X Pages Concepts and Notes Client

HCL Domino Domino Forum
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Hi

I wonder if someone could help me get my head round the basic concept of X Pages, particularly in the Notes Client.

I know there is mass of info on Developer Works, but there doesn’t seem to be a single resource to pull it all together, or an ‘idiots guide’. So I apologise in advance if the info I am looking for is readily available.

I am half way through what for me is a major development which in the main is for Notes Client users. Lots of forms tracking contracts, printing out orders etc, with many embedded views e.g. items in an order, summary views etc. Working with tables and embedded views can be quite cumbersome, but I am getting there.

My question is, should I be rethinking the concept and adopting X Pages as it is now available in the client? I understand it will become the ‘defacto’ tool for Notes.

If so what advantages would this bring, given the ‘rich Notes client’.

I understand that an X Page separates the data from the presentation, but to what advantage in a typical Notes App?

As my applications do not use any other data source than Notes Apps, I presume I do not need to get involved with Composite Applications?

Where do components fit it?

I understand X Pages in Notes Client uses the embedded browser, so are they not just web pages?

If they display in the embedded browser, do we lose the conventional Action bar and any other useful tools?

Would I need to start again with the applications I have developed so far or can they be ‘converted’ to X Pages.

Can the Sub Forms I have used be used in X Pages

I use one form for user input and switch to another form for printing, would the concept be the same in X Pages.

Many thanks for any help.

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Subject: Re: XPages Concepts & Notes Client

First of all resources. There is a redbook wiki for Domiio Web Development being worked on as we speak by a group of about 20 developers. I’m not involved in it, but the residency is due to end mid-December if I remember correctly, so should be out a bit later. For XPages resources there is a tutorial on the Domino Designer wiki, Declan Lynch’s tutorial on his blog is also useful, there is the XPages blog as well (all easily found by googling). The Domino Designer wiki has some useful articles for extended functionality, and Steve Castledine’s blog has some interesting stuff too.

You’re right that XPages separates data from presentation, so you’re forms and subforms define the data structure, you would need to create XPages and Custom Controls to define presentation aspects. Action bars would need replacing with buttons, images or links probably in a custom control if they are reusable.

In terms of whether or not you should convert your app, the main benefits I would envisage for using XPages in the client are 1) to get a standard interface and functionality for client and web, 2) to use within composite apps, 3) different options are available for reporting, e.g. with dojo. If you’ve got a pre-existing app that is only used in the Notes Client and will only ever be used in the Notes Client, there isn’t much benefit (other than for training purposes) to convert to XPages.

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Subject: Many thanks Paul, most helpful - eom

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Subject: Declan’s blog is currently my XPages bible…

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Subject: The TLCC course on XPages pulls it all together

Our course is a comprehensive course not a series of tutorials. We start from the basics and build from there.TLCC Course Details - Developing XPages using Domino Designer 8.5

Howard