How to develop a custom portal framework

[Former Member]

Dear all,

as I understand the portal framework is responsible for the redered layout of portal components in an sap portal. How can I create my own portal framework with my custom layout? Is there anywhere a guide or anything else? At sap help there is nothing helpful.

Thanks and regards!

[Former Member]

Thank you for these helpful documents. I've studied them but I'm not quiet sure what a portal framework is and how it different from framework pages and portal desktops.

Is a portal framework (i.e. ajax portal framework) a war- or ear-file with html-layouts and javascripts or what is the best comparison? Or is a portal framework only table entries of meta data in the java ee DB?

Thanks!

[Former Member]

Hi Gerrit,

Gerrit Lober wrote:
Thank you for these helpful documents. I've studied them but I'm not quiet sure what a portal framework is and how it different from framework pages and portal desktops.

I had the same problem not long ago, as I tryed to understand how proprietary parts of EP are working, stuff like PCD objects, flex etc. I had no luck with finding documentation, which explains on the "right" abstraction level for a technical consultant how this stuff works. Try to take a look to course documentation on EP courses coming directly from SAP. Or much better: pay a experienced consultant to answer your questions and give you an introduction.

Is a portal framework (i.e. ajax portal framework) a war- or ear-file with html-layouts and javascripts or what is the best comparison? Or is a portal framework only table entries of meta data in the java ee DB?

An ajax portal framework is in fact a proprietary PCD object, while parts of it (masthead, dtn etc) are J2EE applications, aka "applets".

regards

[hofmann]

I had no luck with finding documentation, which explains on the "right" abstraction level for a technical consultant how this stuff works

Where did you search? SAP Help contains information from business, application, technical users as well as developer information. The rest is taking a look at an actual portal, analyzing it and turning to SCN for understanding the last bit of missing understanding.

while parts of it (masthead, dtn etc) are J2EE applications

They are not really JEE applications, portal applications or portlets (good old times: PAR) is more accurate. Outside the SAP Portal framework they are useless.

[hofmann]

Go hands on to understand what a framework page is: http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/48/1d5b9a71364269e10000000a421937/frameset.htm

"A framework page is a portal page object that contains user interface units, which together define the layout and structure of a portal desktop. A framework page contains the core iViews and pages that are required by a user to operate and navigate the portal."

And http://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw73/helpdata/en/48/1fee2f80093184e10000000a42189b/content.htm?frameset=...

Best way is as always: try it out and do it yourself.

[Former Member]

Where did you search? 

Google, I guess like most of us. SAP Help isnt bad at all, but its sadly not offering any good entry points for newbies, like the competition products with good and strong communities do.

Altogether SAP has imho serious problems with providing of informations with the character of general hub points of view, like google is doing. To be fair: SAPs job is much more difficult, since all informations are structured and much less linked, but this doesnt change anything on the results: they are poor. As already said, talking to a experienced EP consultant for few hours worked for me very well.

They are not really JEE applications, portal applications or portlets (good old times: PAR) is more accurate. Outside the SAP Portal framework they are useless.

Yes, thats right, thank you for the correction.

regards

[hofmann]

Really useful SAP information is available on SAP Help and in the training material - that you only get when taking the training.

Generally, the level of information available for SAP is not bad, but you need some level of dedication, as there is no simply repository of samples available. You have to read, you have to try out, you have to invest time.

For understanding and solving the custom portal framework "problem" for a new starter, my guess is it'll take between 2 to 3 days. That's longer than asking someone, but in the long run is more useful.

[Noel_Hendrikx]

Hi Gerrit,

Check out http://wiki.sdn.sap.com/wiki/display/AFP/SAP+Portal+-+Ajax+Framework+Page. At the Advance level you will see good examples.

Kind regards,

Noël

[Steffi_Warnecke]

Hello Gerrit,

the overview page of this area brings you a lot of nice information on the topic.

There I found the document , where you find your answer under the headline "Theming and Branding".

If you're on 7.0, look at the document , where you'll find information on design options right under the first headline "Running an Enterprise Portal".

I know, the overview pages are pretty cramped up with information, but most of them have links to related documentation, so it's always a great start point when looking for that.

Regards,

Steffi.

[Former Member]

Salut Gerrit,

Steffi already gave you a clue, but to be a little bit more specific, I guess you are probably looking for something like that:

http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/go/portal/prtroot/docs/library/uuid/001bfa1a-958e-2e10-c2be-d914f673e...

regards