XPages and jQuery DataTables: Simplifying View Creation while Maximizing Functionality

XPages and jQuery DataTables: Simplifying View Creation while Maximizing Functionality

Oct. 11, 2016

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XPages and jQuery DataTables - Simplifying View creation while maximizing functionality

Michael SmithMutual Boiler Re@MichaelGSmith

October 11, 2016

Xpages & jQuery DataTables

Simplifying View creation while maximizing functionality in XPage applications.

xpage.me XPages & jQuery DataTables

• Notes & Domino developer for ~18 years

– Focused on XPages for past 5-6 years

• As a consultant was able to work for some very interesting companies

• Currently a Senior Developer for Mutual Boiler Re

– We are kind of a niche inside a niche

• My blog: http://xpage.me

• Twitter: @michaelgsmith

• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/magnitudesolutions

Michael G. Smith - About Me

http://xpage.me/


• Introduction to DataTables (http://datatables.net)

– Try to cut through the fat and focus on the most useful stuff

– This is not a comprehensive overview (we’d be here all week)

• Roadmap to quickly surface view data in your Xpage apps

– Brand new or existing apps

• Share my experiences and lessons learned

– I learned a lot just working on this presentation!

• How to take everything and utilize it in an enterprise application

– Scalability

• You should be able to walk away and utilize these concepts immediately

– If I’ve done my job

Goals for this session


• Developers “modernizing” legacy Notes/Domino Apps

– Focus is on building Notes-like views and embedded views, but better

• Anyone interested in using REST to surface data to a front end application to provide highly functional , nice looking grids

– These concepts aren’t limited to XPages

Who is this session for?


• What is DataTables?

• Why DataTables?

• Getting started with DataTables

• Putting the “Data” in DataTables

• The DataTables lifecycle

• Advanced configuration

• Domino View Management

• Putting it all together

Agenda


• Simply defined, it is:

– A client side framework/library

– A jQuery plugin

– It’s HUGE!

• It is NOT:

– the XPages control

• From the DataTables online manual:

The stated goal of DataTables is "To enhance the accessibility of data in HTML tables”.

• My definition:

– A great tool for creating Domino-like rich views in XPage and web applications

What is DataTables?


• Very easy to hit the ground running

• Integrates well with Bootstrap

• Further separates data from design

• Became more and more impressed with it’s capabilities

• “A” way, not “The” way

• Extremely well documented through online reference material and support forums (http://datatables.net)

– When using example code try to make sure it is from v 1.10 or later

• Excellent at handling data types

• Great replacement for views and embedded views

– Embedded views on tabs – only load data when tab is clicked

Why DataTables?


• Adding files to your project

– CDN

– In the NSF (WebContent)

– Package Manager (Bower/NPM)

• Dependencies

– jQuery 1.7 or later

• My Demos

– DataTables 1.10.2

– jQuery 1.11.2

Getting started with DataTables


• Styling options

– Default DataTables css

– Bootstrap

• Requires a reduced DataTables css

• Use the Bootstrap table classes when assigning classes to the table markup

– Other frameworks

• Foundation

• jQuery UI

– Use the DataTables theme creator to match your UI– https://datatables.net/manual/styling/theme-creator

Getting started with DataTables (cont.)

https://datatables.net/manual/styling/theme-creator


• Add appropriate source files to your theme

– Using Core DataTables

• DataTables CSS

• jQuery

• DataTables js

– Using Bootstrap

• Bootstrap css

• DataTables Bootstrap css

• jQuery js

• Bootstrap js

• DataTables js

Getting started with DataTables (cont.)


Putting the “Data” in DataTables


• From the Docs:Data for a DataTable can essentially come from three different locations:

– HTML - ideal for when your table already exists and has been populated with data.

– Javascript Array - used when your data exists in a JavaScript array

– An Ajax data source (JSON or JavaScript array)

• Let’s start with a simple xp:repeat

Putting the “Data” in DataTables


Putting the “Data” in DataTables (cont.)

• Adding a DataTable to a xp:repeat


• Simple xp:repeat Demo

Putting the “Data” in DataTables (cont.)


• DataTables default configuration

Adding a DataTable to a xp:repeat (cont.)








• DataTables configuration options



• DataTables configuration options (most common)

– paging

– searching

– info

– ordering

– scrollY (my new favorite)



• Demo – adding simple configuration



• Simply add classes to your table markup

Adding style to the xp:repeat


• From the DataTables reference:



• The most common:

– hover

– stripe

– row-border OR

– cell-border



• By applying classes to the markup we turn this:

Adding style to the xp:repeat (cont.)


• Into this:



• If using the Bootstrap DataTables css then use the Bootstrap table classes

– http://getbootstrap.com/css/#tables



• In Bootstrap:



Creating a DataTable from REST data


• Use the “ajax” option to retrieve data:



• DataTables expects:

– Array of arrays

• Columns object must be defined or ..

• Markup must contain thead with th/td cells for each data column

– Array of objects (JSON)

• Columns object must be defined!

Creating a DataTable from REST data (cont.)

The columns object is really, really important !!!


• Array of arrays

– Defining the columns object

• Need one object per column

• With no data field, the order of the objects must correspond to the order of the returned data

• Use the data field to match up objects with 0 based index of the row array (order doesn’t matter)



• Array of arrays

– Using markup

• Must have a thead element and a th or td for each column

• Order matters



• Array of objects (JSON)

– Columns object must be defined!



• Array of objects (JSON)

– Map the “data” field of the columns object to the appropriate field in the returned JSON object



• The most common ways to retrieve REST data from Domino:

• xeViewJsonService

– Pros

• Easy to hit the ground running

• Domino handles data serialization

– Cons

• More difficult to fine tune the data returned (i.e. reduce payload size)




• xeViewJsonService






• The most common ways to retrieve REST data in Domino:

• xeCustomRestService

– Pros

• More granular control

• Easier to define the column definitions at the rest service

– Cons

• Need to be aware of data types and make sure data is serialized properly

• Need to actually write the code that builds the data












• XAgent

– Pros

• More granular control (even more?)

• Easier to define the column definitions at the rest service

– Cons

• Need to be aware of data types and make sure data is serialized properly

• Need to actually write the code that builds the data



• REST demo:



The DataTables Lifecycle


• Use callbacks to provide a “rich” view experience

– initComplete()

– drawCallback()

– rowCallback()

– createdRow()

• Similarities to the XPages lifecycle

• Be cognizant of your users

– Don’t slow down user experience by adding too much client side processing

The DataTables “Lifecycle” (callbacks)


• Callback demo

The DataTables “Lifecycle” (callbacks) (cont.)


Advanced Configuration



• Row click events

• Renderers

• Programmatic filtering

• Dynamically inserting new rows (Lazy loading/Infinite scroll)

• Categorization

• Reloading data (view refresh)

• Fixed table headers

• View column icons

• Server column resort

• Error handling

• Using a DataTable as a Picklist


• Adding click events

– Use the “createdRow” or “rowCallback” callbacks

• DataTables docs say createdRow is more efficient

• This *should* result in better browser performance, i.e. javascriptobjects won’t be left behind when the DataTable is destroyed

– Be aware when double clicking, click event is also fired unless the timeout method is used

• This is a browser issue, not DataTables

• Demo



• Renderers

– Possibly the most powerful aspect of DataTables

– Executed whenever DataTables needs to get the data for a cell in the column.

– This function might be called multiple times, as DataTables will call it for the different data types that it needs:

• display

• sorting

• filtering

– Orthogonal Data

• Each data point has the ability to take multiple forms

• Demo:

Advanced Configuration (cont.)


• Renderers



• Filtering programmatically

– The real power of DataTables can be exploited through the use of the API

– Tables can be searched by row, column or globally across all data

– Must call the draw() event after performing search

• Demo









• Lazy Loading

– Grab additional data via REST and use DataTables api to insert rows

• Demo



• Categorization

– Not built in to DataTables but easy to add using the api and callbacks

– Outdated, but sometimes still a requirement during the app modernization process

• Gently ease users into new tech by keeping some familiarity

• Demo



• Reloading data

– Avoid the dreaded “Can’t reinitialize DataTable” message

• When referencing your table be sure to use the same class it was instantiated with

– When data is reloaded current sort remains intact



• Fixed Table Headers

– When adding a grid to a web application, ultimately users will want the column headers to freeze while scrolling through data

– Used to this functionality in Notes

– DataTables has a Fixed Header extension

• Requires loading additional resources

• Creates a layer on top of the original table header

– Better Headers with scrollY

• Set scrollY to 0 in DataTables initialization

• Compute size of scroll body

• Came up with this method while preparing this presentation!










– Fixed Header Demo

– Multip




– Column icons were one of the great, simple things about Notes views

– If using Font Awesome in your application, this becomes even easier

– Another example demonstrating the power and usefulness of renderers




– Setup the back end view




– In the columns configuration, tell DataTables that the colIconEmailcolumn will be built with a renderer




– Build the column icon with the renderer



• Server Resort

– Backend view columns must be set to click to sort!

– This example is a good example of not having a clear path but using the tools available in DataTables

– Add className to the columns config



• Server Resort

– Add click event to column headers

– Rebuild url based on clicked column and call reload



• Error Handling

– By default DataTables will alert all errors

– Errors can be suppressed by throwing to the console

– Be aware! Setting this option changes it for ALL DataTables on the page!


$.fn.dataTable.ext.errMode = ‘throw';


• Error Handling

– Version 1.10.5 of DataTables introduced the ability to customize the error handling


$('#example')

.on( 'error.dt', function ( e, settings, techNote, message ) {

console.log( 'An error has been reported by DataTables: ', message );

} )

.DataTable();


Putting it all together


• Manage your Domino views

– Separation of data and functionality

– Use views as strictly back end data containers

• Load em up with data!

– Minimize “click to sort” columns to reduce view index size

– Domino ISO-8601 dates can be problematic if not careful

• Ex. 1957-03-14T21:54:30Z

• My preference: creating a text column

– Strip out unnecessary columns, i.e. colors, icons

• May need to create REST only views in coexistence scenarios

– Fewer views

• No more specialized views with only a handful of columns

• Utilize categories and keys and ftsearch

Putting it all together


• Managing your Domino views (cont.)

– Make sure columns have an itemName !!!

Putting it all together (cont.)


• In order to apply all of this to an enterprise application we need to be able to “connect” the data to the configurations

• My solution: REST View Manager

– Configure DataTable configurations in a browser and store json in a Notes Document

• Minimizes need to touch designs

• Makes view customization by users much easier to implement and manage

– Use a custom control that can be dragged and dropped into any Xpage or custom control and configured through custom properties

– Opens the door to allowing users to customize their views



• REST View Manager



• REST View Manager


nsf

REST configuration created client side

Xpage

DataTableClient Side

Serverside

REST ServiceRead view config

Read view config

GET data

Save view config


• The Grand Finale Demo!

– Create a new REST configuration

– Create an Xpage

– Add the ccRestView custom control to the xpage

– Configure the ccRestView custom control with new REST configuration

– Revel in view data!


Questions????

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Then ask your questions in the Questions panel!

Remember, we will answer your questions verbally

@MichaelGSmith

#XPages

@TLCCLtd

@Teamstudio

@PaulDN

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XPages and jQuery DataTables: Simplifying View Creation while Maximizing Functionality

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