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Feature
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Benefits
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The Next-Next Generation of UI
(UI2)
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Today´s businesses are often caught between the
Internet and their trusted legacy systems. More and more they are finding there is a
pressure to provide their legacy system’acute;s information and
transaction capabilities conveniently over the web for use by their customers and agents.
The architecture of OpenLayer brings us closer the User Interface dream of a Universal
Client. It provides the ability of a unified user interface and interaction across a
multitude of applications along with a wish list of integrating the web 2.0 technologies
and the vision of its characteristics.
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Enable SOA
(Services Oriented Architecture)
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The need for a software environment that encompasses the
Services Oriented Architecture (SOA) cannot be ignored. SOA governance is not optional -
it is imperative. OpenLayer brings existing trusted legacy applications screen interface
to SOA compliance. With OpenLayer, companies do not have to develop SOA compliant
solutions and then develop a user interface to cater to it. OpenLayer reverses this
process and uses the existing interface of the applications and transforms these to
become SOA compliant.
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Separates Business Logic and User Interface
(UI)
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OpenLayer is a UI (user Interface) layer which replaces
your application’acute;s graphical user interface (GUI) installed on
the user’acute;s computer (client), separating it from the business
logic server (server). This separation resolves many current issues that originate in the
deployment of a GUI client beginning with eliminating the need to maintain client
software on users’acute; computers.
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No Client Install
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OpenLayer is a true Web 2.0 application that supports all
web browsers; there is no client software to install. The bottom line is that the user
experiences an interface that mirrors their expectation of a standard Windows or web
based application.
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No Code Change
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OpenLayer does not require any changes to your
application’acute;s business logic. OpenLayer also permits the front
designer to work on the front end without impacting the business logic. User, data, and
business mashups can be easily added to the user interface with no changes required in
the original application. For example, with OpenLayer, you can easily add a drop down
list of all states and pick from this list; only the selected value will be sent to the
business logic server. This open UI layer automatically works with all functions. The
browser receives HTML and Javascript that uses AJAX (web 2.0) objects providing a heavy
client feel delivered as a light browser stream. There is no change to the
browser to implement an OpenLayer solution.
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Utilize Standard and 3rd Party
Controls
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OpenLayer can adopt new controls (objects) without impacting
your business logic layer. Sets of existing fields of a business function may be packaged
and accessed in many different ways, i.e. via folders, tree nodes, etc. Both
standard GUI controls as well as 3rd party controls may be combined to give the UI the
latest market look and feel. All current browser controls may be used.
OpenLayer’acute;s open UI allows the browser to handle all mouse
movements, operations, and function keys so the user experiences standard
behaviors. Browser key and mouse events are interpreted by the open UI layer and
pushed to the underlying function so it receives what is needed to complete the
operation.
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Calendar Controls
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Date fields are converted to date picker (calendar
control)
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Visual Cues
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Required fields have bold fonts and the current field is
highlighted.
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Paging screens are converted to grid
controls
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Paging screens are automatically converted to standard
browser grid controls. The grid elements can be resized, repositioned, hidden, and sorted
by any field without impacting the back-end business logic.
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Hide or expose fields
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A user may simplify our standard UI by hiding fields that
are not needed in their particular environment. Fields that are hidden for one user
may be exposed to another user who needs the additional information.
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Tabs
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Pop-up screens are added as tabs providing access to the
information of the parent screen.
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Fields can be arranged in any order or
format
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The business logic server is made to believe that fields are
where it told the GUI to place them. However, fields can be anywhere; the business logic
server does not know it is working with a different user interface. OpenLayer maps the
information the application is expecting and provides it in the sequence and format
expected. The OpenLayer UI can arrange the fields in any desired sequence and format
to meet the individual user’acute;s needs.
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Fields can have separate data
sources
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Each UI field can have a separate data source, if necessary;
for example, a combo box could retrieve read-only data from the
customer’acute;s database or another data source that is outside of
the current transaction cycle.
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Configurable User Interface
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OpenLayer supports a robust configurable UI. Configurations
are managed at three levels: user, group, and system. This powerful feature allows your
single application to look and function as if it were multiple applications.
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Cascading Style Sheet
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All UI objects such as folders, fields, backgrounds, colors,
tables, headers, details, fonts and other objects may be consistently represented via
cascading style sheets (css) to give a uniform look throughout. Users may change
these style sheets to further configure their UI.
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Mashup and 3rd party
control
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This robust feature allows the designer to use mashups or
other functionality that is related to the current transaction; for example, extending
current sales order shipment capabilities by adding a FedEx or UPS service.
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Embed 3rd party gadgets with parameter
passing
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The UI layer objects can embed 3rd party gadgets and pass
them parameter values from the application’acute;s fields so the
gadgets can provide their service in a seamless fashion.
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Additional data verification
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Since the application has not been changed, it will continue
to maintain data integrity. If needed, additional field value verification can be
performed at either the browser or UI server, further extending the capabilities of the
original application.
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Navigation Tree & Favorites List
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The navigation tree appearing on the left of the UI will be
generated based on the existing menu structure and the application security for the
specific user. This area is also used as a favorites area allowing users to drag
and drop any function to this quick navigation list.
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