Lotus Domino Administrator 8.5 Help - Deploying client plug-ins with widgets and the widget catalog

NOTES CLIENT INSTALLATION AND UPGRADE

Deploying client plug-ins with widgets and the widget catalog
You can use a widget to deploy a new feature and corresponding plug-in to an existing IBM® Lotus® Notes® client using a combination of the widgets catalog, an NSF-based update site in which the feature resides, an XML file attached to the widget that calls the feature's update site, and Domino policy or Eclipse preferences.

This process is written as an ordered procedure and assumes you have a valid Eclipse update site containing a features folder, plugins folder, and site.xml file and that all JAR files in the update site folders are properly signed. It also assumes you want to deploy this plug-in to an existing user such that it be installed, and that any updates to it be automatically provisioned, for that user.

Note Once you have performed these steps, users will be automatically provisioned with the feature called by the widget's extension.xml. The feature called by the widget you are about to create will be installed when the user's local widgets catalog is updated. As well, any updates you make to the feature will be provisioned to the user by way of the widget. The client checks the widget catalog for updates periodically and upon user request.

Note You can use the "Features and Plugins" option on the Getting Started with Widgets wizard in Notes to simplify the process of creating a feature and plug-in deployment widget. See "Configuring a new feature and plug-in deployment widget" in Notes help for details. The wizard especially simplifies the process of creating the widget's attachment XML.

You will use these items to complete the process:

Widgets catalog on named Domino server
Correctly configured Widgets section of Domino Desktop policy settings document
Correctly formed and signed Eclipse update site containing the feature(s) to deploy
NSF-based update site containing your Eclipse update site
Widget resident in the widgets catalog and of the same category as the user's policy or preference
Correctly formed widget XML file attachment that calls the update site
Note Two sample extension.xml files are attached to the above-specified tech note.
Note The Start Configuring Widgets wizard dialog (click Getting Started with Widgets in the toolbar or My Widgets sidebar panel) contains Features and Plugins option. This option launches a wizard sequence designed to simplify the process of creating a Notes client plug-in deployment widget. The wizard guides you through the widget definition and extension.xml creation process.

Process steps

The main steps for deploying a new feature using a widget are as below:

Place the feature's valid Eclipse update site, containing the signed features and plug-ins, in a central location
Install or upgrade the server and client, create the widgets catalog, and set widgets policy or preferences
Create an NSF-based update site and import the Eclipse update site
Create the extension.xml that the widget will use to call the feature's update site
Display the Widgets sidebar and verify or set catalog access
Create the widget in the widgets catalog and attach its extension.xml file to call the update site
Test the widget by dragging it from the catalog view to your My Widgets sidebar
Communicate to users how to obtain the widget or inform them that they will be automatically provisioned with the widget and its feature