Business Desk Framework
Commerce Server Business Desk is a user interface framework implemented primarily as Active Server Pages (ASP) containing Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML). This framework provides a structured environment in which third party developers can easily extend the management functionality provided with Commerce Server 2000. This environment includes structured page navigation, standard mechanisms for data manipulation, shared utility routines, and a multitude of conventions that help assure a consistent user experience.
By default, every Commerce Server Web site has a distinct instance of Business Desk associated with it. Though Business Desk shares the same set of commerce resources with the Web site, such as various databases, it exists as a separate ASP application, with a directory structure and virtual root of its own.
The Commerce Server Business Desk Framework provides the environment in which Business Desk modules are run. The following figure shows how a set of configuration files provides two important types of information needed for the Business Desk Framework to support navigation. The first type determines the set of categorized modules that will be accessible within Business Desk. The second type is used to build and manage the taskbar, which will may be unique to each action page.
Master Configuration File
Module
Configuration
File
Module
Configuration
File
Module
Configuration
File
Toolbar Buttons
and Menus
Navigation Pane
Analysis
Campaigns
Catalogs
Orders
Users
Nav
ListSheet HTC
DynamicTable HTC
Individual EditField HTCs
Module 1
Module 1
Module 1
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?
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The figure also shows how modules are typically designed such that their initial action page is a list page, from which edit pages may be accessed using task buttons. It also shows the typical design in which a user must return to the initial list page in order to move to a different module.
The Business Desk Framework has the following characteristics:
The master configuration file, together with a set of module configuration files, provides the information needed by the Business Desk Framework to manage both the navigation pane and the taskbar displayed on each action page.
Action pages that display read-only lists, known as list pages, are always displayed along with the navigation pane. This means that to move to a different module, the user must do so from a list page, not an edit page. List pages are read-only (with the exception of Delete tasks), which means that users will generally not need to be presented with warnings about leaving the module without having saved changes to data.
Navigation between action pages should typically be done using the task buttons on the taskbar. This mechanism allows the Business Desk Framework to provide services that occur during transition between action pages. You should minimize the direct linking of action pages to buttons within a page.