
Portal desktops and Rule collection are the central pivots around which the content display is configured in SAP NetWeaver Portal. There are many documents elaborating the concepts and also its usage in SDN. However, its potential is rarely realized partly due to SAP’s imaginative configuration control. This document is my attempt to simplify the steps to build a portal solution which will fulfill business requirement and also enthuse portal users.
Initially, let us have a quick refresh of the portal display concepts’ definition by SAP.
A framework page contains the core iViews and pages that are required by a user to operate and navigate the portal. A typical framework page includes the following components: header area, navigation areas (for example, the top-level navigation area and the navigation panel), content area.
A portal theme defines the visual appearance of the control elements, font size, colors, and contrast of the user interface elements. A portal theme does not define the layout, structure, or contents of a portal desktop.
A portal desktop is a collection of framework pages and portal themes, which is defined and customized by content administrators, and ultimately assigned to portal users through portal display rules. A portal desktop defines the structural layout and design of the portal workspace displayed on the screen. It is a structured collection of iViews, pages, themes, and layouts
A Portal Rule Collection is set of conditions defined by a portal administrator determining which portal desktops are assigned to portal users/group at runtime in SAP NetWeaver Portal.
You must have the administrator privileges to following function with authorization for relevant actions:
Identity Management:
System Administration:
The customer ACME Inc(A fictitious organization) has an SAP NetWeaver portal with content accessible to both internal and external users. The management would like to customize the content display according to internal and external users due to the limitations of the bandwidth and users IT experience. The management requires a superior interface for internal IT users and a simpler interface for the external Factory users. The management would like to avoid any manipulation to existing portal identity management – roles/groups structure.
The business requirement shall be fulfilled as follows:
Note: In the image, you can see AJAX Portal Desktop. We can always use the portal desktops provided by default in the rule collection (rule creation is handled in step 3).
Repeat the steps for External Users display. However, add light framework page to the desktop. Light Framework page is designed for external facing portal content users.
Please observe the tab Assigned Parent Groups, in which the ACME User Group is assigned to both the groups.
Add the desktop for the rule by selecting the THEN condition line and right-click on the relevant desktop under Portal Content.
Remember, to click Apply button after the assignment to reflect the changes. Click Save to confirm Rule Creation.
IF Group = ACME User Group (The Parent group) and click on Apply button.
In the THEN clause, choose the option:
THEN Rule Collection = ACMEDisplayRule. Right click on the rule to add the entry into the field.
Save the results.
Portal Display Rule is a powerful concept in SAP NetWeaver Portal. Please explore the full potential by providing the solution based on the Portal Desktops and Rule Collections.
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