Enable Widget Extensions in DNG

 

Introduction

This article aims to help you with enabling and uploading the widget extensions in Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next.

 

Widget Extensions

You can enhance the Requirements Management (RM) application by authoring extensions for it. The extensions can enhance productivity and are useful for analysis.

 

You can add the extensions to your mini dashboard and remove them as needed. Extensions are authored by using a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS files. The extensions access data within the RM application by using an RM API.

 

Enabling Extensions via Widget Catalog

This procedure describes how to enable scripts in DNG:

  • Open the file: C:\.....\I...\JazzTeamServer\server\liberty\servers\clm\server.xml
  • Change the false to true in following line: <applicationMonitor dropinsEnabled="true" pollingRate="10s" updateTrigger="mbean"/>
  • Save
  • A restart of the server is not needed.
  • Go to servername/rm/admin -> Advanced Properties
  • Find and edit the line that begins with (use Ctrl+F to search in Windows Browser) com.ibm.rdm.widgetcatalog.internal.WidgetCatalog
  • User Extension Catalog URL: https://servername:port/extensions/WidgetCatalog.xml
  • Save
  • Add extension files to following folder .\JazzTeamServer\server\liberty\servers\clm\dropins\war\extensions 
    (if repository \war\extensions doesn't exist in \dropins, you must create it!)
  • You must have there: WidgetCatalog.xml, Several Folders containing the scripts and conf files
  • If you are using IBM HTTP Proxy server in your topology then make sure plugin-cfg.xml file is configured with /extensions context or alternatively put extensions into the following directory: .\Apache\htdocs\extensions

You can add the extensions to your mini dashboard and remove them as needed. Extensions are authored by using a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS files. The extensions access data within the RM application by using an RM API.

 

Widget Catalog

Widget Catalog is the .xml file that is used by the server to recognize which extensions you want to run on it. It contains the following information:

  • Description - description of widget that is shown in DNG UI
  • Title - the name of the widget that you want to see in the DNG UI
  • Resource - paths to the Widget files and pictures that will be shown in DNG UI
  • Category - Name of the category where the widget will be placed in DNG UI
The widgets have categories, titles, descriptions and preview pictures that are taken from Resource

1.) DOORS Next UI

Example of WidgetCatalog with one entry: This extension shows a hierarchical tree view of the module, which you can click to explore. You can search for artifacts, collapse or expand the hierarchy to a particular level, and toggle to show only headings or all of the artifacts in the module. Module Explorer Sample Extensions

This extension shows a hierarchical tree view of the module, which you can click to explore. You can search for artifacts, collapse...

2.) Example of Widget Catalog

Enabling External Widgets

In Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next you have also the possibility to use widgets that are not hosted on your server. Add OpenSocial Gadget option gives you the possibility to use any of the provider's widgets in case you know the full URL of the widget. URL has the following format:

http://[servername] + /gadgetlocation

Add OpenSocial gadget is under the add external widget section

3.) OpenSocial Gadgets

In newer ifixes start from versions ELM 7.0.2 iFix004, ELM 7.0.1 iFix009, CLM 6.0.6.1 iFix018, and CLM 6.0.6 iFix022 an additional action has to be performed in order to enable loading of widgets.
Find more information here: https://www.softacus.de/blog/articles/dng/extensionsnotworkingifix

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