topic Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list in Alfresco Archive

Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 11:10:00 GMT

Hi,On the wiki page http://www.alfresco.org/mediawiki/index.php/Contribution_Area , there are some suggestions of contributions to Alfresco. Among them, I think that implementing the "Task List" will be one of the easiest. So let's start it as a community effort. If you are interested, please write

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 11:16:30 GMT

Gavin had posted some pointers on another thread, which I am copying here:

Thanks for the positive feedback.

Some pointers to get you started…

First of all you will need to create the appropriate types in the model, the following wiki page may help with this: http://www.alfresco.org/mediawiki/index.php/Data_Dictionary_Guide

Add an option into the advanced space wizard for creating a space of your type:
<config evaluator="string-compare" condition="Custom Folder Types">
   <folder-types>
      <type name="fm:forums" icon="/images/icons/forums_large.gif" descriptionMsgId="forums_desc" />
      <type name="your:type" icon="/images/icons/your_icon.gif" description="Description of your space type" />
   </folder-types>
</config>‍‍‍‍‍‍
You can now create spaces of your new type. To get a different "view" of your space when you click on it in the browse view you need to obviously create the JSP and then create some dispatching configuration for it.

In web-client-config.xml add the following (you can use the forums stuff as an example):
<config evaluator="node-type" condition="your:type">
   <navigation>
      <override from-view-id="/jsp/browse/browse.jsp" to-view-id="/jsp/your/page.jsp" />
      <override from-outcome="browse" to-view-id="/jsp/your/page.jsp" />
   </navigation>
</config>‍‍‍‍‍‍
With this config in place when you click on a space in the UI you should get re-directed to your custom page.

I'm working on a wiki page that will explain the dispatching mechanism and also the simple dialog framework we have now too (which is also used by the forums). I'll let you know when it goes live.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 22:11:29 GMT

Hi,
Trying to implement task list functionality, I have done the following:

1) Created a model (taskListModel.xml):


<model name="tl:taskListmodel" xmlns="http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0">

   <description>Task List Model</description>
   <author></author>
   <version>1.0</version>

   <!– Imports are required to allow references to definitions in other models –>   
   <imports>
        <!– Import Alfresco Dictionary Definitions –>
      <import uri="http://www.alfresco.org/model/dictionary/1.0" prefix="d"/>
      <!– Import Alfresco Content Domain Model Definitions –>
      <import uri="http://www.alfresco.org/model/content/1.0" prefix="cm"/>
   </imports>

   <namespaces>
      <namespace uri="http://www.alfresco.org/model/taskList/1.0" prefix="tl"/>
   </namespaces>
   
   <types>      
      <type name="tl:taskList">
         <parent>cm:folder</parent>
      </type>
      
      <type name="tl:task">
         <parent>cm:folder</parent>
      </type>
      
      <type name="tl:comment">
         <parent>cm:content</parent>
      </type>
    </types>        
    
    <aspects>
      <aspect name="tl:taskListAppendable">
         <associations>
            <child-association name="tl:taskListOfContent">
               <source>
                  <mandatory>false</mandatory>
                  <many>false</many>
               </source>
               <target>
                  <class>tl:taskList</class>
                  <mandatory>true</mandatory>
                  <many>false</many>
               </target>
               <duplicate>false</duplicate>
            </child-association>
         </associations>
      </aspect>
   </aspects>
       
</model>
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2) Defined the model in repository/config/alfresco/extension/extension-context.xml:


<value>alfresco/extension/taskListModel.xml</value>
‍‍‍

3) created a class to hold the model definitions (TaskListModel.java):


public class TaskListModel {
   //
    // Task List Model Definitions
    //
   
    static final String TASKLIST_MODEL_URI = "http://www.alfresco.org/model/taskList/1.0";
    static final String TASKLIST_MODEL_PREFIX = "tl";
    
    static final QName TYPE_TASKLIST = QName.createQName(TASKLIST_MODEL_URI, "taskList");
    static final QName TYPE_TASK = QName.createQName(TASKLIST_MODEL_URI, "task");
    static final QName TYPE_COMMENT = QName.createQName(TASKLIST_MODEL_URI, "comment");

    static final QName ASPECT_TASKLISTAPPENDABLE = QName.createQName(TASKLIST_MODEL_URI, "taskListAppendable");
    
    static final QName ASSOC_TASKLIST = QName.createQName(TASKLIST_MODEL_URI, "taskListOfContent");
}
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

And then, written the following unit tests. First, creating a task list just under the company home:


public class TaskListTest extends TestCase {
   TransactionService transactionService = null;

   NodeService nodeService = null;

   ContentService contentService = null;

   AuthenticationService authenticationService = null;

   @Override
   protected void setUp() throws Exception {
      // initialise app content
      ApplicationContext ctx = ApplicationContextHelper
            .getApplicationContext();
      // get registry of services
      ServiceRegistry serviceRegistry = (ServiceRegistry) ctx
            .getBean(ServiceRegistry.SERVICE_REGISTRY);

      // get individual, required services
      transactionService = serviceRegistry.getTransactionService();
      nodeService = serviceRegistry.getNodeService();
      contentService = serviceRegistry.getContentService();
      authenticationService = serviceRegistry.getAuthenticationService();

      authenticationService.authenticate("admin", "admin".toCharArray());
   }

   public void testCanGetCompanyHome() {
      NodeRef companyHome = getCompanyHome();
      assertTrue(nodeService.exists(companyHome));

      System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.outputNode(0, nodeService,
            companyHome));
      assertEquals("The company root space", nodeService.getProperty(
            companyHome, ContentModel.PROP_DESCRIPTION));
   }

   public void testCreateTaskListUnderCompanyHome() {
      TransactionWork<Object> exampleWork = new TransactionWork<Object>() {
         public Object doWork() throws Exception {
            NodeRef companyHome = getCompanyHome();
            nodeService.addAspect(companyHome,
                  TaskListModel.ASPECT_TASKLISTAPPENDABLE, null);
            Map<QName, Serializable> nodeProperties = new HashMap<QName, Serializable>(
                  7);

            // add a sample task list to the company home
            nodeProperties.clear();
            nodeProperties.put(ContentModel.PROP_NAME, "Sample Task List");
            ChildAssociationRef assocRef = nodeService.createNode(
                  companyHome, TaskListModel.ASSOC_TASKLIST, QName
                        .createQName(TaskListModel.TASKLIST_MODEL_URI,
                              "sampleTaskList"),
                  TaskListModel.TYPE_TASKLIST, nodeProperties);

            NodeRef taskListRef = assocRef.getChildRef();
            assertEquals("Sample Task List", nodeService.getProperty(
                  taskListRef, ContentModel.PROP_NAME));
            System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.outputNode(0,
                  nodeService, companyHome));
            return null;
         }
      };
      TransactionUtil.executeInUserTransaction(transactionService,
            exampleWork);

   }

   public void testDeleteTaskListCreatedUnderCompanyHome() {
      TransactionWork<Object> exampleWork = new TransactionWork<Object>() {
         public Object doWork() throws Exception {
            NodeRef companyHome = getCompanyHome();
            List<ChildAssociationRef> childRefs = nodeService
                  .getChildAssocs(companyHome,
                        RegexQNamePattern.MATCH_ALL, QName.createQName(
                              TaskListModel.TASKLIST_MODEL_URI,
                              "sampleTaskList"));

            for (ChildAssociationRef ref : childRefs) {
               NodeRef sampleTaskList = ref.getChildRef();
               nodeService.deleteNode(sampleTaskList);
               System.out.println("deleted 1 task list");
            }
            System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.outputNode(0,
                  nodeService, companyHome));
            return null;
         }
      };
      TransactionUtil.executeInUserTransaction(transactionService,
            exampleWork);
   }

   private NodeRef getCompanyHome() {
      StoreRef spacesStoreRef = new StoreRef(StoreRef.PROTOCOL_WORKSPACE,

            "SpacesStore");
      assertTrue(nodeService.exists(spacesStoreRef));

      NodeRef rootNodeRef = nodeService.getRootNode(spacesStoreRef);
      List<ChildAssociationRef> childRefs = nodeService.getChildAssocs(
            rootNodeRef, RegexQNamePattern.MATCH_ALL, QName.createQName(
                  NamespaceService.APP_MODEL_1_0_URI, "company_home"));
      ChildAssociationRef companyHomeRef = childRefs.get(0);
      NodeRef companyHome = companyHomeRef.getChildRef();
      return companyHome;
   }

}
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The tests run without error. First I can create a task list under company home, and then I can successfully find and delete it. These tests don't assert anything yet, I better test the functionality with asserts, not by writing the whole company home node to the console.

I hope I am doing everything right.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

gavinc — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:21:09 GMT

The only suggestion I have is to take a look at some of the unit tests in the repository projects. Most of them extend the "org.alfresco.util.BaseAlfrescoSpringTest" class which provides the transaction handling you are doing manually in your tests.

Apart from that its looking good.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 14:59:04 GMT

Thanks, Gavin, the tests look simpler now, after extending BaseAlfrescoSpringTest.

But what will happen when I move this functionality out of the tests to the actual classes? Will I have to start a transaction and end it manually? Or will I use the TransactionUtil.executeInUserTransaction() then?

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

gavinc — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 10:28:29 GMT

No, you wouldn't use TransactionUtil.executeInUserTransaction() you would use a UserTransaction.

We use the following pattern in the client…


UserTransaction tx = null;
   
try
{
   tx = Repository.getUserTransaction(FacesContext.getCurrentInstance());
   tx.begin();
   ….
   your code
   ….
   tx.commit();
}
catch (Throwable e)
{
   // rollback the transaction
   try { if (tx != null) {tx.rollback();} } catch (Exception ex){}
}         
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Take a look at any of the wizard beans in org.alfresco.web.bean.wizard package. They are all examples of this usage.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:19:45 GMT

Hi,
I have posted the files for task lists functionality to JIRA. You can find it here:
http://www.alfresco.org/jira/browse/AWC-500

In the zip file, open the README.txt which describes the modified/added files, and where to put each of them.

The zip file also contains some screenshots.

There are some problems I need help for, I'll post another reply here for them.

Any questions/suggestions are welcome.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:32:04 GMT

Hi,
I have added 2 properties to my model:


<type name="tl:task">
         <parent>cm:folder</parent>
         <properties>
            <property name="tl:taskStatus">
               <title>Status</title>
               <type>d:text</type>
               <mandatory>true</mandatory>
            </property>
            <property name="tl:taskPercentCompleted">
               <title>Percent Completed</title>
               <type>d:int</type>
               <mandatory>true</mandatory>
            </property>
         </properties>
         <associations>
            <child-association name="tl:commentOfTask">
               <target>
                  <class>tl:comment</class>
                  <mandatory>false</mandatory>
                  <many>true</many>
               </target>
            </child-association>
         </associations>
      </type>
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

I want to show the properties taskStatus and taskPercentCompleted on the web client, and let the user update them. For this, I have added the following to task.jsp:


<div class="mainSubText"><h:outputText value="#{NavigationBean.nodeProperties.taskStatus}" id="msg5" /></div>
<div class="mainSubText"><h:outputText value="#{NavigationBean.nodeProperties.taskPercentCompleted}" id="msg7" /></div>
‍‍‍‍

There are resolvers for the properties in TaskListBean.java:


   public NodePropertyResolver resolverTaskStatus = new NodePropertyResolver() {
      public Object get(Node node) {
         System.out.println("inside NodePropertyResolver.resolverTaskStatus…");
         System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.dumpNode(nodeService, node.getNodeRef()));
         QNameNodeMap props = (QNameNodeMap) node.getProperties();
         String taskStatus = (String) props.getRaw("tl:taskStatus");

         if (taskStatus == null || taskStatus.equals(""))
            taskStatus = "NOT STARTED";         

         return taskStatus;
      }
   };
   
   public NodePropertyResolver resolverPercentCompleted = new NodePropertyResolver() {
      public Object get(Node node) {
         System.out.println("inside NodePropertyResolver.resolverPercentCompleted…");
         System.out.println(NodeStoreInspector.dumpNode(nodeService, node.getNodeRef()));
         QNameNodeMap props = (QNameNodeMap) node.getProperties();
         Integer percentCompleted = (Integer) props.getRaw("tl:taskPercentCompleted");

         if (percentCompleted == null)
            percentCompleted = 0;         

         return percentCompleted;
      }
   };
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

The properties don't show up in the jsp page. I must be doing something wrong, what is it? :?

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

gavinc — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 09:38:45 GMT

The problem is that the task properties are defined in a different namespace.

Using the syntax #{NavigationBean.nodeProperties.taskStatus} makes the presumption that the taskStatus property is in the "cm:" namespace.

You can try the following syntax instead:

#{NavigationBean.nodeProperties["tl:taskStatus"]}‍

Let me know if that helps.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 10:01:27 GMT

Yes, it works perfectly, thank you
Now I need to let the user update those properties.

Updating a property as a text field should not be hard, I can find an example for that. Is there support for selecting a property value from a list box also? For example, I want to let selecting the Status property from a list box, having entries like NOT STARTED, IN PROGRESS, FINISHED, etc. Is there a pointer showing how to do this?

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

gavinc — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 08:34:34 GMT

It depends on the type you have used for the status property.

If you have used a category to represent the status then you could use the r:categorySelector component, however, currently this will allow you to select any category in the system i.e. you can't limit it to a particular category.

We will be working to improve this in the 1.3 timeframe as well as working on value constraints for properties which will include "list of available values" functionality.

If the status property is just a text field you can just use a normal drop down box represented by the standard JSF h:selectOneMenu component. An example of this is in /projects/web-client/source/web/jsp/wizard/new-rule/details.jsp. The component in this case calls getTypes() in NewRuleWizard to retrieve the values. This method has to return a List of SelectItem objects.

Hope this helps.

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 07:25:00 GMT

Hi,
I have added some more functionality:
- The properties "TaskStatus" and "TaskPercentCompleted" are added to Task.
- In the GUI, the above mentioned properties can be updated by editing a task, or when entering a new comment.

New file added to JIRA, and also some screenshots are added.

Things to do:
- Get the list of "task status" definitions from a category definition. Currently, the list is
defined statically in the method NewCommentWizard.getTaskStatusDefinitions(), and also in
NewTaskWizard.getTaskStatusDefinitions().
- Put in some consistency checks for taskPercentCompleted. For example:
- TaskPercentCompleted cannot be changed to some value other than 0, if the TaskStatus is "NOT STARTED".
- TaskPercentCompleted should be 100 if the TaskStatus is changed as "FINISHED"
- Introduce a property "AssignedTo" to Task items.
- Create a page for a user to see "Tasks Assigned To Me". This page can list all the tasks assigned to the
current user which are not finished yet.
- (BUG) When the properties of a Task is updated, or a new comment is added, the "task.jsp" page does not get refreshed.
This causes for the task to show previous values for TaskStatus and TaskPercentCompleted. The change should update the
values for the task.jsp page.
- Make it possible to attach files to Tasks.

http://www.alfresco.org/jira/browse/AWC-500

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

jdfreier — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 02:16:11 GMT

Hello,
Has anyone updated the task list code to work with the latest code in svn?

Thanks,
Joshua

Re: Developing Task List - a multi-user todo list

turgayz — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:32:06 GMT

Hello,
Has anyone updated the task list code to work with the latest code in svn?

Thanks,
Joshua

I am afraid I could not find the time to modify the code yet.

I guess that a "Task List Space" is being added to Alfresco for release 1.3. But I don't know about the latest status. There is not much info on JIRA: http://www.alfresco.org/jira/browse/AWC-56