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To start developing new code in OpenACS, we build a new package. A package is a a discrete collection of web pages, tcl code, and database tables and procedures. - A package with user interface is called an application; + A package with user interface is called an application; a package which provides functions to other packages and has no direct interface, a - service. A package can be installed, upgraded, and + service. A package can be installed, upgraded, and removed. It communicates with other packages through an API. This chapter walks you through the minimum steps to create a useful package, including writing documentation, setting up database tables and procedures, writing web pages, debugging, and automatic regression testing. @@ -18,11 +17,11 @@ right now. Code that is temporary hackage is clearly marked.
In this tutorial, we will make an application package for displaying a list of text notes. -
You will need:
A computer with a working installation of +
You will need:
A computer with a working installation of OpenACS. If you don't have this, see Chapter�2, Installation Overview.
Example files, which are included in the -standard OpenACS 5.2.3b1 distribution. -
We use the ACS Package Manager (APM) to add, remove, and +standard OpenACS 5.2.3rc1 distribution. +
Figure�9.1.�Assumptions in this section
| Fully qualified domain name of your server | yourserver.test |
| URL of your server | http://yourserver.test:8000 |
| Name of development account | $OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME |
| New Package key | myfirstpackage |
We use the ACS Package Manager (APM) to add, remove, and upgrade packages. It handles package meta-data, such as lists of files that belong in the package. Each package is uniquely identified by a package key. To start developing a new @@ -31,31 +30,31 @@ the initial directories, meta-information files, and database entries for a new package. (More info on APM)
Browse to - http://yourserver:8000/acs-admin/apm. -
Click Create a New Package.
Fill in the fields listed below. Ignore the rest (and leave the check boxes alone).
+ http://yourserver:8000/acs-admin/apm.
+
Click Create a New Package.
Fill in the fields listed below. Ignore the rest (and leave the check boxes alone). (Some will change automatically. Don't mess with those.)
- Package Key: - myfirstpackage
- Package Name:
- My First Package
+ Package Key:
+ myfirstpackage
+ Package Name:
+ My First Package
- Package Plural: - My First Package
- Package Type:
- Application
+ Package Plural:
+ My First Package
+ Package Type:
+ Application
- Initial Version: - 0.1d -
Summary:
- This is my first package.
+ Initial Version:
+ 0.1d
+
Summary:
+ This is my first package.
At the bottom, click
- .
+ .
This creates a package rooted at
- /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/myfirstpackage.
- This is the "home directory" of our new package, and all
+ /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/myfirstpackage.
+ This is the "home directory" of our new package, and all
files in the package will be within this directory. More on the structure of
- packages).
In order to see your work in progress, you must create a + packages).
In order to see your work in progress, you must create a map between the URL space of incoming requests and the package application instance. You do this by adding the application in the main site administration). This creates a link between the incoming URL requests and an @@ -64,9 +63,9 @@ code and tables. This requires that a package be developed package-aware. You'll see how to do that in this tutorial.
Browse to -http://yourserver.test:8000/admin/applications/application-add/.
Choose "My First Package" from the list and click OK (the other fields are optional).
By mounting the package, we've caused all requests to - http://yourserver.test:8000/my-first-package - to be satisfied from the files at /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/myfirstpackage/www.
The remainder of the tutorial walks you through each file one at a time as you create the package. You can skip all this, and get a working package, by doing the following:
cd /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/acs-core-docs/www/files/tutorial
+http://yourserver.test:8000/admin/applications/application-add/.Choose "My First Package" from the list and click OK (the other fields are optional).
By mounting the package, we've caused all requests to
+ http://yourserver.test:8000/my-first-package
+ to be satisfied from the files at /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/myfirstpackage/www.
The remainder of the tutorial walks you through each file one at a time as you create the package. You can skip all this, and get a working package, by doing the following:
cd /var/lib/aolserver/$OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME/packages/acs-core-docs/www/files/tutorial psql $OPENACS_SERVICE_NAME -f myfirstpackage-create.sql cp note-edit.* note-delete.tcl index.* ../../../../myfirstpackage/www/ mkdir ../../../../myfirstpackage/lib