Publishing and Using a Forum Posts Pagelet

This topic discusses how to configure, personalize and work with a forum posts pagelet.

Page Name

Definition Name

Usage

Configuring a Forum Posts Pagelet

PTPPB_ADMIN_PREF

Specify whether an administrator-specified forum is to be displayed in the forum posts pagelet.

Personalizing a Forum Posts Pagelet

EPPDF_POST_PREF

Select the forum posts and options for display in your Forum Posts pagelet.

Pagelets for forums posts can be created and published using Pagelet Wizard. This section provides an overview of how to use Pagelet Wizard to complete the following six steps:

  • Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information.

  • Step 2: Selecting a Pagelet Data Source.

  • Step 3: Specifying Data Source Parameters.

  • Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format.

  • Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options.

  • Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options.

Where appropriate, this section provides details specific to using Pagelet Wizard to publish forum posts as a pagelet. The product documentation for PeopleTools 8.53 provides detailed information on using Pagelet Wizard.

See PeopleTools: Portal Technology “Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets.”

Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page to identify and categorize a pagelet.

Navigation:

  1. Click Portal Administration > Pagelet Wizard > Pagelet Wizard.

  2. Select the Add a New Value tab if you are adding a new pagelet.

    Or

    Select the Find an Existing Value tab and then click Search.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page (Forum Posts data type).

 Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page (Forum Posts data type)

Field or Control

Description

Pagelet ID

Specifies the ID of the pagelet.

Pagelet Title

Specifies the title of the Forum Posts pagelet.

Description

Describes the pagelet.

Owner ID

Specifies the value that is used to identify pagelets created by the organization.

Category ID

Enter a Pagelet Wizard pagelet category ID. You can use category IDs to organize Pagelet Wizard pagelets

Help URL

Specifies the URL of the help document to associate with the pagelet. Entering a URL causes the Help button to appear in the pagelet header bar.

See the product documentation for PeopleTools: Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets,” Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information.

Step 2: Selecting a Pagelet Data Source

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page to select the Pagelet Wizard data source type.

Navigation:

Click Next on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page (Forum Posts data type).

 Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page (Forum Posts data type)

Field or Control

Description

Data Type

Specifies the data type that you would want to display in the pagelet.

Select Forum Posts to display forum posts.

Query Name

Select PAPP_EPPDF_MY_POST.

Discussion Source

Specifies the source of the discussions. Select any one of the following discussion sources:

  • All Forums: Choose this to include the posts from all forums (portal forums, workspace forums, and related discussion forums).

  • All Forums (No Related Disc): Select this option to include posts from all portal forums and all workspace forums while excluding posts from all related discussions.

  • All Related Discussions: Choose this to include the posts from all the related discussion forums only.

    Workspace Forums: Choose this to include the posts from all workspace forums only.

Step 3: Specifying Data Source Parameters

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page to configure the data source parameters that are required for data to be displayed in the pagelet.

Navigation:

Click Next on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters (Forum Posts data type).

 Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters (Forum Posts data type)

Field or Control

Description

Field Name

Displays the name of the data source parameter.

For discussion forums, the following data source parameters can be defined:

  • MAXROWS — Limits the number of entries displayed in the pagelet

  • An additional data source parameter is displayed for each forum matching the Discussion Source criteria specified in Step 2. Field Name displays the FORUM_ID. For example: 0000001002.

Description

Displays a description of the data source parameter.

An additional data source parameter is displayed for each forum matching the Discussion Source criteria specified in Step 2. Description: displays the label that allows a user to select the forum title. For example: Show Guest Column.

Usage Type

Select the type of accessibility that you want to grant for the data source parameter when it appears in the pagelet. Options are:

  • Admin Specified: Select to enable those users with administrative privileges to specify values for this parameter. When a pagelet includes an administrator-specified parameter, the Configure link appears in the pagelet for administrators to configure those parameters on behalf of all users.

    For forums specified as Y, the forum will be displayed by default in the pagelet. For forums specified as N, the forum will not be displayed by default in the pagelet. In either case, the forum will be listed on the configure page, allowing the administrator to change the setting.

  • Fixed: Select to enter a fixed value for the data source parameter that the end user cannot modify.

    For forums specified as Y, the forum will be displayed by default in the pagelet. The forum will also be listed on the personalize page and the configure page, but the setting will not be changeable. For forums specified as N, the forum will neither be displayed in the pagelet, on the personalize page, nor on the configure page.

  • User Specified: Select to enable end users to specify a value for this parameter. When a pagelet contains a user-specified parameter, the Personalize link appears on the pagelet title bar.

    End users can click this button to access a personalization page, on which they can select a data source parameter value that they want to use for the pagelet. Users can select a value from a prompt, or they can manually enter their own value if no prompt values are available. Users can see, but not change, parameters configured by an administrative user.

    If you change the usage type from or to User Specified for a data source parameter on a published homepage pagelet, you must unpublish and then republish the pagelet.

    For forums specified as Y, the forum will be displayed by default in the pagelet. For forums specified as N, the forum will not be displayed by default in the pagelet. In either case, the forum will be listed on the personalize page, allowing the user to change the setting.

Required

This check box is selected and disabled for parameters specified as administrator-specified, context-sensitive, fixed, and system variable; otherwise, it is selected but enabled for user-specified parameters.

Default Value

You can enter a value that includes the % and * wildcards at the beginning or end of a value in the Default Value field.

Note the following about default values:

  • If you select User Specified as the usage type and the data source parameter is a required value, you must enter the default value that should appear before a user enters a value. If the data source parameter is not a required value, you do not have to enter a default value.

    If you select a default value when defining prompt values on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page, that default value populates this field.

    If you select User Specified as the usage type, you can also enter a system variable as the default value. For example, to make the current date the default value for a user-specified parameter, enter a default value of %Date.

  • If you select Fixed as the usage type, you must enter the fixed value.

Values

If you select User Specified or Admin Specified as the usage type, click Values to access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page.

Text

Use the Personalization Instructions group box to enter custom personalization instructions for the pagelet. These personalization instructions appear on the personalization page of the pagelet.

Note: Personalization instructions must be translatable.

Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page to specify the data transformation method and display format for the pagelet.

Navigation:

Click Next on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page (Forum Posts data type).

 Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page(Forum Posts data type)

See the product documentation for PeopleTools: Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets,” Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format.

Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page to enter the custom formatting details for the pagelet as well as header and footer options, and to preview the pagelet.

Navigation:

Click Next on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page (Forum Posts data type).

 Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page (Forum Posts data type)

Expand the Custom Options section and click the Generate button and then click Save.

Note: If you are modifying an existing pagelet definition or if you modify data source parameter definitions, you might need to reselect the XSL template, regenerate the XSL, or both to have the modified pagelet display actual data.

See the product documentation for PeopleTools: Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets,” Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options.

Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options page (click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options page to specify the type of pagelet that you want to publish. In addition, provide registration, caching, and security details, and register the pagelet.

See the product documentation for PeopleTools: Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard to Create and Manage Pagelets,” Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options.

Use the Configure Forum Posts page to configure which forum posts appear in the pagelet.

Note: An administrative user can configure a forum posts pagelet for all users of the pagelet.

Navigation:

Click the Configure link on the Forum Posts pagelet.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Configure Forum Posts.

 Configure Forum Posts page

Select Yes or No to determine whether a specific forum is to be displayed in the pagelet for all users of a pagelet. Forums marked as Admin Specified in Step 3 of Pagelet Wizard are the only forums that will be displayed on this page.

Use the Personalize Discussion Posts page to select the display options and the forums to be displayed in your forum posts pagelet.

Navigation:

  • Click the Pagelet Settings icon on the forum posts pagelet.

  • Select Personalize.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Personalize Forum Posts page.

 Personalize Forum Posts page

Field or Control

Description

Max Rows

Specifies the maximum number of rows you want to display in the forum posts pagelet. The default value is 5.

Selected

Select the forums that you want to be displayed in the forum posts pagelet. You can also view the response to the post.

Use a forum posts pagelet on the portal homepage to access and manage forums posts, topics, and replies.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on a forum posts pagelet.

 Forum posts pagelet

Field or Control

Description

Recent Posts

Click the link for a post to open a new window displaying the Post Details page on which you can view details about the topic or reply.

Note: For a workspace forum, the Post Details does not display within the Discussions module of the corresponding workspace.

Add Topic

Click the Add Topic button to access a list of forums to which you can add a discussion topic. Click an item in the list to open a new window displaying the Create New Topic page.

View More

Click the View More button to access a list of forums to which you have access. Click an item in the list to open a new window displaying the discussion forum’s homepage.

Note: If the total number of discussion posts available is less than the maximum value specified on the Personalize Discussion Posts page, then the View More link is not displayed.

Configure

Users with administrative privilege can access this link. For more information about configuring a forum posts pagelet, see Configuring a Forum Posts Pagelet