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Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2005 15:03:28 +0200 (MEST)
From: "Mattom" <web.schnirkel@gmx.at>
To: users@cocoon.apache.org
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Subject: Custom Generator, Custom Action, Flow
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Hi all !
I am trying to use cocoon as web frontend for a very custom selfmade (not my
work) db layer in a j2ee environment.
This DB Layer provides a XML interface, where I can read and store XML
Trees.

I am quite new to cocoon and java, so I find it quite difficult to make
decisions, and find the right way... so I am asking for some "design" help.

Three problems:
o) Selecting and displaying data with the custom db layer
o) editing and updating data with the custom db layer
o) how to use flow (flow for the whole webapp, or only parts)

Problem I - Query
=================
To get data from the db layer, i have to make a new instance, and pass it an
instance of a query object.
I managed to write a custom generator following the tutorial at
http://people.apache.org/~reinhard/2.2/tutorial/tutorial-rmi-generator.html
which works without the query object. This generator takes the "table name"
as parameter and returns a select *.
Now I am struggling with the query object. I want to have a form to submit
the search criteria, but I am not sure where to submit ? I need a java class
to parse the request parameters to a query object and then pass this query
object to the generator, but what is the best way to accomplish this ?
Should I use flow and continuation ? Or are there other ways ?

Problem II Update Insert
========================
Well, this is quite the same thing as Problem I. I have to build a query
object, pass it to the db layer, and then pass the selected data to a form
(cform ?). Maybe I should use form binding, still have to read some docs
here.
But, how to insert or update ?
Write a custom action or again use flow ?
When i use flow, what happens if the user decides to leave the workflow
before submitting the data ? Do I have a "zombie" in my session then ? 

Problem III Usage of Flow 
=========================
All the flow examples I found demonstrate flow(script) in a small scope,
just calculating something, or controlling access to just a few pages.

If everything works out well, the "framework" we are building will be used
to access databases with about 250 tables, and many different workflows will
be possible within the webapp.
Can I implement one master flow (a "void main()"), that manages the session
cleaning, user guidance and some subflows for the more detailed workflows,
containing again subflows for tasks like inserting or updating ?

Thanks for your help !
Tom (Lutz)

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