flow/xdocs/index.xml - struts-sandbox - Git at Google

 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <document url="index.html">

   <properties>
     <title>Struts Flow</title>
   </properties>

   <body>
     <section name="Struts Flow">
     <a name="overview"/>
       <p>
 Struts Flow is a server-side Javascript web framework that brings rapid development and consistency to your presentation tier.  With native Ajax support, web applications can be easily developed on the client and server side with language consistency.  The dynamic Javascript language requires minimal code and is used to form a zero configuration approach to Action-based controllers.
 </p>

         <p>Here is a Javascript controller for a simple "Hello World" application that contains a single action - <code>say</code> - that sets the name for the message:</p>
 <pre>
 HelloController = function() {
   this.say = function() {
     this.name = "Struts Flow!";
   }
 }
 </pre>
         <p>
         And the corresponding JSP file:
         </p>
 <pre>
 &lt;html&gt;
   &lt;body&gt;
     Hello from ${name}!
   &lt;/body&gt;
 &lt;/html&gt;
 </pre>
         <p>
         That's it - zero configuration required!  The <code>say</code> action would be called using the <code>http://localhost:8080/example/hello/say.do</code> URL.  There are more
         detailed examples in the <a href="#examples">Examples</a> section.
         </p>

         <p>Built on a port of <a
 href="http://cocoon.apache.org">Cocoon's</a> <a
 href="http://cocoon.apache.org/2.1/userdocs/flow/index.html">Control Flow</a>, Struts Flow enables complex workflow, like multi-form wizards, to be easily
 implemented using continuations-capable JavaScript. It provides the ability to
 describe the order of Web pages that have to be sent to the client, at any given
 point in time in an application. The flow scripts fulfill the role of Struts
 Actions, however, they can be used along side traditional Java-based Struts
 Actions.

         </p>
         <p>
         To make the Javascript easier to use and better integrated into the Java environment borrowing several ideas from <a
         href="http://groovy.codehaus.org">Groovy</a>.  First, information in Collections classes
         can be accessed using Javascript array (<code>foo[1]</code>) and object (<code>foo["bar"]</code>) notations.
         Also, Struts Flow uses <a href="http://www.json.org">JSON</a> to allow client-side Javascript running
         in a browser to call server-side Javascript flow functions.  <a href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a>
         can be used on the server and client side with Struts Flow to support a 100% Javascript view layer.
         Finally, core Java API classes like <code>java.io.File</code> have additonal methods and properties
         added to them.  For example, to process each line of a text file, you can use the following closure:
         </p>
 <pre>
   new File("foo.txt").eachLine(
     function(line) { print(line); }
   );
 </pre>
         <p>
         While the initial target of the extracted Control Flow is Struts, the Flow code and Javascript extensions
         are reusable from other
         non-Struts environments.  This means Control Flow could be used to drive non-Struts JSP applications, portlets, or even complex web services.
         </p>
     </section>
       <section name="Features">
       <a name="features"/>
             <ul>
               <li><a href="http://www.rubyonrails.org">Ruby on Rails</a>-style zero configuration controllers</li>
               <li>"Flash" object support for passing data between requests</li>
               <li>Easily script complex workflows</li>
               <li>Full access to Struts features</li>
               <li>Can exist side-by-side regular Struts actions</li>
               <li>Ability to run in non-Struts environments (uses Jakarta's Commons-Chain)</li>
               <li>Enhanced Java API methods and Collections integration</li>
               <li>Remote RPC support (termed Ajax but with JSON instead of XML) for calling flow methods from the client</li>
               <li>Includes Wizard library to help easily create complex wizards</li>
               <li>Includes <a href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a> library to replace JSP for a 100% Javascript view layer.</li>
               <li>Includes number guessing, remote rpc, Javascript Templates, and wizard examples</li>
             </ul>
       </section>
       <section name="Documentation and Examples">
       <a name="examples"/>
         <p>
           The quickest way to understand how Struts Flow works is to take a look at the examples below, and even to
           download and run them yourself. Once you have your "hello world" application running, use the "Built-in
           Resources" section on the left to learn what methods and variables Struts Flow makes available to every
           script. Finally, Struts Flow enhances the standard Java API by adding methods and properties to many classes
           to keep your Struts Flow scripts short and to the point. A list of the extensions is also on the left under
           the heading"Java Enhancements".
         </p>
              <p>Each of the following examples show how Struts Flow can be used with zero configuration:
              </p>
             <ul>
                 <li><a href="guess-example.html">Number Guess Game Example</a> - A simple number guessing game</li>
                 <li><a href="remote-example.html">Number Guess Game Example - Remote Edition</a> - The above game but with a remote call from the client Javascript to let the user "cheat"</li>
                 <li><a href="templates-example.html">Number Guess Game Example - Templates Edition</a> - The above example, but rendering all HTML on both the server and client side using <a
         href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a>.</li>
                 <li><a href="wizard-example.html">Wizard Example</a> - Shows a simple wizard framework built on top of Struts Flow that handles back and forward navigation automatically.</li>
             </ul>
           <p>
             For more documentation about the general concept of flow and continuations, the <a href="http://cocoon.apache.org">Apache Cocoon</a> <a href="http://cocoon.apache.org/2.1/userdocs/flow/index.html">Control Flow</a> pages might be useful as the core of Struts Flow was originally extracted from Cocoon.
           </p>
        </section>
       <section name="What's New">
       <a name="new"/>
         <subsection name="0.5 - Unreleased">
             <ul>
               <li>Zero configuration controllers</li>
               <li>Experimental portlet support</li>
               <li>Added better Collections support within Javascript</li>
               <li>Upgraded Rhino library to 1.6 which features native continuations support</li>
               <li>Added framework for adding methods and properties to core Java API classes</li>
               <li>Added JSON support</li>
               <li>Added client Javascript library and server-side support for calling flow functions from the brower</li>
               <li>Added Javascript Templates library for generating HTML content on the server and client side</li>
               <li>Moved project to Apache Struts</li>
               <li>Added new remote number guessing game example to demonstrate remote Javascript flow calls</li>
               <li>Added new templates number guessing game example to demonstrate a 100% Javascript application</li>
               <li>Added new documentation generated from the Java and Javascript source files</li>
             </ul>
         </subsection>
         <subsection name="0.2 - September 10, 2004">
             <ul>
               <li>Added wizard library to make wizard creation easy</li>
               <li>Added wizard example</li>
               <li>Updated and improved documentation</li>
               <li>Fixed a few bugs</li>
             </ul>
         </subsection>
         <subsection name="0.1 - June 3, 2004">
             <ul>
               <li>Hooks into Struts' logging</li>
               <li>Added continuation expiration system</li>
               <li>Added support for JavaScript debugger</li>
               <li>Improved Struts integration</li>
               <li>Added full JavaDocs</li>
               <li>Added many more configuration options</li>
             </ul>
         </subsection>
         <subsection name="Initial Import - May 12, 2004">
             <ul>
               <li>Example working</li>
               <li>Struts integration functioning</li>
               <li>Needs better Struts form integration</li>
               <li>Needs to hook into Struts' logging</li>
             </ul>
         </subsection>
      </section>
       <section name="Requirements">
       <a name="requirements"/>
           <p>
             Struts-specific features of Struts Flow requires Struts 1.3 or greater.
           </p>
       </section>
  </body>
 </document>
	<?xml version="1.0"?>
	<document url="index.html">

	<properties>
	<title>Struts Flow</title>
	</properties>

	<body>
	<section name="Struts Flow">
	<a name="overview"/>
	<p>
	Struts Flow is a server-side Javascript web framework that brings rapid development and consistency to your presentation tier. With native Ajax support, web applications can be easily developed on the client and server side with language consistency. The dynamic Javascript language requires minimal code and is used to form a zero configuration approach to Action-based controllers.
	</p>

	<p>Here is a Javascript controller for a simple "Hello World" application that contains a single action - <code>say</code> - that sets the name for the message:</p>
	<pre>
	HelloController = function() {
	this.say = function() {
	this.name = "Struts Flow!";
	}
	}
	</pre>
	<p>
	And the corresponding JSP file:
	</p>
	<pre>
	<html>
	<body>
	Hello from ${name}!
	</body>
	</html>
	</pre>
	<p>
	That's it - zero configuration required! The <code>say</code> action would be called using the <code>http://localhost:8080/example/hello/say.do</code> URL. There are more
	detailed examples in the <a href="#examples">Examples</a> section.
	</p>

	<p>Built on a port of <a
	href="http://cocoon.apache.org">Cocoon's</a> <a
	href="http://cocoon.apache.org/2.1/userdocs/flow/index.html">Control Flow</a>, Struts Flow enables complex workflow, like multi-form wizards, to be easily
	implemented using continuations-capable JavaScript. It provides the ability to
	describe the order of Web pages that have to be sent to the client, at any given
	point in time in an application. The flow scripts fulfill the role of Struts
	Actions, however, they can be used along side traditional Java-based Struts
	Actions.

	</p>
	<p>
	To make the Javascript easier to use and better integrated into the Java environment borrowing several ideas from <a
	href="http://groovy.codehaus.org">Groovy</a>. First, information in Collections classes
	can be accessed using Javascript array (<code>foo[1]</code>) and object (<code>foo["bar"]</code>) notations.
	Also, Struts Flow uses <a href="http://www.json.org">JSON</a> to allow client-side Javascript running
	in a browser to call server-side Javascript flow functions. <a href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a>
	can be used on the server and client side with Struts Flow to support a 100% Javascript view layer.
	Finally, core Java API classes like <code>java.io.File</code> have additonal methods and properties
	added to them. For example, to process each line of a text file, you can use the following closure:
	</p>
	<pre>
	new File("foo.txt").eachLine(
	function(line) { print(line); }
	);
	</pre>
	<p>
	While the initial target of the extracted Control Flow is Struts, the Flow code and Javascript extensions
	are reusable from other
	non-Struts environments. This means Control Flow could be used to drive non-Struts JSP applications, portlets, or even complex web services.
	</p>
	</section>
	<section name="Features">
	<a name="features"/>
	<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.rubyonrails.org">Ruby on Rails</a>-style zero configuration controllers</li>
	<li>"Flash" object support for passing data between requests</li>
	<li>Easily script complex workflows</li>
	<li>Full access to Struts features</li>
	<li>Can exist side-by-side regular Struts actions</li>
	<li>Ability to run in non-Struts environments (uses Jakarta's Commons-Chain)</li>
	<li>Enhanced Java API methods and Collections integration</li>
	<li>Remote RPC support (termed Ajax but with JSON instead of XML) for calling flow methods from the client</li>
	<li>Includes Wizard library to help easily create complex wizards</li>
	<li>Includes <a href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a> library to replace JSP for a 100% Javascript view layer.</li>
	<li>Includes number guessing, remote rpc, Javascript Templates, and wizard examples</li>
	</ul>
	</section>
	<section name="Documentation and Examples">
	<a name="examples"/>
	<p>
	The quickest way to understand how Struts Flow works is to take a look at the examples below, and even to
	download and run them yourself. Once you have your "hello world" application running, use the "Built-in
	Resources" section on the left to learn what methods and variables Struts Flow makes available to every
	script. Finally, Struts Flow enhances the standard Java API by adding methods and properties to many classes
	to keep your Struts Flow scripts short and to the point. A list of the extensions is also on the left under
	the heading"Java Enhancements".
	</p>
	<p>Each of the following examples show how Struts Flow can be used with zero configuration:
	</p>
	<ul>
	<li><a href="guess-example.html">Number Guess Game Example</a> - A simple number guessing game</li>
	<li><a href="remote-example.html">Number Guess Game Example - Remote Edition</a> - The above game but with a remote call from the client Javascript to let the user "cheat"</li>
	<li><a href="templates-example.html">Number Guess Game Example - Templates Edition</a> - The above example, but rendering all HTML on both the server and client side using <a
	href="http://www.trimpath.com/project/wiki/JavaScriptTemplates">Javascript Templates</a>.</li>
	<li><a href="wizard-example.html">Wizard Example</a> - Shows a simple wizard framework built on top of Struts Flow that handles back and forward navigation automatically.</li>
	</ul>
	<p>
	For more documentation about the general concept of flow and continuations, the <a href="http://cocoon.apache.org">Apache Cocoon</a> <a href="http://cocoon.apache.org/2.1/userdocs/flow/index.html">Control Flow</a> pages might be useful as the core of Struts Flow was originally extracted from Cocoon.
	</p>
	</section>
	<section name="What's New">
	<a name="new"/>
	<subsection name="0.5 - Unreleased">
	<ul>
	<li>Zero configuration controllers</li>
	<li>Experimental portlet support</li>
	<li>Added better Collections support within Javascript</li>
	<li>Upgraded Rhino library to 1.6 which features native continuations support</li>
	<li>Added framework for adding methods and properties to core Java API classes</li>
	<li>Added JSON support</li>
	<li>Added client Javascript library and server-side support for calling flow functions from the brower</li>
	<li>Added Javascript Templates library for generating HTML content on the server and client side</li>
	<li>Moved project to Apache Struts</li>
	<li>Added new remote number guessing game example to demonstrate remote Javascript flow calls</li>
	<li>Added new templates number guessing game example to demonstrate a 100% Javascript application</li>
	<li>Added new documentation generated from the Java and Javascript source files</li>
	</ul>
	</subsection>
	<subsection name="0.2 - September 10, 2004">
	<ul>
	<li>Added wizard library to make wizard creation easy</li>
	<li>Added wizard example</li>
	<li>Updated and improved documentation</li>
	<li>Fixed a few bugs</li>
	</ul>
	</subsection>
	<subsection name="0.1 - June 3, 2004">
	<ul>
	<li>Hooks into Struts' logging</li>
	<li>Added continuation expiration system</li>
	<li>Added support for JavaScript debugger</li>
	<li>Improved Struts integration</li>
	<li>Added full JavaDocs</li>
	<li>Added many more configuration options</li>
	</ul>
	</subsection>
	<subsection name="Initial Import - May 12, 2004">
	<ul>
	<li>Example working</li>
	<li>Struts integration functioning</li>
	<li>Needs better Struts form integration</li>
	<li>Needs to hook into Struts' logging</li>
	</ul>
	</subsection>
	</section>
	<section name="Requirements">
	<a name="requirements"/>
	<p>
	Struts-specific features of Struts Flow requires Struts 1.3 or greater.
	</p>
	</section>
	</body>
	</document>