Appboard/2.4/builder/shim reference

This section provides a reference for SHIM: a language that allows runtime context information to be referenced when processing channels for delivery to Web clients.

Introduction

The Symbolic Hierarchical Information Model (SHIM) is a language construct that allows execution context information to be referenced in property fields and other locations where only literal strings were previously supported. The execution context information that is provided by SHIM has been accessible to portal designers writing Java and JSP code before. However, now this dynamic information is accessible in non-programming locations. For example, the property fields of channels (which can be changed using the channel editor) can have values defined in the SHIM language in order to reference a "symbolic value" rather than a "literal value".

SHIM is an object-oriented language. A set of object types are supported, each of which is comprised of one or more named sub-elements or symbolic names These sub-elements are either properties or methods. In either case the type of the named sub-element can be a primitive type (String, etc.) or another SHIM object.

SHIM is available for use in several execution contexts within the portal system. The SHIM object type details (sub-elements) are consistent across all contexts. The only difference between the contexts is the set of objects exposed at the root level of the SHIM namespace.

Usage Syntax

References to elements of SHIM objects conform to the following syntax:

${shim:path to shim object.primitive element}

where path to shim object is a . separated set of symbols that traverse a series of related SHIM objects, and primitive element refers to a named sub-element of a SHIM object which is a primitive type.

The dot separated sequence of SHIM symbols must terminate with a reference to a primitive (a non SHIM object) element in order to generate a valid string representation.

Examples

Table E190 provides some examples of SHIM expressions.

Table E190: Examples of SHIM Expressions

SHIM Expression	Description
${shim:session.actor.user.name}	The user for whom the current processing is being performed.
${shim:channel.field.myField}	The value of the field called 'myField' that is stored in the current active channel.
${shim:now.secs}	The current time in seconds since 1/1/1970 for the current processing context.

Contexts For Use

SHIM syntax is available for use in several execution contexts within the portal system. This section identifies these contexts and identifies the root level symbols available in each context. These symbols provide a handle to the SHIM information appropriate for the specified context. From these root level symbols, the SHIM namespace can be traversed according to the types of SHIM objects exposed at the root level.

The default SHIM nodes that are defined in the portal are located in the file [INSTALL_HOME]/server/webapps/enportal/WEB-INF/config/crs-shim.properties.

Proxied Channel Properties

This context refers to the portal server's processing of HTTPProxy channel requests. SHIM symbols that use this context can be used to specify the properties of HTTPProxy channels.

The symbols listed in Table E191 provide a handle to the root level SHIM objects that are available when processing HTTPProxy channels.

Table E191: SHIM Symbols (HTTPProxy Channels)

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
session	SHIM:Session	The session that is associated with the currently processing request.
channel	SHIM:Component	The proxy channel containing properties defined using the SHIM syntax.
time	SHIM:Date	Reference for accessing time related functions.
now	SHIM:Date	Quick access to the current time (as determined at expression evaluation time on the server).

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
name		${shim:channel.name}	google
location		${shim:channel.location}	/test/google
title		${shim:channel.title}
desc		${shim:channel.desc}	An%20instance%20of%20PWTHTTPProxyChannel %20class
protocol		${shim:channel.protocol}
host		${shim:channel.host}
port		${shim:channel.port}
url		${shim:channel.url}
uri		${shim:channel.uri}
querystring		${shim:channel.querystring}
baseurl		${shim:channel.baseurl}
path		${shim:channel.path}
field		${shim:channel.field.p}
proxyCB	call the proxied app	${shim:channel.proxyCB('http://www.google.com')}	/codedenportalurl/test/google/starturl/http/colon /slash/slashwww.google.com/colon80/crsFakeRoot
	2nd is a proxied app's url	${shim:channel.proxyCB(,'http://www.google.com',"/test/yahoo')}	/codedenportalurl/test/yahoo/starturl/http/colon /slash/slashwww.google.com/colon80/crsFakeRoot
	3rd is component	${shim:channel.proxyCB('/azb','http:/show','/direct')}	/codedenportalurl/direct/starturl/http/colon /slash/slash/colon80/crsFakeRoot/show/azb
selfCB	calling itself	${shim:channel.selfCB()}	/enportal/servlet/pd/vdir/test/google
		${shim:channel.selfCB('test')}	/enportal/servlet/pd/vdir/test/google?requestType=test
relativeCB
absoluteCB	call the specified component	${shim:channel.absoluteCB('/azb')}	/enportal/servlet/pd/vdir/azb
		${shim:channel.absoluteCB('/azb','edit')}	/enportal/servlet/pd/vdir/azb?requestType=edit
		${shim:channel.absoluteCB('/azb','show','param=direct')}	/enportal/servlet/pd/vdir/azb?requestType=show&param=direct
target	name	${shim:channel.target.name}
	host	${shim:channel.target.host}
	port	${shim:channel.target.port}
	protocol	${shim:channel.target.protocol}
	baseurl	${shim:channel.target.baseurl}
	uri	${shim:channel.target.uri}

Most SHIM objects are also available in non-proxied HTTP channels.

Proxy CRS Rules

This context refers to the portal server's processing of Proxy XML rules. SHIM symbols that use this context can be used to enhance the CRS proxy rules (XML) associated with proxied channels.

The symbols listed in Table E192 provide a handle to the root level SHIM objects that are available when processing Proxy XML rule files.

Table E192: SHIM Symbols (XML Rule Files)

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
config	SHIM:Config	Reference for accessing global system configuration properties.
session	SHIM:Session	The session that is associated with the currently processing CRS rules.
channel	SHIM:Component	The component that is associated with the currently processing CRS rules.
time	SHIM:Date	Reference for accessing time related functions.
now	SHIM:Date	Quick access to the current time (as determined at expression evaluation time on the server).

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
var		${shim:crs.var.
	get	(${shim:crs.var.get(VAR_TEST)}
		${shim:crs.var.get(width,channel)}	To get the width of a channel
		${shim:crs.var.get(height,channel)}	To get the height of a channel
			scope: request, channel, session
	set	(${shim:crs.var.set(VAR_TEST, "value')}

Object Types

This section provides a listing of the SHIM Object Types and their sub-elements.

Actor

Table E193 provides information about the Actor object.

Table E193: Actor Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
var(key1,key2,..,key7)	SHIM:Object	The value of a meta property of this Actor. This method accepts 1 to 7 keys to qualify the meta property that is desired.
user	SHIM:User	The User associated with this Actor.
name	primitive:String	The string representation of this Actor.
role	SHIM:Role	The Role associated with this Actor.

Collection

Table E194 provides information about the Collection object.

Table E194: Collection Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
size	primitive:Integer	Number of items maintained in the Collection.
index.i	SHIM:Object	The object located at index i of this Collection.

Config

Table E195 provides information about the Config object.

Table E195: Config Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
<configproperty>	primitive:String	The value for the Config property.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
	${shim:config.logger.config.file}	C:\EdgeCM\programs\eportal\deploy\root/config/ logger-portal.properties
		${shim:config.jsp.cookiesexpire}	604800

Component

Table E196 provides information about the Component object.

Table E196: Component Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
name	primitive:String	Name of this Component.
location	primitive:String	Virtual directory location of this Component.
title	primitive:String	Title of this Component.
desc	primitive:String	Description of this Component.
field.fieldname	primitive:String	The value of a named field (property) of this Component.
target	SHIM:Target	The target utilized by this Component.
protocol	primitive:String	Protocol of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
host	primitive:String	host of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
port	primitive:String	port of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
querystring	primitive:String	query string of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
uri	primitive:String	URI of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
url	primitive:String	Fully qualified URL of this Component. (Applies only to PWTChannel components).
baseurl	primitive:String	baseurl attribute of the Component.
path	primitive:String	path component of the uri
proxyCB(requestToEncode) proxyCB(requestToEncode),current Request proxyCB(requestToEncode,current Request,component)	primitive:String	Generates an HTTP GET callback request string that refers proxy encoded URL for the request arguments.
selfCB() selfCB(handler) selfCB'handler,params)	primitive:String	Generates an HTTP GET callback request string that refers the web client back to this same component.
relativeCB(relativePath,handler, params)	primitive:String	Generates an HTTP GET callback request string that refers web clients back to a peer component that is located at a relativePath in the virtual directory.
absoluteCB(absolutePath) absoluteCB(absolutePath,handler) absoluteCB(absolutePath,handler, params)	primitive:String	Generates an HTTP GET callback request string that refers web clients back to a peer component that is located at an absolutePath in the virtual directory.

Now

Table E197 provides information about the Now date object.

Table E197: Date Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
datestr	primitive:String	The date represented by this Date object. Equivalent to format('MM/dd/yyyy'). Example: ${shim:now.datestr}.
datetimestr	primitive:String	The date and time string represented by this Date object. Equivalent to format('hh:mm:ss MM/dd/yyyy'). Example: ${shim:now.datetimestr}.
format	primitive:String	Formats this Date object according to the formatting convention defined by the java.text.SimpleDateFormatted class. See the Java API documentation reference for details. Example: ${shim:now.format(’dd.MM.yy’)}.
msecs	primitive:Long	Milliseconds elapsed since 1/1/1970. Example: ${shim:now.msecs}.
offset(numsecs) offset(offset,offsetunits)	primitive:Long	Offsets this date by the specified offset in the units specified. Returns a new Date object. Valid values of numsecs and offset are integers. Valid values for offsetunits are {'sec','msec','hour','minute','month','day','year'}. Example: ${shim:now.offset(200000)}.
prior	primitive:Long	Parameter must be a valid day of the week. Returns the last date before Now of the day of week provided. Example: ${shim:now.prior(’Mon’)}.
secs	primitive:Long	Seconds elapsed since 1/1/1970. Example: ${shim:now.secs}.
timestr	primitive:String	The time represented by this Date object. Equivalent to format('hh:mm:ss'). Example: ${shim:now.timestr}.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
		${shim:now.format(“dd.MM.yy”)}

Domain

Table E198 provides information about the Domain object.

Table E198: Domain Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
var(key1,key2,..,key7)	SHIM:Object	The value of a meta property of this Domain. This method accepts 1 to 7 keys to qualify the meta property that is desired.
name	primitive:String	The name of this Domain (i.e. System).

Map

Table E199 provides information about the Map object.

Table E199: Map Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
size	primitive:Integer	Number of items maintained in the Collection.
key.key	SHIM:Object	The value of the key named key in this Map.

Primitives

The primitives supported by Shim are String,Number,Boolean,Character. The value returned on these object types is the toString() function.

Role

Table E200 provides information about the Role object.

Table E200: Role Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
var(key1,key2,..,key7)	SHIM:Object	The value of a meta property of this Role. This method accepts 1 to 7 keys to qualify the meta property that is desired.
name	primitive:String	The name of this Role (i.e. portalAdministrator).
ref	primitive:String	The string representation of this Role (i.e. /portalAdministrator).

Session

Table E201 provides information about the Session object.

Table E201: Session Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
id	primitive:String	The string representation of the Session identifier.
var(varName)	SHIM:Object	The value of the named variable from this session's properties table.
actor	SHIM:Actor	The Actor that owns this Session.
credentials	SHIM:Credentials	The Credentials used to login to the portal for the current Session.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
id		${shim:session.id}	5d1e6e72491408e
actor	user	${shim:session.actor.user}	System?administrator
	name	${shim:session.actor.name}	/portalAdministration:System?administrator
	role	${shim:session.actor.role}	/portalAdministration
	role.name	${shim:session.actor.role.name}	portalAdministration
	var(key1,key2,...,key7)	${shim:session.actor.var(key1,…key7)}
credentials	username	${shim:session.credentials.username}	administrator
	password	${shim:session.credentials.password}	administrator
	domain	${shim:session.credentials.domain}	System
	host	${shim:session.credentials.host}	127.0.0.1
	useragent	${shim:session.credentials.useragent}	Mozilla/5.0%20(Windows;%20U;%20Windows %20NT%205.1;%20en-US;%20rv:1.7.12)% 20Gecko/20050915%20Firefox/1.0.7
	get	${shim:session.credentials.get('password')}	administrator
var	get	${shim:session.var.get('TEST_VAR')}	${shim:session.var.get(currentView)}
	<var_name>	${shim:session.var.TEST_VAR}	${shim:session.var.currentView}
	[var of Map type]	${shim:session.var.testMap.size}
		${shim:session.var.testMap.key.item1.key.customer}
	set	${shim:session.var.set('TEST_VAR',value)}
	delete	${shim:session.var.delete('TEST_VAR')}

Target

A Target identifies the location parameters of a HTTP accessible resource.

Table E202: Target Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
name	primitive:String	Name of this Target.
host	primitive:String	IP Host defined in this Target.
port	primitive:String	IP Port defined in this Target.
protocol	primitive:String	IP protocol defined in this Target.
baseurl	primitive:String	baseurl (protocol://host:port) defined in this Target.
uri	primitive:String	uri defined in this Target.

User

Table E203 provides information about the User object.

Table E203: User Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
var(key1,key2,..,key7)	SHIM:Object	The value of a meta property of this User. This method accepts 1 to 7 keys to qualify the meta property that is desired.
name	primitive:String	The name of this User (i.e. guest).
ref	primitive:String	The string representation of this User (i.e. System?guest).
domain	SHIM:Domain	The Domain to which this User belongs.

Utility

Table E204 provides information about the Utility object.

Table E204: Utility Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
auth	primitive:String	The authentication tag is the interface between the CRS and the Login Proxy Service (LPS). This tag allows a user to set, get, remove, or check for login tokens for a particular user, component, or resource.
cryptor	primitive:String	Includes several utilities for encoding and decoding strings: base64 - encode or decode string using base64 encoding/decoding. url - encode or decode a string using url encoding/decoding. md5 - hash a password string using md5. hex - encode or decode string using hex encoding/decoding. utf8 - encode or decode string using utf-8 encoding/decoding. Example: ${shim:utility.cryptor.hex.encode(ABCDEF)}.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
auth
cryptor	base64	encode	${shim:utility.cryptor.base64.encode (base64 shim crypto utility test)}
		decode	${shim:utility.cryptor.base64.decode (YmFzZTY0IHNoaW0gY3J5cHRvIHV0aWxpdHkgdGVzdA==)}
	url	encode	${shim:utility.cryptor.url.encode(p=url&q= shim&r=crypto&s=utility&t=test)}
		decode	${shim:utility.cryptor.url.decode(p%3Durl%26q %3Dshim%26r%3Dcrypto%26s%3Dutility%26t%3Dtest)}
	md5	hash	${shim:utility.cryptor.md5.hash(${shim:utility .cryptor.base64.encode(password)},base64)}
	hex	encode
		decode
	utf8
	hexunicode
system	out	${shim:utility.system.out.println('abc')}
system	err	${shim:utility.system.err.println('abc')}
vdir	get	${shim:utility.vdir.get([path])}

Other Evaluation

Reflection

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
reflection
		${reflection:com.edgetech.eportal.redirection.replacement. SubstituterDataUtil.replace((CRSData) globalData,'COOKIE_VAL','${0}')}${0}
		${reflection:java.lang.Integer.toHexString((int)10)}
		Need to enable this class by specifying this line	crs.reflection.class.pattern.Integer=java.lang.Integer

Vdir

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
get		${shim:vdir.get([path])}

Cookie

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
get		${shim:cookie.get()}
		${shim:cookie.get([Cookie Name])}
set		${shim:cookie.set([Cookie Definition])}
remove		${shim:cookie.remove([Cookie Name]}

AppBoard specific

The following keywords are supported only in AppBoard.

Setting

Table E301 provides information about the AppBoard adapter's Setting object.

Table E301: Setting Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
setting	SHIM:Object	The setting object of the AppBoard adapter.
<attributeName>	primitive:String	An attribute of an AppBoard adapter.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
<attributeName>		jdbc:sybase:Tds:${shim:setting.host}:${shim:setting.port}/${shim:setting.dbname};charset=iso_1	jdbc:sybase:Tds:10.130.6.225:4100/NCOMS;charset=iso_1

Query

Table E302 provides information about the AppBoard adapter's Query object.

Table E302: Query Object

Named Sub-Element	Type	Description
query	SHIM:Object	The query object of an AppBoard service request.
<attributeName>(<defaultValue>)	primitive:String	An attribute in an entity associated with an AppBoard service request. The defaultValue is a possible value for the specified attribute.

Syntax and Sample Results

Named Sub-Element	Field Name	Syntax	Sample Result
<attributeName>(<defaultValue>)		${shim:query.state('Maryland')}	Virginia