RE: [wsrp-interfaces] New Import Export document

One case to keep in mind regarding import/export and ccp hierarchies is the following:

Portlet A1 is exported from Producer A (staging) and imported to become Portlet B1 in Producer B (production)
During use of Producer B, the Consumer creates child portlets of Portlet B1; Portlet B2 and B3. The portlet state associated with B2 and B3 contains user specific customizations.
In the staging environment, Portlet A1 is changed. It’s exported again and reimported to Producer B so that the changes can be put into production.

The correct outcome is that Portlet B1 is replaced with the newly imported portlet without losing the end user customizations on Portlet B2 and B3. In other words, the relationships must be maintained.

Given our discussion this morning, it’s probably too early to discuss the detail of this scenario at this point, but I wanted to bring it up to keep it in mind.

Scott

From: Tamari, Yossi [mailto:yossi.tamari@sap.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 6:19 AM
To: interfaces
Subject: RE: [wsrp-interfaces] New Import Export document

Hi Mike,

“Should we put the burden on the producer to encode Portlet type information in the export data so an offeredPortlet doesn't have to be identified? An issue to consider is how a Producer can match to a current offeredPortlet if order/etc has changed.” – I think we should. The producer might not need to know the original POP, but just the name of a Java class, plus all the other information in the CCP. This burden is much heavier for the consumer. This also relates to another one of your questions:

“Do we need to discuss impact on import/export interface if we ever support producer managed hierachies? I.e. if producer manages/knows about relationship between portlets then do we need more semantic information passed from the consumer to the producer on import to re-establish those relationships? I.e. I import the a new site customization but not the user customizations and need the producer to rewire the existing user to this new site because it knows and manaegs the relationships. Or in a simpler vain what data needs to be carried when the relationship is fully represented in the export -- i.e. both parent and children aer being imported?” – I don’t think that needs to be carried in the protocol. Since the producer is the one that manages the hierarchy, it can export any hierarchy related info it needs along with the other exportData.

I do think the protocol should differentiate between two use cases:

1. Export for “immediate” import, as in your deploying case. In this case it makes a lot of sense for the consumer to clone the portlet on export.

2. Export for “archiving”. In this case the consumer may for example transfer the exported CCP to multiple other consumers, so a clone needs to be created on import. (This is useful when creating a content package containing ready-built pages with related portlets, some of which may be WSRP based).

Yossi.

From: Michael Freedman [mailto:Michael.Freedman@oracle.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 3:46 AM
To: interfaces
Subject: [wsrp-interfaces] New Import Export document

I have rewritten the original strawman to define specific import/export methods. It has been uploaded to the Interfaces documents. If you want to refer to the old version click on "Manage" to the far right of the document entry. This takes you to a page where you can see the previous revision(s).
-Mike-

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