Creating a business process portlet project

Code generation for business process portlets is supported for Basic and Faces portlet models.

Before creating task portlets for business processes, you must complete the following steps:
  1. Identify or develop a business process that has been created using WebSphere® Studio Application Developer Integration Edition. It will contain input and (optionally) output messages for the entire process, and staff activities (or Tasks). Each task should be defined with an input message and an output message.
  2. If you plan to use WSDL or XSD (schema) files for visual development of Faces-based business process portlets, create a simple project in your workspace. Import the WSDL or XSD files into that project. Optionally, you can import the WSDL and XSD files into the business process portlet project that you create.
    Note: Visual development of the business process portlets is not supported when using the Basic portlet model.
To create a business process portlet project:
  1. Select File > New > Portlet Project (JSR 168) from the menu bar to create a portlet project that contains a JSR 168 API portlet. Select File > New > Portlet Project from the menu bar to create a portlet project that contains an IBM® API portlet. The wizard for the appropriate portlet project type will open.
    Note: The business process portlet options available in the New Portlet Project wizard are also available in New Portlet wizard.
  2. Provide values, as appropriate, for the following fields:
    Project name
    Name for the new portlet project.
    Project location
    The location in the file system where the project will be created. You can change the file system location by using Browse.
    WebSphere Portal version
    Ensure that 5.1 is selected. Your selection will set the appropriate servlet and corresponding target server for your development environment.
    Create a portlet
    If you do not want to create the initial portlet definitions in the project, clear this check box. However, you will need to create at least a View mode for the portlet, so it is recommended that you keep the check box selected.
  3. Select either the Faces Portlet or Basic Portlet option for the appropriate API. Specifying either a Faces or a Basic portlet model enables you to generate code for process initiation or task processing later using this wizard. However, for a Basic portlet, after the wizard generates the base code, there are additional steps that you must perform to enable the process initiation portlet and task processing portlet. See Enabling business process portlets that use the Basic portlet model for additional details.
    • Selecting Faces Portlet creates a portlet using Faces portlet classes: FacesGenericPortlet for the JSR 168 API and WPFacesGenericPortlet for the IBM portlet API. This selection provides a sub-option to generate a subclass of Faces portlet classes.
    • Selecting Basic Portlet creates a portlet using basic portlet classes: GenericPortlet for the JSR 168 API and PortletAdapter for the IBM portlet API.
  4. Change any appropriate values on succeeding pages, and click Next, until you reach the Advanced Options page.
  5. Select the Enable business process integration check box. This will enable the Add task processing and Add process initiation radio buttons. Select the appropriate integration type (for the portlet that you are creating along with the project). If the process initiation option is selected, you must specify a Template name for a process template defined in BPEL (using WebSphere Studio Application Developer Integration Edition). Click Finish. Business process helper classes are generated, along with a subclass of the Faces or Basic portlet, and its JSP file.
  6. Import the JAR file(s) for any input or output message classes that the business process portlet will use into the portlet project's /WEB-INF/lib folder.
The default view page is generated and opened in the editing pane. You are now ready to add data access to the input and output messages.
Related concepts
Process initiation helper classes
Task processing helper classes
Related tasks
Developing business process portlets
Adding data access to business process portlets
Creating user interfaces for business processes
Related reference
WebSphere Portal Documentation Library
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