SIDE-Run Data Sheet

SIDE-Run Overview

SIDE-Run is a set of advanced components for Alfresco, so you can satisfy your requirements quickly. These components are enterprise quality: they are tested, qualified, certified and supported by BlueXML.

All these elements are available in source code. SIDE-Build gives you the way to adapt them by updating their content or to create new ones.

Ready to use components

Data Components

The following components are available:

• CSV Data injectors: This component enables you to inject data into data lists from CSV data stored in your repository. Data list initialization is just a snap! Written in server side JS, you can very easily adapt it to other requirements
• Behavior Driven Development: This component enables you to create unit tests for your JS code. Based on QUnit and Pavlov extension, you can write Behavioral tests, which provide also a good way to document your application
• Random Data Generator: Filling a repository to test an application is a very boring and time consuming task. This component enables you to automatically create random data for specific content type
• Data Model Policies: update metadata from other metadata. For instance, cm:name can be the combination of the contract date and author.
• BI: produce Excel, BIRT, Crystal Reports, ... or dashboards and decision-support portals for the content stored in the repository, through the use of BI technology like QlickView, BO, ...

Forms Components

Based on Alfresco Share, the following components provide you with ready to use widgets, directly plugged on your data:

• Advanced lists: All the usual lists (Autocomplete, Drop down, Search, Radio/Checkbox) are available and directly configured from the form model
• Restrict data: Advanced parameters can be used to restrict data available in data lists. For instance, you can indicate you only want contracts that have the OK status
• Indexed associations: In Alfresco, associations aren't indexed by Lucene, which is very annoying. To bypass this, a component is provided so you can make lucene queries based on metadata of directly linked elements
• Sub-forms: For instance, add a link to create new items (or edit existing ones) in data lists from one form, and make it available immediately without losing the current context and preivous input data
• Search forms: For each content type, specific search forms and corresponding widgets are generated with specific boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). Integration is already done with document library so you access all available actions for your role. Moreover, you can save and share searches.
• Upload content: This component enables you to edit and upload metadata in the same form, in contrast with Alfresco Share approach which may disturb the user.
• Upload form: This component enables you to select the content type(s) you are uploading in the Alfresco Share form. Data are already specialized and their metadata can be directly updated.
• Web forms: Through an auto connect feature and a REST connector, all Alfresco Share forms can be used in an anonymous context, so it is possible to create very quickly powerful internet forms. For instance, you can create a subscription form that will be stored into a public Alfresco Share site then copied/replicated into your private Alfresco repository.

Portal Components

The following components enable you to customize Alfresco pages very easily:

• Page: This component enables you to add new filters on existing pages. You can for instance add new filters, based on specific meta data, in the document library page. You can also create new pages
• Toolbar: The Alfresco Share toolbar provides the forms you want to make ECM use easier. You can create data list items and add documents directly from a 'new' button which is a lot more user friendly for numerous users.
• IFrame: This component enables you to add iframes in new pages into Alfresco Share, so you can easily integrate external applications into Alfresco Share, acting as a true Enterprise portal.
• Dashlets: All the views are available through dashlets as datagrids

Workflow Components

While Activiti seems a very good product, we enjoy to use jBPM which provides all the features we need. The following components are available:

• Timers: Timers have been fixed and can now be used
• Delegation: This component enables you to create true delegations
• External Code: This component enables you to write your business logic in external js files, available on the website of your choice (repository, local, github, ...), making workflow development, debugging and maintenance very easily

Create your own components

SIDE-Build provides a way to create your own Alfresco components through Maven. Directly integrated into SIDE, you can deploy them into your Alfresco installation.