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Extending the Administration Console

# Using the Console Extension Tag Library

The following sections describe the attributes of the console extension tags and provide a sample usage for each:

- Overview of the Console Extension JSP Tag Library
- Tag Library Attribute Reference

- <wl:node> Tag
- <wl:menu> and <wl:menu-separator> Tags
- <wl:tab> Tag
- <wl:dialog> Tag
- <wl:stylesheet> Tag
- <wl:extensibility-key> Tag
- <wl:text> Tag
- <wl:standard-banner> Tag

- Using the Tag Library in a Console Extension

# Overview of the Console Extension JSP Tag Library

A JSP tag library is supplied with the WebLogic Server distribution for use in creating console extensions. The tag library allows you to:

- Create new nodes in the Administration Console navigation tree.
- Create right-click options for the nodes in the Administration Console navigation tree.
- Create a tabbed interface for displaying your console extension.
- Localize (render text in an alternate language) the text displayed in the Navigation Tree and in your console extension tree.

# Tag Library Attribute Reference

The following sections describe the usage of each tag in the Console Extension Tag Library.

## <wl:node> Tag

Use the `<wl:node>` tag to create new nodes in the Administration Console navigation tree.

The following example demonstrates the usage of the `<wl:node>` tag:

Listing 2-1 Sample Usage of the <wl:node> Tag

>     <wl:node
>        label='<%="My Console Extension"%>'
>        icon='/images/smiley.gif'
>        expanded='true'>

>        <wl:node
>           label='My 1st nested node'
>           icon='/images/bullet.gif'
>           url='/dialog_domain_example.jsp'>
>        </wl:node>

>        <wl:node label='My 2nd nested node'
>           icon='/images/bullet.gif'>
>        </wl:node>

>     </wl:node>

Table 2-1 Attributes of the <wl:node> Tag

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`icon` | The URL of an image file (.gif or .jpg) that is displayed in the navigation tree for this node. The URL may be an absolute URL, (for example, `http://somesite.com/images/myIcon.gif`) or a URL relative to the Web Application containing the console extension (for example, `/images/myIcon.gif.`).
`label` | The text label displayed for this node. Do not use this attribute if you define the `labelId` attribute
`labelId` | The Catalog ID of the localized text label for this node. Do not use this attribute if you define the `label` attribute.
url | The URL of the page that should be displayed in the Administration Console when the user clicks this node. The URL may be an absolute URL, (for example, `http://somesite.com/myPage.jsp`) or a URL relative to the Web Application containing the console extension.
target | The name of a browser frame where the URL specified in the `url` attribute should be displayed. If this attribute is not specified, the URL is displayed in the right pane of the Administration Console. You may use any name you choose or one of the following keywords: `_top` - Displays the URL in the same browser window that displays the console, replacing the console. `_blank` - Displays the page specified by the `url` attribute in a new browser window.
expanded | Set to `true` or `false`. If set to `true`, the node appears expanded (all child nodes are visible) when the console first loads. Default is `false`.
font | Font used to display the node's text label. Support for fonts is browser-dependent.

## <wl:menu> and <wl:menu-separator> Tags

Use the `<wl:menu>` to create menus and actions that users access by right-clicking on nodes in the navigation tree defined with the `<wl:node>` tag. The `<wl:menu-separator>` tab inserts a separator line in the right-click menu.

Listing 2-2 Usage of the <wl:menu> and <wl:menu-separator> Tags

>     ...

>        <wl:node
>           label='My 2nd nested node'
>           icon='/images/bullet.gif'>
>           <wl:menu
>              label='BEA Product Documentation'
>              url='http://e-docs.bea.com/index.html'
>              target='_blank'/>
>           <wl:menu-separator/>

>            <wl:menu
>                label='BEA home page'
>                url='http://www.bea.com'
>                 target='_blank'/>

>        </wl:node>

>     ...

The above code creates a right-click menu under the "My 2nd Nested Node" entry in the navigation tree.

Table 2-2 Attributes of the <wl:menu> Tag

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`label` | Text label that appears for this menu item. Do not use this attribute if you define the `labelId` attribute.
`labelId` | The Catalog ID of the localized text label for this menu item. Do not use this attribute if you define the `label` attribute.
`url` | Absolute URL or a URL relative to the Web Application root for a page to be displayed in the console
target | The name of a browser frame where the URL specified in the `url` attribute should be displayed. If this attribute is not specified, the URL is displayed in the right pane of the Administration Console. You may use any name you choose or one of the following keywords: `_top` - Displays the URL in the same browser window that displays the console, replacing the console. `_blank` - Displays the page specified by the `url` attribute in a new browser window.

The `<wl:menu-separator>` tag has no attributes.

## <wl:tab> Tag

Use the `<wl:tab>` tag to create a tabbed interface in your console extension. You can create nested tabbed screens by nesting a `<wl:tab>` tag within another `<wl:tab>` tag. Only one level of nesting is supported.

The following example demonstrates the usage of the `<wl:tab>` tag:

Listing 2-3 Sample Usage for the <wl:tab> Tag

>     <wl:tab name='TopLevelTabA' label='Top Level Tab A'>

>        <wl:tab name='NestedTabA1' label='Nested Tab A-1'>
>            (Insert your JSP and/or HTML code
>            for displaying your console extension here.)
>        </wl:tab>

>        <wl:tab name='NestedTabA2' label='Nested Tab A-2'>
>           (Insert your JSP and/or HTML code
>            for displaying your console extension here.)
>        </wl:tab>

>     </wl:tab>

>     <wl:tab name='TopLevelTabB' label='Top Level Tab B'>

>        <wl:tab name='NestedTabB1' label='Nested Tab B-1'>
>            (Insert your JSP and/or HTML code
>            for displaying your console extension here.)
>        </wl:tab>

>        <wl:tab name='NestedTabB2' label='Nested Tab B-2'>
>           (Insert your JSP and/or HTML code
>            for displaying your console extension here.)
>        </wl:tab>

>     </wl:tab>

Table 2-3 Attributes of the <wl:tab> Tag

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`name` | The name of the tab. Do not use the period (`.`) character in the name. If you do not specify the `labelId` attribute, the console looks for an entry in the localization catalog with the form tab + `name` For example, if you set `name` to `config`, the console labels the tab by looking up localized text located in the catalog using the ID `tab.config`.
`label` | The exact text that appears as the title of the tab. Do not define this attribute if you define the `labelId` attribute. Use this attribute only if you are not using a localization catalog.
`labelId` | The catalog ID for a localized label for the tab, if different from the name attribute. This text is looked up in the localization catalog. Do not define this attribute if you define the `label` attribute.

## <wl:dialog> Tag

The `<wl:dialog>` Tag demarcates a section of the JSP that defines tabbed console screens. `<wl:tab>` tags must appear with in a `<wl:dialog>` block.

Listing 2-4 Sample Usage of the <wl:dialog> Tab

>     ...
>     <wl:dialog>
>       <wl:tab>
>          ....(Insert code for tabbed dialog screen here.)
>       </wl:tab>
>     </wl:dialog>
>     ...

The `<wl:dialog>` tag has no attributes.

## <wl:stylesheet> Tag

Insert the `<wl:stylesheet>` tag with the HTML `<head>` block to specify that your console screens use the same display styles (fonts, colors, etc.) as the standard Administration Console.

Listing 2-5 Sample Usage of the <wl:stylesheet> Tab

>     <html>
>      <head>
>        <wl:stylesheet/>
>      </head>
>     ...

The `<wl:stylesheet>` tag has no attributes.

## <wl:extensibility-key> Tag

The `<wl:extensibility-key>` tag creates a scripting variable that represents a Java object. You can use this tag in the JSP that defines the Navigation tree.

Note: The `<wl:extensibility-key>` tag cannot be used in a JSP that defines a console dialog screen.

Listing 2-6 Sample Usage of the <wl:extensibility-key> Tag

>     <wl:extensibility-key
>       id='domainKey'   class='weblogic.management.configuration.DomainMBean' />

>     <%="Configuration Version is" + domainKey.getConfigurationVersion()%>

Table 2-4 Attriutes of the <wl:extensibility-key> Tag

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`id` | Name of the scripting variable.
`class` | Java class of the scripting variable.

## <wl:text> Tag

Use the `<wl:text>` tag to display text from the localization catalog.

Listing 2-7 Sample Usage of the <wl:text> Tag

>     <wl:text textId='Text.3' textParamId='Param.1' />
>     <p>
>     <wl:text textId='Text.2' textParam="Blue"/>

Table 2-5 Attributes of the <wl:text> Tag

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`style` | (Optional) HTML Style class used to display the text.
`text` | The actual text you want to display. Do not define this attribute if you define the `textID` attribute.
`textId` | The catalog ID for the localized text you want to display. This text is looked up in the localization catalog. Do not define this attribute if you define the `text` attribute.
`textParamId` | The localization catalog ID of text that is substituted for any occurrence of the string `{0}` in text retrieved from the catalog. Do not define this attribute if you define the `textParam` attribute.
`textParam` | A literal string that is substituted for any occurrence of the string `{0}` in text retrieved from the catalog. Do not define this attribute if you define the `textParamID` attribute.

## <wl:standard-banner> Tag

Use the `<wl:standard-banner>` tag to display the standard banner that appears in the upper right portion of all WebLogic Server Administration Console pages. Displaying the banner on your console extension pages gives your console extension a look and feel similar to standard BEA Administration Console pages.

The text within the opening and closing `<wl:standard-banner>` tags defines the banner title. You can also define URLs for the Refresh, Home, Open in new window, and Help icons that appear in the standard banner using the attributes described in Table 2-6.

Figure 2-1 shows the banner created using the tag shown in Listing 2-8.

Figure 2-1 BEA Banner Displayed by Using the <wl:standard-banner> Tag

Listing 2-8 Sample Usage of the <wl:standard-banner> Tag

>     <wl:standard-banner
>         homeUrl='nested_tabs_example.jsp'
>         helpUrl='readme.html'
>         refreshUrl='banner_example.jsp'
>         newWindowUrl='banner_example.jsp'>
>         BEA Banner Example
>     </wl:standard-banner>

Table 2-6 Attributes of the <wl:standard-banner> Tag

Note: These attributes are optional. If you omit the attribute, the corresponding icon does not appear in the banner.

Attribute | Description
--- | ---
`homeUrl` | URL of the page displayed when you click the Home icon. The page replaces the entire console window.
`helpUrl` | URL of the page displayed when you click the Help icon. The page opens in a new browser window.
`refreshUrl` | URL of the page displayed when you click the Refresh icon. The page replaces the current console screen. To specify that a specific tab be displayed, add the `tab` parameter to the URL. For example: `refreshUrl='banner_example.jsp?tab=myTab'`
`newWindowUrl` | URL of the page displayed when you click the Open in New Window icon. The page opens in a new browser window. The link may be a reference to the current page, if that is the desired behavior. To specify that a specific tab be displayed, add the `tab` parameter to the URL. For example: `newWindowUrl='banner_example.jsp?tab=myTab'`

# Using the Tag Library in a Console Extension

To use the console extensibility tag library:

1. Add the following section to the `web.xml` deployment descriptor of the Web Application containing your console extension:

>     <taglib>
>       <taglib-uri>console_extension_taglib.jar</taglib-uri>
>       <taglib-location>
>          WEB-INF/console_extension_taglib.tld
>       </taglib-location>
>     </taglib>

2. Copy the `console_extension_taglib.tld` file to the `WEB-INF` directory of the Web Application containing your console extension. This file is located in the `BEA_HOME/weblogic81/server/lib` directory of your WebLogic Server installation.
3. Insert this `taglib` statement at the top of each JSP that uses the console extensibility tag library:

>     <%@ taglib uri='console_extension_taglib.jar' prefix='wl' %>