Host Publisher Studio:  Chaining Sample

This is an example of how to create an application using the Host Publisher Studio.  The original objects were created in Host Access using chaining.  See the accompanying Host Access Chained Example.

Chaining1 Integration Object:  This object requires an input variable consisting of the author's last and first name.  After the author's last and first names are entered, the Search Results page in the Library Database is viewed.  The author's list of books is then captured as a table and displayed as output.  The Search Results page remains visible after the titles display.

Chaining2 Integration Object:  This object starts from the Search Results page.  It also requires an input variable that selects a particular title for additional information.  This information is then captured as straight text for display.

We will now publish these Integration Objects (created in Host Access) in the Host Publisher Studio.

Bring up the Host Publisher Studio.  Select Create Application.

The New Application page appears.  Choose a unique name for this application, then click Next.

Select I prefer to start with data, then click Next.

You must import the Integration Objects that were created earlier.  Click Browse.

Highlight each Integration Object created for the Chaining Example, then select Open to import the objects into the application.

To obtain the subsequent object, continue to select Browse and select the object.

Now that both of the Integration objects are imported, we will define how the objects are used.  Highlight the first object in the chain (Chaining1) and click Define.  The Chaining1 object becomes the initial starting point of the application.  An author's name is used as input to access the title application, and the search results are displayed as output text; both an input and output page will be created.

The New Integration Object page appears.  This page asks for the name of the page to display the output.  The output page contains the title results from the search of an author and buttons to obtain information about the different titles.  For this example, name the page author_output, then click Next.

The output page requires input data.  The field author_input is the variable we created in Host Access for the author's name.  Click Define to create the input data page.

The Insert an Input page appears.  Select the only available choice, A new input field, then click Next.

Select Create a new form for the input information, then click Next.

We must create an input page.  This page will consist of text, an input field, and a submit button.  Provide a name for this page to help you distinguish between output and input pages.  In this example, we call this page author_name_input.  On the bottom, type a label for the submit button.  In this case the default value of Submit is used.  If desired you could type any other text that makes sense, such as 'search'.  After filling out this information, click Next.

Select the type of input control.  In this example, the user will enter the author's last and first name.  Select Edit box, then click Next.

The Insert an Input - Edit box page appears.  Type a label or caption that will appear in front of the edit box,  In our example, the caption tells the user what information to enter in the Edit box.  Our caption is:  Please enter an author's name (last first):.  You need to either supply your own spacing here, or edit this page later.  Click Finish.

Once the input data is defined, the output page must be completed.  Click Next.

We must specify how the output will be represented on the page.  Since we are creating a table, select the output which supports multiple values, then click Render.

The Insert Output Control page appears.  Our output page will have a table containing the list of titles, the numbers that correspond to them, and some submit buttons.  Select Table, then click Next.

The Insert Output Control - Table page appears.  Enter a caption for the output variable we are defining, then click Next.

To change the text in the column header, click Modify.

You are now presented with the Edit Column Name window.  Modify the column name and click OK.

You are now returned to the Insert Output Control - Table window.  If you had more columns, you could reposition them, and Modify the header text.  When you are finished, click Finish.

We are finished specifying how the output is represented on the output page.  The author_results now has a control type of Table and the Label identifies the caption previously created.  The input and output pages for this Integration Object are complete.  Click Next.

The Preview screen appears,  The input and output pages created for this application can be previewed in the Web browser defined to Host Publisher Studio.  Select the page to view, then click Preview.  When you are finished, click Finish.

We have one more Integration Object to define.  Select the Chaining2 Integration Object, then click Define.

Read the text in the Wizard carefully.  You are being asked to choose the name of the page to run the Integration Object and display its output.  Therefore, you must name the OUTPUT page.  After you have selected Create a new page and supplied a name, click Next.

Host Publisher has determined that your Integration Object requires an input page as well.  Therefore, you are now presented with the input variable.  Click Define to specify how to obtain the input data.  Note the field, setAuthor, is the name of the input method which was created in the Host Access for the author variable.

Indicate that the data is obtained from A new input field, and click Next.

If there was already a form defined, you could add this to an existing form.  However we want to create a new form to request the user for the input.  Select Create a new form and click Next.

You are now asked to Type or select the following information for the new form.  Select Use an existing page for the form and choose the output page from the previous Integration Object.  This page will ask the user for the number of the particular title they want additional information for.  There is also a Label for the submit button.  You can rename this button, or use the default Submit.  When you have finished, click Next.

You are now going to create the type of control to be used for the input.  In this example, we will create an Edit box into which the name can be entered.  After making your selection, click Next.

A label (caption) can be used.  Use this space to tell the user what type of data to input in the provided edit box.  Then click Finish.

You are now back to the screen where you started defining the input.  Click Next  since you have completed defining the input data.

We are now back to working with the Output page.  You need to specify how the output will be presented on the page.  Select getBook_information, then click Render.

You have the option of creating a table or a list box.  In this example, select Normal text then click Next.

If you want a descriptive caption for the output, type the text here and click Finish.

You are finished rendering the data.  Click Next.

You can now preview the input and output pages.  When you are finished, click Finish.

The integration objects in this application now show up as Defined.  Click Finish.

The application can be saved and transferred to the server.  From the File menu, select Transfer to Server, and transfer the application to a Host Publisher Server that you specify.

Once this is successful, go to Host Publisher Administration and deploy the application.

For more information on deploying and running your Web application, refer to the Administrator's and User's Guide.