I’m trying to create script libraries using DXL – possible?

I have spent a little time this weekend trying to create Java script libraries (that is script libraries with Java code and not “JavaScript” libraries) from scratch using DXL. Exporting the DXL of a script library with a jar-file imported into it yields some base64 in a <javaarchive /> tag. The base64 data is however not decodable as it’s not valid base64. Base on prior experiences with this kind of stuff I tried decoding the bytes but without success.

The header in base64 is (or at leas to a multiple of 4 characters) is “UEsDBBQACAAIAKyEATkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUAAAA”. I guess the beginning is probably a CDFILEHEADER struct (based on prior help) but I’m unable to decode it… 🙁

The struct should start with a DSIG struct (16 bit unsigned integer and a 32 bit unsigned integer) but I’m unable to get anything that makes sense. I end up with 20555 for the first WORD but that doesn’t “compute”. Bummer!

If you’ve done any work on this and is willing to share please drop me a comment. Thanks.

JarPlug Eclipse plug-in

The extensible nature of Eclipse is simply amazing. I needed a way to look inside a jar-file which is isn’t on the build path in Eclipse which isn’t “natively” possible with Eclipse. What did I do? I did a quick Google search and 5 minutes later I had JarPlug installed and working. Then after opening this viewpart when selecting any jar-file in the workspace the contents is shown. How nice is that! 🙂

Installing Lotus Expeditor Toolkit 6.2 – there’s an issue with the instructions

In preparation for my Lotusphere session I installed Lotus Expeditor toolkit 6.2 on top of a clean Eclipse 3.4 install in order to test it out. One of the things I noticed was that there is an error in the install guidelines – not critical but if you’re new to Eclipse you might be stumped. The documentation also fails to mention how to configure the Toolkit once installed. Read on…

The error is in the doc/index.html in step 5 where it states

"Select Add Site and browse to the drive
and directory where the Lotus Expeditor
Toolkit update site zip file is located
and click OK."

The problem is that the Expeditor toolkit that I downloaded from IBM Partnerworld didn’t have a zip-file but instead an unpacked update site. In my case step 5 should instead be

"Select Add Site and browse to the drive
and directory where you unpacked the Lotus
Expeditor Toolkit and select the
Expeditor_Toolkit_install directory and
click OK."

The remaining steps are fine and installing the toolkit is almost easy… There is one caveat the documentation fails to mention and that’s how to fill in the dialog that pops up once the Toolkit has been installed and Eclipse has been restarted. I fill in the dialog as follows (with Notes 8.5 installed in C:Program FilesNotes 8):

  • Lotus Notes 8
  • C:Program FilesNotes8frameworkrcpeclipse
  • jre6
  • 1.5
  • Display the first time a new workspace opens

Question on LotusScript.doc HTML output

I have been hard at work on version 2 of LotusScript.doc and I’m getting very close to a beta candidate. My main issue is that I keep adding features instead of finishing the core product as I now have a framework that is far more extensible than the version 1 code.

I’m currently finishing the framed HTML output that also shipped with version 1 and in that regard I have a question for LotusScript.doc users. Which parts of the HTML output do you actually use? In version 1 you could select to include the follow design element types and have output about these output to the documentation:

  • Script libraries
  • Agents
  • Database script
  • Forms
  • Views
  • Pages
  • Shared actions

Which parts do you actually use? Is there a better way to do it? Any parts that should highlighted differently?

Please donate

Based on prior and recent recommendations I have set up a Paypal account to accept donations to finance the development of the free version of LotusScript.doc version 2. All donations will be very much appreciated and help me justify the time I put into this.

Lotusphere 2009: Preferences in SWT components

On the demos I have done for my Lotusphere 2009 session is a demo on how to use the extension point to extend the preferences dialog box (File/Preferences…) in Notes 8. As always a demo makes it easier to comprehend so download and explore to your heart’s content. Questions are welcome here or at Lotusphere.

com.ls09.bp106.prefs

Otherwise I recommend the Eclipse User Settings FAQ

SWT @ Notes 8: Network awareness from SWT components

One of the big strengths of having Notes 8 built in Lotus Expeditor is that you have access to all the functionality of the underlying Expeditor platform including its services. On if the nice ones is that you can be notified when the underlying network connectivity is available and/or unavailable.

Looking into Scala

I’m spending a little time this Christmas holiday looking into Scala which is a functional programming language that runs on the JVM. I’m off to a good start with the excellent The Busy Java devlopers Guide to Scala on developerWorks by Ted Neward. 

object HelloWorld {
  def main(args : Array[String]) {
    Console.println("Hello Scala World!")
    for (value <- args; if value.startsWith("Lotus")) {
      Console.println(value)
    }
  }
}