Collaborating and cobrowsing in web applications

You can embed the Cobrowse widget in an application so that users can share the same browsing session, with one user controlling the session. You can use the Dojo Toolkit that comes with the CEA feature to embed the CEA widgets in your applications.

Before you begin

Dojo widgets are prepackaged components of JavaScript code, HTML markup and CSS style declarations that you can use to enhance web sites with interactive features. You can use the Dojo Toolkit that comes with the CEA feature to embed the CEA widgets in your applications.

Deprecated feature Deprecated feature: CEA Dojo widgets encapsulate various user interfaces that are based on the CEA Rest API. These widgets are deprecated. You can also obtain the source for these widgets from developerWorks®. depfeat

About this task

A cobrowsing session allows two web users to share the same browsing session. One user controls the session; the other user has no control, but can view the activity of the other user. A modal window is a secondary window that requires the user to interact with it; the modal window must be closed before the user can return to the main application.

The Cobrowse widget can be customized to match the look and feel of the page by modifying the CSS file. The widgets are also extensible, allowing the user to create their own custom version to handle more advanced tasks.

In addition to listing the steps needed to enable applications with cobrowsing, this task includes details about how to enhance the application and configure the application server.

This task lists the steps needed to enable collaboration and cobrowsing in an existing application. To quickly learn how the CEA widgets work in an online application, you can install the PlantsByWebSphere Ajax Edition for CEA (PlantsByWebSphereAjax) sample application. For more information about the sample application, see the supporting documentation that is provided in the PlantsByWebSphere directory of the CEA samples package that you can download from the WebSphere® Application Server Samples page. Additionally, read about setting up and using the communications enabled application samples.

Avoid trouble Avoid trouble: In the following procedure, complete either Step 3 or Step 4. Step 3 enables the widget for desktop browsers. Step 4 enables the widget for Apple and Android mobile browsers.gotcha

Procedure

  1. Enable the system application.
  2. Copy the CEA widgets into the application you are enhancing.
  3. Embed the widgets in the application you are enhancing.
  4. Embed the mobile widgets in the application you are enhancing.
  5. Install and start the application you are enhancing.
  6. Test the application you are enhancing.

Results

You have enabled the Cobrowse widget within an application, which allows users to share and direct a browsing session with a web browsing partner.

Avoid trouble Avoid trouble:
  • When you test the widgets, use two completely separate browsers, or the same browser on two separate machines. Using tabs in the same browser, or even launching separate instances of the same browser on the same machine, will cause session issues.
  • Enable browser cookies to allow the CEA widgets to store state information about the active widget session. This process enables the user to access another web page with the embedded CEA widget or refresh the current page while keeping the widget session active. If you disable cookies and access another page with the embedded CEA widget or refresh the current page, the CEA widget loads to the default state.
gotcha
Task topic    

Terms and conditions for information centers | Feedback

Last updated: April 17, 2014 04:48 PM CDT
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/wsbroker/redirect?version=phil&product=was-base-iseries&topic=tcea_enable_cobrowsing_widgets
File name: tcea_enable_cobrowsing_widgets.html