OpenBiz Document 1.2

Package	Class
BizSystem	BizSystem - Provide a global variable accessed anywhere in openbiz application - Provide the Get method for ObjectFactory, SessionContext, TypeManager, ClientProxy and Configuration - Provide static methods for accessing XML metadata, logging and error reporting.
	ObjectFactory - It's a factory class to get metadata-driven objects (BizView, BizForm, BizdataObj and their extended classes)
	SessionContext - Session management class that has additional methods to save/get session variables of metadata-driven stateful objects through their GetSessionVars\|SetSessionVars interfaces
	TypeManager - Type management class that has help methods to format data to UI and unformat UI input to data
	ClientProxy - It's a class that is treated as the bi-direction proxy of client. Through this class, others can get client form inputs, redraw client form or call client javascript functions.
	Configuration - A class that has help methods to get data from config.xml
BizDataObj	BizDataObj - It's the base class of all data object classes. Before Openbiz 1.2, BizDataObj was called BizObj. Since BizObj means Business Object, but it acts as business data unit, in 1.2 it is changed as BizDataObj.
	BizRecord - BizRecord class implements basic function of handling record
	BizField - BizField is the class of a logic field which mapps to a table column
	BizDataSql - BizObjSql is the class to constrcut SQL statement for BizDataObj
	CacheRecordList - CacheRecordList implements the cache for BizDataObj
BizView	BizView - BizView is the class that contains list of forms. View is same as html page.
	BizForm - BizForm is the base class that contains UI controls. BizForm is a html form that is included in a BizView which is a html page.
	RecordRow - RecordRow is the class that contains FieldControls
	ToolBar - ToolBar is the class that contains HTMLControls
	NavBar - NavBar is the class that contains navigation buttons
	HTMLControl - HTMLControl is the base class of HTML controls
	FieldControl - FieldControl is the base class of field control who binds with a bizfield
	DisplayMode - contains the BizForm display mode information

1.3 Sequence diagram of a typical RPC call

Difference between Openbiz 1.2 and 1.1.x

2.1 BizSystem - the infrastructure class

Before 1.2, all infrastructure functionalities are implemented as functions in system.php.

In 1.2, a new BizSystem class is introduced to provides an entry point of infrastructure funtionalities

BizSystem provides a global variable accessed anywhere in openbiz application
BizSystem provides the Get method for getting the object instances of ObjectFactory, SessionContext, TypeManager, ClientProxy and Configuration
BizSystem provides static methods for accessing XML metadata, logging and error reporting.

Example of getting metadata-driven object instance

1.1.x way, $obj = sys_getobj($objname);
1.2 way, $obj = $g_BizSystem->GetObjectfactory()->GetObject($objname);

2.2 BizDataObj - Query and get results

1.1.x BizObj is renamed as BizDataObj in 1.2, because it mainly acts as business data unit.

1.1.x use GetField and SetField to do get and set field values. In 1.2, no field level methods, but using GetRecord() and UpdateRecord() method to do record level operations. The idea behind is to make easier coding to retrieve query results and provide coarse-grained interfaces between 2 layers.

1.1.x way to query and get records

$bizobj->SetSearchRule("...");    // set search rule
$bizobj->RunSearch(-1);    // run query against the database tables.
$bizobj->Home();    // reset the result record set
$hasVal = $bizobj->MoveFirst();    // move cursor to first record
while ($hasVal)
{
    foreach ($fieldlist as $field)
        $field_val[] = $bizobj->GetField($field);
    // user logic code can be put here.
    $hasVal = $bizobj->MoveNext();    // move cursor to next record
}

1.2 way to query and get records

$bizobj->SetSearchRule("...");    // set search rule
$bizobj->RunSearch(-1);    // run query against the database tables.
while ($recArray = $bizobj->GetRecord(1))    // get current record and move the cursor to the next record
{
    // user logic code can be put here. recArray is an associated array whose key is "fieldname" and value is value of the field
}

2.3 BizForm - RPC calls

From Openbiz 1.2, ClientProxy acts as a middle man between client and BizForm (server). It have convenient methods for BizForm to call to get client inputs and redraw client components.

	1.1.x	1.2
Get the client inputs	Need to explicitly specify $currentRowNum and $currentControl as input arguments of BizForm methods	$currentRowNum and $currentControl can be retrieved from ClientProxy object by calling GetFormInputs method
Return html content	Need to explicitly call BuildTgtCtnt function to generate client-updating html	Call RedrawForm method in ClientProxy object to generate client-updating html

2.4 Metadata changes

Openbiz 1.2 use almost the "same" metadata files used in 1.1.x. Only trivial change needs to be done make upgrade the 1.1.x metadata files.

In popup bizform xml metadata file, change the Class attribute of BizForm from "BizForm" to "BizFormPopup". It's because that popup bizform is now based on class BizFormPopup , not BizForm.
Due to the name of BizDataObj (name as BizObj in 1.1.x), all related metadata files should make change accordingly. To avoid such massive change, Openbiz 1.2 will treat BizObj as BizDataObj. So no naming change is needed.
A new "Class" attribute is added in all metadata objects including HTMLControl, FieldControl and BizField. BizView, BizForm and BizDataObj already has such attribute in 1.1.x. With this "Class" attribute, developers can implement their own logic in extended classes at Control and Field level. This feature gives more flexibility to Openbiz.
For the Value attribute of BizField, openbiz 1.2 accept simple expression. The syntax is <BizField ... Value="expression">. If users need more complicated logic which can't be put in a simple expression, they can assign a user-defined BizField class and override GetValue method.
The simple expression is a single PHP statement which return a value. [fieldname] in the expression stands for the value of the BizField. (todo: user should be able to refer BizDataObj's varible in the expression). Following operators are valid.
- Arithmetic: +, - (binary), *, / and div, % and mod, - (unary)
- Logical: and, &&, or, ||, not, !
- Relational: ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=. Comparisons can be made against other values, or against boolean, string, integer, or floating point literals.
- Empty: The empty operator is a prefix operation that can be used to determine whether a value is null or empty.
- Conditional: A ? B : C. Evaluate B or C, depending on the result of the evaluation of A.

2.5 Logging and debugging

In Openbiz 1.2, developers can add diagnostic code using new logging and debugging functionalities.

- Logging. BizSystem::log() method can be called to log 4 priority levels LOG_EMERG, LOG_ERR, LOG_WARNING and LOG_DEBUG. Also a subject can be specified to give log messages different categories.

- Debugging. Other than the DEBUG flag in 1.1.x is still valid, developers can turn on other 2 debug flags.
1) Turn on SQL debug flag. Uncomment //$this->m_DbConnection[$rDBName]->debug = true; in BizSystem::GetDBConnection().
2) Turn on RPC debug flag, each RPC response is printed in a separate window. Set var RPC_DEBUG = true; in clientUtil.js.

Installation

Installation of Openbiz 1.2 is almost same as installation steps for Openbiz 1.1.x. Please note some difference described below:

OpenBiz is written by PHP5 scripts, it won't work in PHP4.x web server. We recommend platforms as

Apache HTTP Server 1.3.x or 2.x + PHP 5.x
Internet Information Server (IIS) 5.x + PHP 5.x

Installation directory changed from evtmgr (1.1.x) to openbiz, or you can configure apache using: Alias /openbiz /path/to/openbiz.

Windows installer is not in Openbiz 1.2 beta. It'll be available in 1.2 final release.

Openbiz Deisgn Tools is not in Openbiz 1.2 beta. It'll be available in 1.2 final release.

Build Your Application

The way to build application with Openbiz 1.2 is same as that of Openbiz 1.1.x. Please refer to the Openbiz manual for 1.1.x.

Since Openbiz Deisgn Tools is not in Openbiz 1.2 beta, developers need to use xml/text editors to modify the metadata xml files.