Tour of the Designer interface

Tour of the Designer interface

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The Designer provides a rich user interface for portlet and application development. The "Factory Models" perspective is the perspective to use when running the Designer. This perspective provides special menus and other features to support portlet and application construction.
Choose...
Window | Open Perspective | Other | Factory Models

...to activate this perspective.
The graphic below illustrates the major Designer UI elements. To learn about the various elements, refer to the Table below.

1. Project Navigator The Project Navigator presents a tree-based directory hierarchy that displays all the objects that comprise the current project. We can open an object, such as a model or profile set, by navigating to it and double-clicking on it. The object will be displayed in an appropriate view.
Do not use the Navigator to rename project artifacts (models, profile sets, etc.). Since the Factory references some artifacts (such as profile sets) by ID rather than by name, renaming an artifact in the Navigator will cause problems when a model is regenerated or run.
2. Webapp Tree This view displays all of the elements that Builder Calls have created and added to the WebApp object. This includes Data Services, Events, Linked Java Objects, Methods, Pages, Variables, Schemas and more. By navigating the WebApp tree and selecting an object, we can examine the object and its contents.
The WebApp tree is updated each time the model is regenerated. In this case a Linked Java Object is selected. Information about its contents is displayed to the right in the Object Viewer pane.
3. Model and Profile Set Tabs These tabs represent project models and profile sets that are open for editing. The tab with focus displays an "X" and populates the content of all the views. In this case, one model and one profile set are open.
When a tab displays an asterisk (*) there are unsaved changes in the model or profile set.
4. Webapp Object Viewer The Object Viewer displays information about the selected object in the WebApp Tree. The format of, and information presented, in this viewer depend on the type of WebApp object selected in the WebApp Tree.
In this case, a Linked Java Object (highlighted in the WebApp tree) is selected and information about its status and public methods are displayed. We can use this pane to see the effects of a Builder Call on the WebApp by examining the code and other WebApp objects created as a result of model regeneration.
5. View Tabs Each tab opens a different view of the model:

WebApp Tree View - The main view used for working with a model. This view depicts the WebApp as a tree in which each branch represents a different type of WebApp object. Selecting an object in a branch displays information about the object in the WebApp Object Viewer (adjacent pane).
Model XML View - Displays the underlying XML code that represents the model.
Builder Call Editor View - Displays the editor used to configure a Builder Call.
WebApp Diagram View - Displays a graphical representation of the model objects (pages, variables, etc.). Object data and control flow relationships among objects are also displayed.

6. Problems View The Factory uses the Eclipse Problems View to display warnings and error messages related to model generation and behavior.
When an error is caused by a specific Builder Call, double-clicking on the error in the Problems List will open the related Builder Call for editing in the Builder Call editor.
7. Outline View This view displays the Builder Call List. This is a sequential listing by number, name, or type, of each Builder Call in the model. Builder Calls that are profiled display a profile icon.
We can use the Builder Call List to sort, filter and categorize Builder Calls.
We can manage a Builder Call in the list by selecting it and using the commands (cut, copy, paste, etc.) available in the context (right-click) menu. Disabled Builder Calls are greyed-out.
8. Applied Profiles Tab The Applied Profiles tab provides access to the view used to apply one or more profiles to a model. This view also allows you to manage combinations of profiles when multiple profiles are applied to the same model.

1. Project Navigator	The Project Navigator presents a tree-based directory hierarchy that displays all the objects that comprise the current project. We can open an object, such as a model or profile set, by navigating to it and double-clicking on it. The object will be displayed in an appropriate view. Do not use the Navigator to rename project artifacts (models, profile sets, etc.). Since the Factory references some artifacts (such as profile sets) by ID rather than by name, renaming an artifact in the Navigator will cause problems when a model is regenerated or run.
2. Webapp Tree	This view displays all of the elements that Builder Calls have created and added to the WebApp object. This includes Data Services, Events, Linked Java Objects, Methods, Pages, Variables, Schemas and more. By navigating the WebApp tree and selecting an object, we can examine the object and its contents. The WebApp tree is updated each time the model is regenerated. In this case a Linked Java Object is selected. Information about its contents is displayed to the right in the Object Viewer pane.
3. Model and Profile Set Tabs	These tabs represent project models and profile sets that are open for editing. The tab with focus displays an "X" and populates the content of all the views. In this case, one model and one profile set are open. When a tab displays an asterisk (*) there are unsaved changes in the model or profile set.
4. Webapp Object Viewer	The Object Viewer displays information about the selected object in the WebApp Tree. The format of, and information presented, in this viewer depend on the type of WebApp object selected in the WebApp Tree. In this case, a Linked Java Object (highlighted in the WebApp tree) is selected and information about its status and public methods are displayed. We can use this pane to see the effects of a Builder Call on the WebApp by examining the code and other WebApp objects created as a result of model regeneration.
5. View Tabs	Each tab opens a different view of the model: WebApp Tree View - The main view used for working with a model. This view depicts the WebApp as a tree in which each branch represents a different type of WebApp object. Selecting an object in a branch displays information about the object in the WebApp Object Viewer (adjacent pane). Model XML View - Displays the underlying XML code that represents the model. Builder Call Editor View - Displays the editor used to configure a Builder Call. WebApp Diagram View - Displays a graphical representation of the model objects (pages, variables, etc.). Object data and control flow relationships among objects are also displayed.
6. Problems View	The Factory uses the Eclipse Problems View to display warnings and error messages related to model generation and behavior. When an error is caused by a specific Builder Call, double-clicking on the error in the Problems List will open the related Builder Call for editing in the Builder Call editor.
7. Outline View	This view displays the Builder Call List. This is a sequential listing by number, name, or type, of each Builder Call in the model. Builder Calls that are profiled display a profile icon. We can use the Builder Call List to sort, filter and categorize Builder Calls. We can manage a Builder Call in the list by selecting it and using the commands (cut, copy, paste, etc.) available in the context (right-click) menu. Disabled Builder Calls are greyed-out.
8. Applied Profiles Tab	The Applied Profiles tab provides access to the view used to apply one or more profiles to a model. This view also allows you to manage combinations of profiles when multiple profiles are applied to the same model.