Sharing data across two sessions with REST APIs

You can build cobrowsing into applications using REST APIs. A cobrowsing session allows two Web users to share the same browsing session using side-by-side modal windows. One user controls the session; the other user has no control, but can view the activity of the other user.

Before you begin

Avoid trouble: For a list of restrictions that are changed based on various service levels of the product, see the topic What is new in the Feature Pack for CEA.gotcha

An understanding of the Representational State Transfer (REST) interface is needed to perform this task. REST is a network architecture that defines how resources on the Internet are accessed. REST is not a standard, but uses common Internet standards such as HTTP and HTML.

See the information on REST APIs in CEA for a complete reference to the REST API.

About this task

The Communications Enabled Applications (CEA) feature allows application developers to add Web interaction features into new and existing applications. Cobrowsing refers to two Web users sharing the same browsing session. It is not the same as screen sharing, but does have some similarities. After a cobrowsing session is established, modal windows are displayed in both Web browsers. The user controlling the session has the ability to scroll the Web page, highlight and point to text, and enter data into forms. The other user has no control, but can see everything the other user is doing. This type of Web collaboration is ideal for a customer service representative working with a customer, where a quick demonstration would be more effective than an explanation on the phone. This feature provides customizable widgets that allow application developers to easily import the web collaboration capability into a new or existing application. The widget communicates with the application server through a REST interface.

Procedure

  1. Enable the system application.
  2. Develop a new application that calls the REST interface.
  3. Install and start the new application.
  4. Test the new application.

Results

You have developed and deployed an application that is enabled with cobrowsing.

Avoid trouble: gotcha



Related concepts
What is new in the Feature Pack for CEA
Related tasks
Accessing telephony services with REST APIs
Collaborating and cobrowsing in Web applications
Related reference
REST APIs in CEA
CEA collaboration flow


Terms of Use | Feedback

Last updated: Oct 21, 2010 12:57:02 PM CDT
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/v7r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.ceafep.multiplatform.doc/info/ae/ae/tcea_enable_cobrowsing.html