RIA and Semantic Tech for Enterprise

FlexSpaces Google Code Project   (open source community version is LGPL)

In the new version of FlexSpaces (0.94),  there is now also a special build “FlexSpaces for LiveCycle” that is preconfigured for LiveCycle Content Services ES2 instead of regular Alfresco. The flexspaces-0.94-LiveCycleES2.zip download has both an AIR version and an in-browser version.

This has the new features added in FlexSpaces 0.94 (less steps editing in AIR version, navigation panel, new bigger labeled toolbar icons,  show logged in as).  This version also takes advantage of some things added in Content Services ES2 to avoid getting some initial extra authentication prompts. (FlexSpaces for LiveCycle now requires ES2 and doesn’t support ES1). Also the setup for FlexSpaces with LiveCycle is easier than in the past. Just install the integratedsemantics.zip webscripts and set host name in FlexSpacesConfig.xml as described in the readmeLC.txt in the zip.

Calais Integration

Note that the Calais Integration in the Alfresco Forge works fine with LiveCycle Content Services ES2 and  FlexSpaces has UI for it (auto semantic tagging, tag suggestion, tag clouds, google map displaying geo-tags). The ES2 installer allows you to include custom AMP files such as the CalaisIntegration.amp. I used the turnkey install, selected the custom option when the Configuration Manager ran.  I had the calaisIntegration.amp release 1.1  in c:\amps.  When the config mgr is deploying content services, check the include custom amps checkbox, and browse to choose c:\amps.  For instructions on adding an amp to an existing install see Dr Flex & Dr LiveCycle (although the paths are different in ES2).

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FlexSpaces in Alfresco Forge ,  FlexSpaces Google Code Project   (open source community version is LGPL)

The new version of FlexSpaces (0.94)  has the following new features:

• The AIR version can offline a file in the repository and launch the default application for the file type on the offline copy with one click of the edit button in FlexSpaces. (This can be turned on by setting useLessStepsEdit to true in FlexSpacesConfig.xml).  With this feature, the user avoids getting file browse dialog to choose a download location and then having to navigate through their file system to launch the file in an editing application.
• The AIR version can automatically update the online file when the user saves in applications while editing an offlined file launched from the edit button.   (This can be turned on by setting both useLessStepsEditing to true and autoUpdateOnlineOnAppSave to true in FlexSpacesConfig.xml) (The online file will be versioned if it has the versionable aspect.)   With this feature, you avoid having to go back to the content management client, choose update, and pick the file to update with from a file browse dialog.
• Basically these two features together give you the simpler editing you get with WebDAV or with CIFS, but with the full features of FlexSpaces. With WebDAV your editing application may need to support direct WebDAV URLs.  Also you don’t have to worry as you do with WebDAV or CIFS,  if it works with a  particular client OS version or needs a client OS patch.
• The toolbar of FlexSpaces now has bigger, labeled toolbar buttons. Hopefully this will make figuring out what to do easier.
• A navigation panel was added combining the existing Company Home tree, an added User / My Home tree,  and Categories / Tag Cloud / Semantic Tag Clouds/Map / Favorites moved from the search view.
• Added displaying “Logged in as:” user name
• Fixes for LiveCycle Content Services ES2 version of Alfresco

CMIS Spaces and FlexibleShare were also updated to have these new FlexSpaces features:

CMIS Spaces in Alfresco Forge ,  CMIS Spaces Google Code Project

FlexibleShare in Alfresco Forge ,  FlexibleShare Google Code Project

The community versions of FlexSpaces, FlexSpaces portlets, CMIS Spaces, and CMIS Spaces portlets (coming) are now LGPL instead of GPL. FlexSpaces supports both Alfresco and Adobe LiveCycle Content Services ES2.  LiveCycle Mosaic ES2 tiles for FlexSpaces and CMIS Spaces are also planned. The community version of FlexSpaces has very full featured support for doc management, search,  start workflow, task list (Alfresco only), and some wcm (Alfresco only). It even supports semantic auto-tagging using Calais.

An enterprise version of  FlexSpaces (including portlets, tiles) with a commercial license, support, and additional features will also be available.  An expanded enterprise version of CMIS Spaces (including portlets, tiles) is also in the works.

FlexibleShare is now LGPL instead of GPL.  FlexibleDashboard and FlexibleLiferay have been LGPL for awhile. These are in the early stages, experimental. FlexibleShare adds a Flex portal interface around FlexSpaces doc management pods, Flex UI pods for Alfresco share collaboration, and some sample BI/reporting pods. Plan to also add pods for CMIS Spaces into FlexibleShare. FlexibleShare and its base project FlexibleDashboard need to have modularity support added (loading of modules). They need to be flexible.  FlexibleLiferay, a Flex+AIR front end to Liferay, gets its modularity support already from Liferay with each portlet (pure Flex or regular portlet) being a separate war file. FlexibleDashboard needs to have its BI/reporting support expanded beyond samples.

FlexSpaces Alfresco Forge , FlexSpaces Google Code

CMIS Spaces Alfresco Forge , CMIS Spaces Google Code

FlexibleShare Alfresco Forge , FlexibleShare Google Code

FlexibleDashboard Google Code

FlexibleLiferay Google Code

Steve
integratedsemantics.com
twitter.com/stevereiner

FlexSpaces Easier To Use With LiveCycle Content Services ES

I finally updated FlexSpaces  (version 0.931) to not need a recompile for a server URL change with LiveCycle Content Sevices ES (changes to FlexSpacesConfig.xml and to server side services-config.xml still required).

Calais Integration

I tested with LiveCycle ContentSevices ES 8.2.1  and also with the LiveCycle ES2 M3 R3 beta. On ES2, I also tested with the Alfresco Calais Integration and it works fine via the FlexSpaces Calais UI (auto semantic tagging, tag suggestion, google map geo-tagging).  Nice thing about the ES2 installer is it allows you to include custom AMP files. I used the turnkey install, selected the custom option when the Configuration Manager ran.  I had the calaisIntegration.amp release 1.1  in c:\amps.  When the config mgr is deploying content services, check the include custom amps checkbox, and browse to choose c:\amps.

Remaining Problems

Still have two remaining problems with FlexSpaces on LC Content Services.  Get an authentication prompt on upload that can cause the first upload not work on AIR/Windows (on Mac/AIR, Windows/Mac/browser get errors on upload). Alfresco has an alf_ticket URL arg that makes it easy to authenticate with. You can’t use this with LiveCycle ContentServices. You have to use authentication headers. Flex doesn’t let you use  headers with FileReference.upload()   or navigateToURL()   (view a file given an Alfresco download URL).    For navigateToURL, it works other than getting an authentication prompt the first time using file viewing.For uploading, I think by switching to upload to  /remoting/lcfileupload  instead directly to a webscript url will be the part of the solution. This will get files into the LiveCycle “Repository”.  Just need to get files from there to the LiveCycle Content Services repository.  Unlike this ADC article I don’t want to have to require the LC Process Mgt option. If anybody has some suggested APIs or sample code, let me know. Don’t think there is a work around for the navigateToURL issue.

Details

1. Changed to new up a ChannelSet with channel URLs coming from the FlexSpaceConfig.xml Spring ActionScript file instead of compiling in a services-config.xml.2. See doc\livecycle\readmeLiveCycleContentServices.txt for FlexSpacesConfig.xml LC CS specific changes, and server side services-config.xml changes still required.3. Note FlexSpaces needs its FlexSpacesConfig.xml configured with a Calais key and a Google Map api key to get UI for the Calais Integration enabled (see doc\flexspacesAir\readmeFlexSpacesForAIR.txt)4. For instructions on adding an amp to an existing install (of 8.2.1, dir name, deploy areas different on ES2) see Dr Flex & Dr LiveCycle. (Haven’t tried the Calais Integration on LC CS 8.2.1. It should work since it works with Alfresco 2.1).

I recently added both a FlexSpaces/Alfresco Gadget (Google) and a Portlet for the new GateIn (eXo+JBoss) Portal. See Alfresco Forge for downloads, Google Code  for source.  See previous posts on other portlets ( Liferay Portal portlet ,  JBoss Portal portlet).

The gadget and the portlet  work on both app server versions (Tomcat, JBoss AS) of the GateIn beta1. (I had to add a tld file to get the portlet to work on JBoss).

The gadget can be used on dashboard layouts. The portlet can be used in other layouts. In the screenshot, the FlexSpaces gadget is maximized, so it doesn’t look like the usual gadget layout. The beta1 seemed to not allow saving an edit to change from a 3 column to a 1 or 2 column. (FlexSpaces can made to take up less space by setting the show header area preference to false, and hiding the tree with the show / tree menu). Also the beta1 didn’t display default values for the FlexSpaces gadget when the edit UI mode is used, so editng the gadget xml is easier (This is only on gadgets, regular portet preferences UI edit mode was fine).

See the readmes in the flexspaces-gadget.zip file and the flexspacesGateInPortlet.zip file for setup instructions.