This feature applies to the Mainsoft for Java EE Portal
Edition only.
The portlet specification, JSR 168, differs from ASP.NET in the request
processing model. Mainsoft for Java EE suggests a unified model that automatically
gaps the bridges between the two models.
Background
- The JSR 168 model
The portlet specification, JSR 168, defines two main phases in the request
processing: the processAction phase and the render phase.
In a typical scenario, a user selects a page, which triggers a GET request,
and the portlet container sends the request to each portlet on that page to
render output in its response. These requests are called render
requests. Other requests, however, are launched when the user interacts
with the portlet, for example by clicking a Submit button. Such actions trigger
a POST request and a URL to the portlet is generated. These are called action requests. as they may require the portlet to
process an action before sending the response.
If the portlet receives an action request, then the processAction phase
is started and the portlet's action processing method is called. The result
of this action could invoke actions for other portlets on the page. After
actions have been completed for all portlets on the page, each portlet's rendering
method is called. The processAction phase is guaranteed to complete before
the start of the render phase.
- The ASP.NET model
In the ASP.NET model, there is no division into two phases.
When an ASP.NET page runs, the page goes through a life cycle in which
it performs a series of processing steps. These include initialization, instantiating
controls, restoring and maintaining state, running event handler code, and
rendering.
The common life cycle Page events are:
The Mainsoft implementation
In the Mainsoft model, if the portlet life cycle involves
only a render request, the Page events are all called in the render phase.
If the portlet life cycle involves a processAction request, all the Page events
until OnPreRender (inclusive) are called in the processAction phase. The rest
of the events are called in the render phase. Mainsoft persists
the Page object between the processAction and the render phases in the session,
making the separation between the two phases transparent to you.
There are some operations that must be performed in a specific JSR 168
portlet phase:
- In the processAction phase
Set and get IPC data
Set window state
Set portlet mode
Set render parameters
To learn how, read Interacting with the portlet container and Using inter portlet communication.
- In the render phase
Create action URLs
Create render URLs
To learn how, read Portal ASP.NET expressions.
See Also
Portlet Designer
Related Sections
- Portal integration
Learn about the Mainsoft for Java EE Portal Edition features.