JSR Portlets

Question

hi all
can anyone tell me how to create custom portlet modes...
i have defined it in the deployment descriptor portlet.xml as follows
<supports>
<mime-type>text/html</mime-type>
<portlet-mode>edit</portlet-mode>
<portlet-mode>about</portlet-mode>
<portlet-mode>help</portlet-mode>
</supports>
<custom-portlet-mode>
<description>This gives details about the product developers</description>
<name>about</name>
</custom-portlet-mode>
and i have overridden the doDispatch() method to call the doAbout() method but
doesnt work can u tell me y, and please if u can tell me a way of doing it....
thanxxx
charith

Answer 1

Firstly, the doDispatch() method in GenericPortlet is primarily there to
dispatch to different methods based on the current mode. The behavior of
this method change from version to version (in the spec), and so, it is
cleaner to implement the doCustom() method.
The GenericPortlet calls the doCustom() method if the mode is not a
standard mode. This method is similar to doView, doEdit and doHelp
except that it is called for custom modes.
Subbu
Charith Fernando said the following on 10/09/2003 10:05 PM:
hi subbu
thank you very much for the help on portlet modes.... i guess same thing applies
to the window states as well anyway i have a small question from ur description.
why have u told me not to use the doDispatch() method and to use the doCustom
MEthod. and will i be able to know whether there is a method called doCustom exsisting
or do we have create a all new method and where to call it.....currentlly i have
impimented the custom portlet mode inside the doDispatch method and its working
thanxxx
charith
Subbu Allamaraju <[email protected]> wrote:
Charith,
The portlet container does not require you specify custom-portlet-mode
elements to add custom portlet modes. All you have to do are the following:
a. Add those custom modes in the supports element (as in your example)
b. Let the portal framework be aware of how to render toggle buttons
for
those modes. For this, open the netuix-config.xml file (inder WEB-INF
directory) and add entries like
<window-mode name="about">
<activate-image>some image</activate-image>
<deactivate-image>some image here</deactivate-image>
<alt-text>
<locale language="en">
<activate>About</activate>
<deactivate>Leave About</deactivate>
</locale>
</window-mode>
c. Implement the doCustom() method in your portlet. It is better to not
override the doDispatch() method.
Let me know if this helps.
Subbu
Charith Fernando said the following on 10/08/2003 01:19 AM:
hi all
can anyone tell me how to create custom portlet modes...
i have defined it in the deployment descriptor portlet.xml as follows
<supports>
<mime-type>text/html</mime-type>
<portlet-mode>edit</portlet-mode>
<portlet-mode>about</portlet-mode>
<portlet-mode>help</portlet-mode>
</supports>
<custom-portlet-mode>
<description>This gives details about the product developers</description>
<name>about</name>
</custom-portlet-mode>
and i have overridden the doDispatch() method to call the doAbout()method but
doesnt work can u tell me y, and please if u can tell me a way of doingit....
thanxxx
charith