Web Application Generator Version 2.0

Developing web applications, for internet or intranet use, is a task nearly every IT department is facing now or will in the near future. If you can do it quickly and efficiently on your current iSeries and create applications that conform to open standards and are completely portable to other platforms and databases, you’ll save time and money – immediately and in the future.

Not all iSeries developers are proficient in Java web programming. Even if the Java language is known, developers still face the task of inventing a methodology for managing user interaction, database access, security, and error handling. These features form the underpinnings or “framework” of the application and can require extensive effort to develop and maintain. iStart^® Web Application Generator from PGM Systems, Inc. is a software product designed to assist developers and jump start the web application development process by generating applications and their framework.

These generated applications utilize Java Server Pages (JSP’s), Tag Libraries, SQL and Java Database Connectivity (JDBC). They incorporate the Jakarta Struts framework (based on Model-View-Controller design) and make use of modern object-oriented programming techniques. On its own, iStart^® can become the standard for web application development in an organization by freeing developers from having to invent their own techniques for managing fundamental application activities. The applications are developed for iSeries but are completely portable, capable of running on any platform and JDBC compliant database.

A developer’s learning curve is reduced by walking through a series of pages on the web-based front end. By answering questions and choosing options the developer configures the application, including database definition, field validation options, multilevel file relationships, security rules, menu structure and other generation features. iStart^® then generates the application which includes (but is not limited to) full Java source code, Struts application framework and action mappings, SQL to create database files, data access objects, model java beans, help text skeleton, and the jar/war/ear files required to deploy the solution. By standardizing the underlying foundation, look, and feel, iStart^® web-based applications make it easier for users to navigate and interact with them.

The generated application makes full use of the Tiles facility of the Struts framework which is used to build pages from individual JSP’s in loosely coupled arrangements. This facility promotes JSP reuse which reduces page recreation by the developer to meet similar needs throughout the application. The Struts framework produces an extensible development environment based on published standards and proven design patterns.

Once the initial generation process is complete, the developer can begin to layer in the custom logic required to meet business objectives. To ease the process and reduce the requirement for time-consuming source code merges, iStart^® also generates stub extension classes for the developer to use. The developer can place custom business logic in stub extension classes and, through the use of inheritance, the custom logic will be incorporated into the generated logic to create the functionality required. When future generations of the application are required, customization that was placed in the stub extension classes will remain intact after the regeneration process. Another advantage of the stub class design is easier customization and maintenance because the custom code is in one place and not scattered throughout the generated code base.

Standard features generated in every application include work-with forms with query-by-example filtering, list pagination, bread crumbs, and role based local system security. Query-by-example filtering provides the user with database search functionality that features relational operators and wildcards while list pagination provides easy page by page movement through the data returned from the search. Breadcrumbs allow the user to immediately jump back to previous pages visited in the drill down process and automatically invoke a new query without the use of the browser-provided back button. Role based local system security integration provides centralized security management for the application. Other features include internationalization for multilanguage deployments, externalized text and cascading style sheets to manage the presentation layer, multilevel (parent-child-grandchild) table relationships, file import/export capabilities, e-mail integration, and integrated report processing.

iStart^® is designed to meet the needs of developers, application users, and, most importantly, the organization itself. Because the generation process creates real world code and applications for developers to reference, iStart^® is a great tool to use when introducing the Java programming language to traditional iSeries developers. It also simplifies and standardizes the development process and avoids complex maintenance and support issues which can result from home-grown solutions. Application users get a standard look and feel as well as an efficient application.

Organizations can develop advanced web applications on the iSeries without a costly hardware change or upgrade and know that their application investment is portable to other operating systems and databases when infrastructure, personnel, or software changes occur in the future. iStart^® can provide immediate gains in productivity and standardization across web applications and help large or small organizations create modern web solutions without giving up the stability, reliability, performance, and investment in their iSeries server.