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Posted to user@struts.apache.org by Nathan Coast <na...@cableinet.co.uk> on 2001/09/28 18:28:14 UTC

tiles vs templates or both

Hi,

I've been looking at tiles and not sure whether its best to use tiles layouts or 
struts templates or some mix of the two.  We've currently got a site implemented 
using templates but would be looking to implement a portal-like page possibly 
using tiles functionality to provide the component layout.

I'm a bit concerned that using tiles layouts would result in two page layout 
mechanisms within one app (tiles and templates).

Cheers
Nathan

Dynamic tiles definitions (was Re: tiles vs templates or both)

Posted by Cedric Dumoulin <ce...@lifl.fr>.

  Hi,

  There is several way to have "dynamic definition".

  The first one is to write your own definitions factory implementing
'ComponentDefinitionsFactory'. The getDefinition() method is called each time you insert
a definition. So you can implement your own to serve your dynamic definition. You change
the factory used in web.xml. See the tiles-chanel.war as example.

  Another way is to associate an Action and a Tile. The action create and set the
definition or read it from factory, and push it to be used by Tiles. Your action use the
forward mechanism to forward directly to a Tile/jsp, or to a definition name. In this
later case, values set in your pushed definition overload values set by definition used
in forward.
  I'm currently writing a new example showing this features (dynamic portal customizable
by user). You can also check tiles-doc/test/testStrutsAction.jsp and
examples.tiles.test.TestActionTileAction.java.

  Cedric



Nathan Coast wrote:

> Thanks Cedric, I'll give that a go.
>
> Looking in tiles\web\doc\web-inf\tilesDefinitions.xml I found
>
>   <definition name="main.portal.body" path="/layout/columnsLayout.jsp">
>           <put name="numCols" value="2" />
>           <putList name="list0" >
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/login.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/messages.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/newsFeed.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/advert2.jsp" />
>           </putList>
>           <putList name="list1" >
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/advert3.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/stocks.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/whatsNew.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/personalLinks.jsp" />
>             <add value="/tutorial/portal/search.jsp" />
>           </putList>
>    </definition>
>
> is there any way that this can be done dynamically? so the portal page could be
> customised for each user?
>
> Cheers
> Nathan
>
> Cedric Dumoulin wrote:
>
> >   Hi Nathan,
> >
> >   Tiles are compatible with templates. This mean that you can use Tiles in place of
> > templates.
> >   This can be done with a minimum effort by replacing the template tld declaration
> > in web.xml :
> >
> >   <taglib>
> >     <taglib-uri>/WEB-INF/template.tld</taglib-uri>
> >     <taglib-location>/WEB-INF/tiles.tld</taglib-location>
> >   </taglib>
> >
> >   If you use only template tags, then continue to use original template.
> > If you also use tiles tags or features, then use tiles library instead of templates
> > one.
> > You can still have both prefix in your jsp files if you wish.
> >
> >   Hope this help,
> >
> >     Cedric
> >
> >
> > Nathan Coast wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Hi,
> >>
> >>I've been looking at tiles and not sure whether its best to use tiles layouts or
> >>struts templates or some mix of the two.  We've currently got a site implemented
> >>using templates but would be looking to implement a portal-like page possibly
> >>using tiles functionality to provide the component layout.
> >>
> >>I'm a bit concerned that using tiles layouts would result in two page layout
> >>mechanisms within one app (tiles and templates).
> >>
> >>Cheers
> >>Nathan
> >>
> >
> >

Re: tiles vs templates or both

Posted by Nathan Coast <na...@cableinet.co.uk>.

Thanks Cedric, I'll give that a go.

Looking in tiles\web\doc\web-inf\tilesDefinitions.xml I found

  <definition name="main.portal.body" path="/layout/columnsLayout.jsp">
	  <put name="numCols" value="2" />
	  <putList name="list0" >
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/login.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/messages.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/newsFeed.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/advert2.jsp" />
	  </putList>
	  <putList name="list1" >
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/advert3.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/stocks.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/whatsNew.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/personalLinks.jsp" />
	    <add value="/tutorial/portal/search.jsp" />
	  </putList>
   </definition>

is there any way that this can be done dynamically? so the portal page could be 
customised for each user?

Cheers
Nathan


Cedric Dumoulin wrote:

>   Hi Nathan,
> 
>   Tiles are compatible with templates. This mean that you can use Tiles in place of
> templates.
>   This can be done with a minimum effort by replacing the template tld declaration
> in web.xml :
> 
>   <taglib>
>     <taglib-uri>/WEB-INF/template.tld</taglib-uri>
>     <taglib-location>/WEB-INF/tiles.tld</taglib-location>
>   </taglib>
> 
>   If you use only template tags, then continue to use original template.
> If you also use tiles tags or features, then use tiles library instead of templates
> one.
> You can still have both prefix in your jsp files if you wish.
> 
>   Hope this help,
> 
>     Cedric
> 
> 
> Nathan Coast wrote:
> 
> 
>>Hi,
>>
>>I've been looking at tiles and not sure whether its best to use tiles layouts or
>>struts templates or some mix of the two.  We've currently got a site implemented
>>using templates but would be looking to implement a portal-like page possibly
>>using tiles functionality to provide the component layout.
>>
>>I'm a bit concerned that using tiles layouts would result in two page layout
>>mechanisms within one app (tiles and templates).
>>
>>Cheers
>>Nathan
>>
> 
>

Re: tiles vs templates or both

Posted by Cedric Dumoulin <ce...@lifl.fr>.

  Hi Nathan,

  Tiles are compatible with templates. This mean that you can use Tiles in place of
templates.
  This can be done with a minimum effort by replacing the template tld declaration
in web.xml :

  <taglib>
    <taglib-uri>/WEB-INF/template.tld</taglib-uri>
    <taglib-location>/WEB-INF/tiles.tld</taglib-location>
  </taglib>

  If you use only template tags, then continue to use original template.
If you also use tiles tags or features, then use tiles library instead of templates
one.
You can still have both prefix in your jsp files if you wish.

  Hope this help,

    Cedric

Nathan Coast wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I've been looking at tiles and not sure whether its best to use tiles layouts or
> struts templates or some mix of the two.  We've currently got a site implemented
> using templates but would be looking to implement a portal-like page possibly
> using tiles functionality to provide the component layout.
>
> I'm a bit concerned that using tiles layouts would result in two page layout
> mechanisms within one app (tiles and templates).
>
> Cheers
> Nathan