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| MQRR |
 Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 8:55 am Post subject: STRUTS and WORKFLOW |
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Centurion
Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 110
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Hey,
can u guys share ur knowledge about the struts in context with workflow. What i know is Struts has MVC structure and it has also same functionality like Workflow where the flow could be defined in Config file.
So why not use Struts directly. If we plan to use STRUTS and workflow both how do they both fit in.
Any ideas? 
thanks guys
MQRR |
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| Ratan |
| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 18 Jul 2002
Posts: 1245
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I am not an expert on Struts or web development, but as far as I know Struts is a framework for web development using MVC framework. you cant interchange struts and MQWF.
You can use Struts to develop a custom webclient for MQWF.
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-Ratan |
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| jmac |
| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 10:41 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 27 Jun 2001
Posts: 3081
Location: EmeriCon, LLC
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At one point there was a rumor that the lab was working on a Struts versrion of the WebClient. You might want to post this query to the IBM newsgroup, and you might get some info from one of the developers
GOOD LUCK
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John McDonald
RETIRED |
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| MQRR |
| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 11:22 am Post subject: Struts and workflow |
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Centurion
Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 110
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ratan , jmac thank you for your info. Jmac i will post the question for the ibm group. Can you give more info how and where i do that.
If any one else have more info on struts and workflow do post here I will be checking the page regularly.
ratan, Jmac I have one more question. If i am developing webclient, my own, in the page one requirement is interaction with the workflow activities and the other is interacting with other databases that are not part of workflow. I would like to know if this is good design. I may be completely wrong but like to know how these integration can be done with best possible design.
MQRR |
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| ucbus1 |
| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:49 am Post subject: |
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Knight
Joined: 30 Jan 2002
Posts: 560
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MQRR,
Hope this helps.
1. Visit the page http://www.mainframeforum.com/f254.html
This is one of the WebSphere MQ foru,s
2. Yes. Thats exactly what we are doing. The logon page submits user logon to workflow API, Quiries the lists for the USER. We made sure that the instance name(which need to be unique) is the key that drives our database entries. Now once we get the list of instance, when user selects one of the instances, we use again IBM api to check-in the work-item, then bring up our custom web page with the database information. |
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| jennifer |
| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Newbie
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 8
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Hi
My understanding of struts is, it is an application development (Model, View and Control) framework and users can also build their own 'workflows' in addition to or as part of their business applications. But it will be a huge task to build workflows using custom code comparing to using existing workflow engines like IBM MQWF.
In most implementations, MQWF involves developing number of applications to meet varying needs of customers... like custom clients, interfaces, applications performing specific automated tasks etc.
I appreciate someone sharing their experiences using a framework like 'Struts' EXTENSIVELY to develop applications to support MQWF. How UPES activity implementations fit into such environments.
jen |
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| MQRR |
| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 10:50 pm Post subject: Struts and Workflow |
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Centurion
Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 110
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hey ucbus that information was very helpful. Thanks for the help.
Jenniffer that was what exactly I had in mind. You are exactly right when you say it is hard task to use struts in that way, and as you said if someone can share there experiences andthrow more light on this topic it would be great.
thanks jen
MQRR |
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| Bobbo |
| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2003 8:06 am Post subject: |
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Acolyte
Joined: 17 Jun 2002
Posts: 50
Location: Buffalo, New York
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MQRR and Jennifer:
Please post whatever progress you make regarding the use of Struts on a Workflow-based project. We are embarking on a Java-based project, involving workflow, and some folks think that the use of Struts is a good thing. Me, I'm not sure yet as I'm still learning Struts.
Struts seems to want to manage which pages the user sees, but so does workflow. Any thoughts on this? Is this your understanding?
Thanks,
Bob |
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| MQRR |
| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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Centurion
Joined: 10 Aug 2003
Posts: 110
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Hi Bobbo,
I am still in the learning stage too. I am using the struts framework when customizing the webclient but I still do not have full hang on it. But as far my experience for sure the struts will give you more control on the application like in redirecting pages and sending the data between forms. My understanding is the present webclient does not have any such controled flow. Is there config file in workflow which defines the flow?
That may not true, I am not sure about it. may be you can help me where to find it what it has.
as far as my experience I had to go through all the files JSP and Java files to see what happens every time an action is done so that I could change the flow according to my requirement. so I dont think there is no coomon configuration files that controls this flow like in struts which has action classes, forms and other stuff which use config file as common doorway.
I may be little vauge in the explanation, but that is how that is still in my mind  . I still need to just sit one day analyze what the exactly are the differences. If I get better understanding I will surely post it here.
But the conclusion is if I were to make a deciscion I would definately go for struts.
MQRR |
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| bharath |
| Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 8:46 am Post subject: |
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Newbie
Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 4
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MQRR:
I would suggest Programming Guide , Chapter 69. Customizing the Web client and Page 806 , to get better idea about WebClient architecture ,command flow and to draw similarities with STRUTS framework. I think,for webclient, struts like config rules are buried inside webclient implementation.
It says as following:
1. When the user logs on to the Web client, it displays a list page on the
user’s Web browser. The list page presents a list of items that the user can
act on, and provides Web client commands that the user can use on each
item in its current state. The list page is the main interface for users to
work with the Web client.
2. When the user selects a command to act on an item, the Web browser
sends an HTTP request with the command to the Web client.
3. The Web client servlet receives the HTTP request from the Web browser
and extracts the information from the request parameters.
4. The command requested is delegated to the command method of a
Command Handler class, which passes the corresponding MQ Workflow
API command to the MQ Workflow system through a Java agent.
5. When the retrieved data is returned, the Command Handler calls the
commandResponse method of a configurable Viewer class to convert the
data into an HTML page, which is sent back to the Web browser. The
Viewer typically forwards this task to the
webclient_root/forms/listViewer.jsp Java Server Page (JSP), which displays
an updated list page on the Web browser.
6. A commandResponse method that needs user input can invoke its own JSP
to display an HTML page with a form or other functions for user input.
When the user submits the form, a new command is sent to the Web
client, to take appropriate action on the MQ Workflow system and,
typically, to display an updated list page on the Web browser.
Web client customization |
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