Month: August 2010

Maintaining a Lotus Connections environment? Well then you MUST see this!

Today a new article on Lotus Connections was posted on developerWorks and it shows you how to install an administration interface for Lotus Connections into Websphere ISC (Integrated Solutions Console). The interface provides easier access to Lotus Connections configuration files and looks like a real killer plugin for ISC. I have got to try and install it tomorrow and see for myself as this is something that has been sorely lacking.

The article is called Introducing the IBM Lotus Connections administration web interface and below is a snippet from the article introduction.

“The administration console utilizes a series of Jython and Jacl script files to allow administrators to work with Lotus Connections. These files provide automated ways to access the Lotus Connections MBeans that change back-end settings in databases and configuration files that service a deployment. Working with these Jython and Jacl script files requires some programming and scripting knowledge; the ability to import packages in the terminal, assign and use variables, and other basic programming concepts, all in the Jython or Jacl languages, are required. These languages, while not inherently hard languages to use, are relatively specialized and might be unfamiliar to the average Lotus Connections administrator. Removing control of Lotus Connections from the administration console and putting it into a web-based solution alleviate the need for specialized skills, providing a cost of ownership reduction to Lotus Connections customers.”

Redbook: So we are writing this Redbook on plugin development – what do you wanna know?


As posted the other day my nomination to ITSO was accepted and I’m now on the team for writing a Redbook wiki on plugin (or component if you will) development for Lotus Notes, Lotus Sametime and Lotus Symphony. We had our first call yesterday and we’re currently putting together the table of contents and discussing what to include.

For products versions we chose to target Lotus Notes 8.5.2, Lotus Sametime 8.0.2 and Lotus Symphony 3 beta 4. Of course we will try and make the samples work in prior versions but that’s the versions we’re aiming for. Any objections?

On the first call we also discussed the target audience for the wiki and defined who we’re writing for. Here’s what we came up with:

“We’re writing for Java developers with some experience in the language that is they know the syntax. We will aim to give them a high level introduction to the plugin model and give them the material to dive deeper and make sure the appropriate Eclipse resources are linked in. The specific topic sections should readable to those who want to dangle their feet but also deep enough to allow a Java developer that know about plugins to actually start building stuff to make production quality plugins. “

How does that sound?

I would be very interested in hearing what you (yes you!!) the Notes developer wants to know about plugin development and maybe what’s holding you back from getting started. Is it Java? Is it extension point documentation? Or is it something else? Please share and I’ll do my best to make sure it’s covered or at least written about here on the blog.

Eclipse Fall Training Series

“The Eclipse Foundation and Eclipse member companies are pleased to announce the fall 2010 training class series. The training is an excellent opportunity for software developers and architects to learn more about Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP), BIRT and Modeling technologies. Eclipse experts will lead the sessions, providing practical experience through classroom instruction and hands-on labs. Virtual and on-site classes have been scheduled in several countries from September 20 to November 5, 2010. “

Eclipse Fall Training Series

Updated! Introduction to Java programming

A lot of people ask me how to get started with Java programming so when I saw the below entry in the developerWorks newsletter I thought it should be communicated as far and wide as possible.

“developerWorks Java contributor Steve Perry took on the Herculean task of updating the “Introduction to Java programming” tutorials. This two-part series introduces the structure, syntax, and programming paradigm of the Java language and platform.”

Get started with Java technology

IBM Software Day 2010

Again this year IBM will be hosting their annual IBM Software Day in Øksnehallen in Copenhagen on 12 October 2010. You may now sign up for the event and if you’re in Copenhagen on 12 October and you’re working with IBM software you really should sign up. If nothing else there’s normally a great lunch buffet… 🙂

NLLUG 2010: Planning webapp for your smart phone

If you went to Lotusphere 2010 you probably used our web application for managing your Lotusphere schedule on your iPhone or Android device. I know a lot of people did!!
With the Dutch user group just over 2 weeks away we’ve done it again and made a version of the web application for NLLUG 2010 available. If you’re going simply head over to lug2010.nl/agenda to browse it and put together your schedule.

But what’s an user group application without a prize?! The application also gives you the option of entering into our drawing for an Apple iPad!! So what are you waiting for? Go, go, go!

If you’re looking for more screenshots before you decide to try it out I suggest your read my post from Lotusphere 2010 (Lotusphere 2010: Check out this killer Lotusphere planning web app!!).

How to extend Notes 8: New version of the demo application

I just posted an update to the demo application for my Extending Notes 8 series of posts. The demo application is discussed in more detail in my previous post (How to extend Notes 8: LiveText demo application). The issue was that I had a button to create a demo e-mail in the UI which made the plugin depend on the Notes Java UI API which was added in Notes 8.5.1 and hence meant that the demo application wasn’t installable on previous Notes versions… 🙁

To remedy that I built an new version where the button using the offending API is added from an Eclipse plugin fragment and using a custom extension point (if you’re running Notes 8.5.1+). More on that approach at a later date. For now you may install the new version using the updated widget descriptor (extension.xml) (simply drag the link to your MyWidgets sidebar plugin).

If you do an update – which there’s absolutely no reason to if it already works for you – the only way to tell is by verifying that the version number at the bottom of the sidebar application is changed to 1.0.1.

That’s all for this post. All the posts in the series may be found under the extending_notes8 tag.