate the portlet of interest (Figure 7-30).

   Figure 7-30 Catalog Search Feature

   
   

6. Click the Add link next to the portlet of interest, or drill to the portlet by clicking the Open link next to the folder that contains the portlet.

7. Optionally, continue to add portlets in this way.

8. Click the Close button to close the Catalog.

9. Click the Save button in Oracle Composer to save your changes (Figure 7-31).

   Figure 7-31 The Save Button

   
   

10. Optionally, click the Close button to exit Oracle Composer (Figure 7-32).

    Figure 7-32 The Close Button

    
    

Adding a portlet is often just the first step in getting the content you want on your page. Many portlets have unique properties that take values that determine the portlet content. For more information, see the following sections and chapters:

• Section 7.4, "Setting Properties on Page Content"

• Chapter 8, "Wiring Pages, Task Flows, Portlets, and UI Components"

• Part V, "Working with Social Networking Services"

7.1.5 Embedding Video, Music, Slides, and Other Types of Content

You can use the HTML Markup layout component to expose video, music, Google Gadgets, and other types of content in your application pages. This section describes how.

To embed different types of media on an application page:

1. Copy the link location of the content you want to embed.

2. Log in to Oracle WebCenter Spaces.

   For information about logging in, see Section 2.2.1, "Logging In to a WebCenter Application."

3. Go to the page where you want to embed video, music, or some other type of medium.

   For information about locating pages, see Section 2.4, "Hiding, Showing, Opening, and Closing Pages."

4. From the Page Actions menu, select Edit Page to open Oracle Composer (Figure 7-33).

   Figure 7-33 Edit Page Command on the Page Actions Menu

   
   

   Note:

   If the Edit Page command is not available on the Page Actions menu or the Page Actions menu does not display, it is likely that you do not have sufficient page access privileges. If this is the case, ask your application administrator for the privilege to edit pages. See Section 2.7, "Contacting Your Application Administrator."

   In custom WebCenter applications, open Oracle Composer according to your page design. For example, in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, you can open Oracle Composer by clicking the Edit link at the top of the page (Figure 7-34).

   Figure 7-34 The Edit Link in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter

   
   

   Note:

   For more information about the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Developer's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

   The page opens in Oracle Composer (Figure 7-35).

   Figure 7-35 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer

   
   Description of "Figure 7-35 A Page Viewed Through Oracle Composer"
   
   

5. Click the Add Content button associated with the location where you want to embed content (Figure 7-36).

   Figure 7-36 Add Content Buttons in Oracle Composer (Click One)

   
   

   The Oracle Composer Catalog opens (Figure 7-37).

   Note:

   When the Catalog is open, the page goes gray, and you cannot perform any other actions on the page until you close the Catalog.

   Figure 7-37 The Oracle Composer Catalog

   
   

6. Click the Open link next to Layout, and then click the Add link next to HTML Markup.

   Optionally, use the Catalog Search feature to locate the layout component (Figure 7-38), and then click the Add link next to HTML Markup.

   Figure 7-38 Catalog Search Feature

   
   

7. Click the Close button to close the Catalog.

8. Click the Edit icon on the HTML Markup component (Figure 7-39).

   Figure 7-39 Edit Icon on an HTML Markup Header

   
   

   The Component Properties dialog box opens.

9. If necessary, click the Display Options tab to bring it forward, and then click the Edit icon next to the Value field (Figure 7-40).

   Figure 7-40 Edit Icon Next to the Value Field

   
   

10. In the EL Editor, select Type a value or expression, and then paste the link you copied in step 1 (Figure 7-41).

    Figure 7-41 Link Pasted Into EL Editor

    
    

11. Click OK to close the EL Editor.

12. Click OK to close the Component Properties dialog box.

13. Click the Save button in Oracle Composer to save your changes (Figure 7-42).

    Figure 7-42 The Save Button

    
    

14. Optionally, click the Close button to exit Oracle Composer (Figure 7-43).

    Figure 7-43 The Close Button

    
    

7.4.1 What You Should Know About Component Properties

Application components have associated properties, which users with sufficient privileges can access through the Oracle Composer Component Properties dialog box. Use properties to adjust the appearance and behavior of a component instance and to wire components to each other and to page parameters and page definition variables.

Note:

For information about wiring pages and components, see Chapter 8, "Wiring Pages, Task Flows, Portlets, and UI Components".

To access component properties, edit the page and click the Edit icon associated with a particular component instance (Figure 7-52).

Figure 7-52 Edit Icon on a Component Instance in Oracle Composer

The component's properties display in the Oracle Composer Component Properties dialog box (Figure 7-53).

Figure 7-53 Oracle Composer Component Properties Dialog Box

The Component Properties dialog box is divided into multiple tabs. These can include all of the following tabs, but more likely include a subset of them:

• Parameters—Settings, unique to the component type, that can control such things as the source of the component's content. For more information, see Section 7.4.3, "Working with Component Parameters."

• Display Options—Settings for determining content orientation, hiding and showing a header, selecting a display method for an actions menu, and the like. For more information, see Section 7.4.4, "Working with Component Display Options."

• Style—Font, color, and dimension settings that override such values on the parent component, the page, and the application. Style values affect component content and the elements that surround the content. For more information, see Section 7.4.6, "Working with Style and Content Style Properties."

• Content Style—Font, color, and dimension settings on component content that override such values specified for Style. For more information, see Section 7.4.6, "Working with Style and Content Style Properties."

• Events—Contextual events and event handlers for all the components on the current page that can be consumed by the currently selected component. Events are defined occurrences within the current context, and event handlers are the engines that drive the results of that occurrence. For more information, see Section 7.4.7, "Working with Component Contextual Events."

Some components include settings in all of these sections. Other components include a subset of these sections.

7.4.2 Setting Component Properties

The steps outlined in this section are useful for all selectable components on an application page.

To set component properties:

1. Log in to Oracle WebCenter Spaces.

   For information on how to log in, see Section 2.2.1, "Logging In to a WebCenter Application."

2. Go to the page where you want to configure component properties.

   For information about locating a page, see Section 2.4, "Hiding, Showing, Opening, and Closing Pages."

3. From the Page Actions menu, select Edit Page to open Oracle Composer (Figure 7-54).

   Figure 7-54 Edit Page Command on the Page Actions Menu

   
   

   Note:

   If the Edit Page command is not available on the Page Actions menu or the Page Actions menu does not display, it is likely that you do not have sufficient page access privileges. If this is the case, ask your application administrator for the privilege to edit pages. See Section 2.7, "Contacting Your Application Administrator."

   In custom WebCenter applications, open Oracle Composer according to your page design. For example, in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, you can open Oracle Composer by clicking the Edit link at the top of the page (Figure 7-55).

   Figure 7-55 The Edit Link in the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter

   
   

   Note:

   For more information about the Fusion Order Demo for WebCenter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Developer's Guide for Oracle WebCenter.

   The page opens in Oracle Composer.

4. Click the Edit icon (the pencil) on the component of interest (Figure 7-56).

   Figure 7-56 Edit Icon on a Task Flow Header

   
   

   Alternatively, switch Oracle Composer to Source view (see Section 4.3.2, "Introducing Design View and Source View"), select the component on the hierarchical list of components, and click the Properties icon on the Source view header (Figure 7-57).

   Figure 7-57 Properties Icon on the Source View Header

   
   

   The Component Properties dialog box opens (Figure 7-58).

   Figure 7-58 Component Properties Dialog Box

   
   

   Enter Parameter and Display Option values either unwrapped or wrapped in Expression Language syntax, for example, value or #{value}. If you enter value, Oracle Composer automatically wraps it in EL syntax when you save your changes.

   Note:

   For information about component properties and the types of values they require, see:

   • Working with Component Parameters

   • Working with Component Display Options

   • Working with Style and Content Style Properties

   • Working with Component Contextual Events

5. When you finish revising component properties, click OK.

6. Click the Save button in Oracle Composer to save your changes (Figure 7-59).

   Figure 7-59 The Save Button

   
   

7. Optionally, click the Close button to exit Oracle Composer (Figure 7-60).

   Figure 7-60 The Close Button

   
   

7.4.3 Working with Component Parameters

Component parameters appear on the Parameters tab of the Component Properties dialog box (Figure 7-61).

Figure 7-61 Parameters Tab in the Component Properties Dialog Box

Component parameters vary from component to component. For example, on some components they provide the opportunity to specify the source and range of task flow content; on other components they present read-only, application-generated identifiers that are used in maintaining a task flow instance's association with its customizations.

Enter parameter values, or click the Edit icon next to a parameter field to open an editor. (Figure 7-62).

Figure 7-62 Edit Icon Next to a Parameter Value Field and the Resulting Editor

The editor enables you to enter an expression when a value is retrievable, but otherwise unknown, for example, when you want a parameter value to be the name of the current user or the current application skin.

Note:

For more information about using the editor and for a table of useful EL expressions, see Section 7.4.5, "Using Expression Language (EL) Expressions with Component Properties."

In view of the uniqueness of parameters within a particular service or a particular portlet, parameter details are discussed with their associated services and portlets.

• For information about services and their associated parameters, see Part IV, "Working with Shared Services", Part V, "Working with Social Networking Services", and Part VI, "Working with Personal Productivity Services".

• For information about portlets and their associated parameters, see Part VII, "Working with Portlets".

• For information about accessing the Component Properties dialog box, see Section 7.4.2, "Setting Component Properties."

7.4.4 Working with Component Display Options

The Display Options tab provides access to properties that control a range of display-related behaviors on a given component instance (Figure 7-63).

Figure 7-63 Display Options Tab in Component Properties Dialog Box

For example, use the display options on an Image layout component to specify the image source URL and its optional link target. Use the display options on the Announcement Manager task flow to hide or show a header and enable or disable menus and other options on the header.

In addition to the values provided, a simple editor is available for entering custom values, such as text strings and Expression Language (EL) expressions (see Section 7.4.5, "Using Expression Language (EL) Expressions with Component Properties").

Typically, the Display Options tab presents settings that affect the display elements surrounding component content (that is, its chrome). Chrome includes the header, the Actions menu, Expand and Collapse icons, and the like.

Table 7-1 lists and describes the Display Options properties that generally apply to most components (task flows, portlets, and layout components). Where there are variations, they are noted in the chapters covering specific services and task flows (see Part IV, "Working with Shared Services", Part V, "Working with Social Networking Services", and Part VI, "Working with Personal Productivity Services").

Note:

For information about accessing the Component Properties dialog box, see Section 7.4.2, "Setting Component Properties."

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7.4.5 Using Expression Language (EL) Expressions with Component Properties

When configuring page components, you can express values as variables that take advantage of the current application context by grabbing information that happens to be true at the moment. All of this is possible in light of the EL Editor provided with each Parameter and Display Option property.

This section provides information about the editor and useful EL expressions. It contains the following subsections:

• Introducing the Expressions Editor

• Expression Language Expressions

7.4.5.1 Introducing the Expressions Editor

All properties on the Parameters and Display Options tabs provide an Edit icon that opens a simple Expression Language (EL) Editor. Use the EL Editor when you want to use some sort of dynamic computation for your property value.

Click the Edit icon next to a property to open the editor. (Figure 7-62).

Figure 7-64 Edit Icon Next to a Parameter Value Field and the Resulting Editor

Note:

For information about accessing component properties, see Section 7.4.2, "Setting Component Properties."

The editor is particularly useful when you want a value that is retrievable but otherwise unknown, for example, when you want a value to be the name of the current user or the current application skin.

Select predefined values, under Choose a value, or enter a value or an Expression Language expression, under Type a value or expression.

Use the following formats to enter values:

• a literal number: #{123}

• a literal string: #{'string'}

• a literal boolean: #{true}

• a Java Bean called to return a value: #{generalSettings.preferredTimeStyle}

The editor provides a Test button for validating your EL entry. The Test button is enabled only when you select Type a value or expression.

Validation checks the EL syntax and evaluates the expression. Because expression values vary according to the context in which they are executed, the resulting value that appears in the editor may differ from the value returned during actual use.

Note, however, that only EL is validated when you click Test; other types of values are not validated.

Test results are shown in a popup (Figure 7-65).

Figure 7-65 Test Result in EL Editor

7.4.5.2 Expression Language Expressions

This section provides a series of tables that list and describe useful EL expressions. Tables are grouped according to their applicable context. This section contains the following subsections:

• EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Application Information

• EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Group Spaces

• EL Expressions Relating to Application Pages

• EL Expressions Relating to Services

• EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Navigation

• EL Expressions Relating to Application Security

• EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces User Preferences

• Utilitarian EL Expressions

7.4.5.2.1 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Application Information

Table 7-2 lists EL expressions relating to WebCenter Spaces application information and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-2 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Application Information

Expression	Returns
#{WCAppContext}	An oracle.webcenter.webcenterapp.context.WCApplicationContext object that provides an access point in the current Web request for all WebCenter application-related information.
#{WCAppContext.currentWebCenterURI}	Returns a URL representing the current Web request with bookmarkable WebCenter Spaces URL parameters of the request appended to the end (parameters are not necessarily in a fixed order). Example payload: http://stacv75.us.oracle.com/webcenter/faces/oracle/webcenter/page/scopedMD/someguid/SomePage.jspx? wc.contextURL=/spaces/somename&wc.pageScope=1234
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig}	An oracle.webcenter.webcenterapp.beans.WebCenterType bean with a payload of metadata from the current WebCenter Spaces application.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.title}	Returns the display name of the current WebCenter Spaces application (as configured through WebCenter Administration Settings). Out of the box, this returns WebCenter Spaces.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.logo}	If an application logo was uploaded through WebCenter Administration Settings, this expression returns the URL to the application logo image. Out of the box, this returns null.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.helpPage}	Returns the URL to the Help application used for the current WebCenter Spaces application (as configured through WebCenter Administration Settings). Out of the box, this returns /webcenterhelp/spaces.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.copyrightMessage.customValue}	If a copyright message was configured through WebCenter Administration Settings, the application copyright message. Out of the box, this returns null.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.privacyPolicyURL}	Returns the URL to the privacy policy document followed by the application (as configured through WebCenter Administration Settings). Out of the box, this returns http://www.oracle.com/html/privacy.html.
#{WCAppContext.application.applicationConfig.skin}	Returns the name of the default ADF Faces skin family to use for rendering pages in the application (as configured through WebCenter Administration Settings). This expression represents only the application-level setting that may not necessarily be used in all Web requests. For example, you cannot use it successfully if a user has chosen to override the skin through application Preferences (see Section 3.3, "Setting Personal Preferences").
#{requestContext.skinFamily}	Returns the name of the ADF Faces skin family being used for the current Web request, depending on factors such as what has been configured at the application level, the current user's preference setting, and so on. Returns the same value as #{adfFacesContext.skinFamily}.

7.4.5.2.2 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Group Spaces

Table 7-3 lists EL expressions relating to WebCenter Spaces group spaces and describes the types of values they return.

Note:

The group space name and the group space display name are two different things: The group space name is the value entered for Group Space Name on the General tab of a group space Settings page; the group space display name is the name the appears, for example, on the group space's tab. Many of the EL expressions in Table 7-3 call for the group space name.

Table 7-3 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Group Spaces

Expression	Returns
#{spaceContext}	An oracle.webcenter.spaces.context.SpacesContext object that provides an access point in the current Web request for all group-space related information. The value of this expression is whatever is returned on invoking the java API: SpacesContext.getCurrentInstance()
#{spaceContext.currentSpace}	An oracle.webcenter.spaces.Space object that represents the group space associated with the current Web request. If the current Web request is not in a group space context (that is, it is in a personal space context), it returns a value of null. The value of this expression is whatever is returned on invoking the java API: SpacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getCurrentSpace()
#{spaceContext.currentSpaceName}	The name of the group space associated with the current Web request. If the current Web request is not in a group space context (that is, it is in a personal space context), it returns a value of null. The value of this expression is whatever is returned on invoking the java API: SpacesContext.getCurrentInstance().getCurrentSpace()
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName]} #{spaceContext.currentSpace}	An oracle.webcenter.spaces.Space object that represents the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, #{spaceContext.space['FinanceProject']} returns the space object for the group space called FinanceProject. The value of this expression is whatever is returned in java on invoking .getSpace(...) on the current SpacesManager passing in the MDSSession of the current ADFContext.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadataPath} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadataPath}	The MDS path of the space metadata document for the group space with specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, #{spaceContext.space['FinanceProject'].metadataPath} evaluates to /oracle/webcenter/space/metadata/spaces/FinanceProject/space.xml The value of this expression is whatever is returned in java on invoking .getMetadataPath() on the space object for the group space.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata}	An oracle.webcenter.spaces.beans.SpaceType bean that carries metadata about the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). The value of this expression is whatever is returned in java on invoking .getMetadata() on the space object for the group space passing in the MDSSession of the current ADFContext.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.displayName} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.displayName}	The display name of the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, if a group space called Web20Space has the display name Web 2.0 Space, then #{spaceContext.space['Web20Space'].metadata.displayName} evaluates to Web 2.0 Space.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.icon} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.icon}	A URL to the icon associated with the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace).
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.description} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.description}	The description of the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, #{spaceContext.space['FinanceProject'].metadata.description} evaluates to Conglomeration of all teams involved in financial activities.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.creationDate} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.creationDate}	A java.util.Calendar object representing the date-time on which the group space with specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace) was created.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.createdBy} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.createdBy}	The user-name of the person who created the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace).
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.keywords} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.keywords}	A comma-delimited list of searchable keywords associated with the group space with the name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, if the group space FinanceProject has the keywords finance, project, money, then #{spaceContext.space['FinanceProject'].metadata.keywords} evaluates to finance, project, money.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.offline} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.offline}	Boolean value that indicates whether the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace) is offline.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.closed} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.closed}	Boolean value that indicates whether the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace) is closed.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.selfRegistration} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.selfRegistration}	Boolean value that indicates whether users are allowed to register themselves with the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace).
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.discoverable} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.discoverable}	Boolean value that indicates whether users can discover the existence of the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace) by searching for it or seeing it listed on the My Group Spaces page.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.publishRSS} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.publishRSS}	Boolean value indicating whether the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace) publishes RSS feeds.
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.mailingList} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.mailingList}	The e-mail address to the mailing list associated with the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace).
#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.customAttributes[attributeName]} #{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.customAttributes[attributeName]}	The value of a specific custom attribute of the name attributeName for the group space with the specified name spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace). For example, if the FinanceProject group space has a custom attribute called stockPrice with a value of 13.9, then #{spaceContext.space['FinanceProject'].metadata.customAttributes['stockPrice']} evaluates to 13.9.
#{WCAppContext.spacesResourcesPath}/#{spaceContext.space[spaceName].metadata.logo} #{WCAppContext.spacesResourcesPath}/#{spaceContext.currentSpace.metadata.logo}	Returns the group space logo/icon URL for the group space named spaceName or the current group space (currentSpace).

7.4.5.2.3 EL Expressions Relating to Application Pages

Table 7-4 lists EL expressions relating to application pages and describes the types of values they return. These expressions are useful in WebCenter Spaces and in custom WebCenter applications that include the Page service.

Table 7-4 EL Expressions Relating to Application Pages

Expression	Returns
#{pageDocBean.title}	Returns the page display name, for example: FinanceProject
#{pageDocBean.createdBy}	Returns the user name of the person who created the page, for example: monty
#{pageDocBean.createDateString}	Returns the date and time the page was created, for example: 2008-11-19T10:18:36
#{pageDocBean.lastUpdatedBy}	Returns the user name of the person who last updated the page, for example: monty
#{pageDocBean.lastUpdateDateString}	Returns the date and time the page was last updated, for example: 2008-11-19T10:18:36
#{pageDocBean.pagePath}	Returns the file directory path to the page relative to the application root directory, for example: /oracle/webcenter/page/scopedMD/s8bba98ff_4cbb_40b8_beee_296c916a23ed/user/Umonty/Page4.jspx
#{pageDocBean.name}	Returns the file name of the page, for example: Page4.jspx
#{pageDocBean.UICSSStyle}	Returns the name of the style scheme used on the page, for example: WCSchemeEggShell
#{pageDocBean.UISchemeBGImage}	Returns the directory path and file name of the page scheme background image.
#{pageDocBean.UISchemeBGColorString}	Returns the hexadecimal value of the page scheme background color, for example: #ffa500
#{pageDocBean.pagePermission}	Returns the permission the current user has on the page, for example: oracle.webcenter.page.model.security.CustomPagePermission
#{pageDocBean.pageSecurityTarget}	A string of 60 or so characters that uniquely identifies the current page to the security system, for example: oracle_webcenter_page_scopedMD_s8bba98ff_4cbb_40b8_beee_296c916a23ed_user_Umonty_Page4PageDef

7.4.5.2.4 EL Expressions Relating to Services

Table 7-5 lists EL expressions relating to services and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-5 EL Expressions Relating to Services

Expression	Returns
#{webcenterService[serviceId]}	An oracle.webcenter.framework.service.Service object representing the WebCenter service with the service ID serviceId. For example, #{webcenterService['oracle.webcenter.doclib']} returns Documents Service (see Table 7-6, "Service IDs").
#{webcenterService[serviceId].configured}	Returns a boolean value that indicates whether the WebCenter Service with the service ID serviceId is configured for use in the current WebCenter Spaces application. For example, #{webcenterService['oracle.webcenter.collab.forum'].configured} returns true if Discussion Forums Service can be used in the application, false otherwise (see Table 7-6, "Service IDs").
#{sessionContext['oracle.webcenter.collab.forum'].groupInfo['groupSpaceName'].forumId]	Returns the forum ID of the specified group space Discussion forum. Enter the group space name in lieu of groupSpaceName.
#{sessionContext['oracle.webcenter.collab.forum'].groupInfo['groupSpaceName'].categoryId}	Returns the category ID of the specified group space Discussion forums. Enter the group space name in lieu of groupSpaceName.

Table 7-6 lists service IDs associated with WebCenter Web 2.0 services at runtime.

Table 7-6 Service IDs

Service	ID
Announcements	oracle.webcenter.collab.announcement
Discussions	oracle.webcenter.collab.forum
Documents	oracle.webcenter.doclib
Events	oracle.webcenter.collab.calendar.community
Instant Messaging and Presence (IMP)	oracle.webcenter.collab.rtc
Links	oracle.webcenter.relationship
Lists	oracle.webcenter.list
Mail	oracle.webcenter.collab.mail
Notes	oracle.webcenter.note
Page	oracle.webcenter.page
Recent Activities	oracle.webcenter.recentactivity
RSS	oracle.webcenter.rss
Search	oracle.webcenter.search
Tags	oracle.webcenter.tagging
Worklist	oracle.webcenter.worklist

7.4.5.2.5 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Navigation

Table 7-7 lists EL expressions relating to WebCenter Spaces navigation and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-7 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces Navigation

Expression

Returns

#{spaceContext.currentSpaceName}

Used in a directory path, this expression returns the current page. For example, the following directory path, relative to the application root directory, returns the General subtab of the group space Settings page: /webcenter/spaces/#{spaceContext.currentSpaceName}/settings?subTabViewId=general The following example returns a link to the Discussions page in the current group space: /webcenter/spaces/#{spaceContext.currentSpaceName}/page/Discussions You can use the second example for navigating to any group space page; simply replace Discussions with the desired page name.

7.4.5.2.6 EL Expressions Relating to Application Security

Table 7-8 lists EL expressions relating to application security and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-8 EL Expressions Relating to Application Security

Expression	Returns
#{security.pageContextCommunityModerator}	Returns the value true if the current user is a moderator of the current group space.

7.4.5.2.7 EL Expressions Relating to WebCenter Spaces User Preferences

Table 7-9 lists EL expressions applicable to user preferences and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-9 EL Expressions Relating to User Preferences

Expression	Returns
#{generalSettings.userTimeZone}	Returns the time zone the current user has selected in application Preferences. See Section 3.3.2.3, "Selecting Your Preferred Time Zone."
#{generalSettings.preferredTimeStyle}	Returns the time format the current user has selected in application Preferences. See Section 3.3.2.1, "Selecting Your Preferred Time Format."
#{generalSettings.currentTime}	Returns the current time in the user's selected locale.
#{generalSettings.perferredDateStyle}	Returns the date format the current user has selected in application Preferences. See Section 3.3.2.2, "Selecting Your Preferred Date Format."
#{generalSettings.formattedCurrentDate}	Returns the current date in the user's selected locale.
#{generalSettings.formattedCurrentDateTime}	Returns the current date and time in the user's selected locale.
#{requestContext.skinFamily}	Returns the name of the ADF Faces skin family being used for the current Web request, depending on factors such as what has been configured at the application level, the current user's preference setting, and so on.
#{generalSettings.preferredAccessibilityMode}	Returns the preferred accessibility mode (either default, inaccessible, or screenReader)

7.4.5.2.8 Utilitarian EL Expressions

Table 7-10 lists utilitarian EL expressions and describes the types of values they return.

Table 7-10 Utilitarian EL Expressions

Expression	Returns
#{userPreferences.currentDate}	Returns the current date in the format specified in the current user's preferences.
#{WCTruncator[text]['numberOfChars']}	Returns a truncation of the string specified as text to the number of characters specified as numberOfChars, followed by a trailing ellipsis, for example: #{WCTruncator['abracadabra']['5']} evaluates to abrac...
#{facesContext.externalContext.remoteUser}	Returns the user name of the currently logged in user. Useful for passing to task flows or portlets or creating user-specific URLs. Examples of returned values include: mei.nem@oracle.com orcladmin Monty
#{securityContext.userName}	Returns the user name of the currently logged in user. If the current user is not logged in, this expression returns no value.
#{facesContext.viewRoot.locale} #{facesContext.externalContext.requestLocale}	Both of these expressions return the request locale (that is, the browser locale setting).
#{changeModeBean.inEditMode}	Returns true if current application page is in Oracle Composer mode. Returns false if current application page is not in Oracle Composer mode
#{adfFacesContext.skinFamily}	Returns the current application skin family. Returns the same value as #{requestContext.skinFamily}.

7.4.6 Working with Style and Content Style Properties

Style and Content Style properties provide an opportunity to fine-tune your application look-and-feel at the component level. Enter values for Style and Content Style properties, or specify your own values through the Other CSS property that appears on both tabs.

This section introduces Style and Content Style properties and provides tables that list and describe them. Additionally, it provides information about how to use the Other CSS property. It contains the following subsections:

• Understanding Style and Content Style Properties

• Entering Other CSS on the Style and Content Style Tabs

• Using the Other CSS Property to Change Component Borders

background: #00FF00 url(http://www.google.com/intl/en_ALL/images/logo.gif) no-repeat fixed top; font-size: xx-small

background-repeat: repeat

background-position: top left

font-size: xx-small

padding: 5px 10px 5px 10px

padding-bottom: 10px

padding-left: 2%

padding-right: 1pc

padding-top: 16pt

7.4.6.3 Using the Other CSS Property to Change Component Borders

One application of the Other CSS property is to provide a variety of borders on task flows, portlets, and some layout components.

For example, Figure 7-66 depicts a Recent Activity task flow without borders.

Figure 7-66 Recent Activity Task Flow Without Borders

To create borders around the task flow, access its properties (see Section 7.4.2, "Setting Component Properties") and add CSS encoding. For example, enter the following code in the Other CSS field on the Style tab in the Component Properties dialog box:

Example 7-1 Other CSS for Creating Borders

border-bottom-width:4px;
border-bottom-color:red;
border-bottom-style:dashed;
border-top-width:4px;
border-top-color:red;
border-top-style:dashed;
border-left-width:4px;
border-left-color:red;
border-left-style:dashed;
border-right-width:4px;
border-right-color:red;
border-right-style:dashed;

Figure 7-67 illustrates the result.

Figure 7-67 A Border Created Through the Other CSS Property

7.4.7 Working with Component Contextual Events

Events are defined occurrences within the current context, and event handlers are the engines that drive the results of that occurrence. The Events tab in the Component Properties dialog box provides a means of wiring a contextual event to an action handler to enable the passing of values from a producer component to a consumer component when the event is triggered on the producer (Figure 7-68).

Figure 7-68 Events Tab in the Component Properties Dialog Box

For example, imagine two components: one is the producer of some kind of content (a payload) and the other consumes the content. When you wire these components to each other, you can use events to specify that when an event is triggered on the producer, the producer broadcasts a contextual event with a payLoad parameter, which the consumer component consumes through an event handler.

Note:

Contextual events differ from the business events that can be raised by ADF Business Components. Additionally, contextual events differ from events raised by UI components. For a description of these types of events, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Web User Interface Developer's Guide for Oracle Application Development Framework. Contextual events can be used in association with UI events. In this case, an action listener that is invoked due to a UI event can, in turn, invoke a method action binding that then raises the event.

The Events tab does not display for all components. Event capability must be included in a component when the component is developed for Events to be available at runtime.

Table 7-14 lists and describes the properties presented on an Events tab.

For information about wiring components, see Chapter 8, "Wiring Pages, Task Flows, Portlets, and UI Components."