With Ajax and Web 2.0 getting more popular with JavaServer Faces components for application projects, Oracle ADF faces will be playing a greater and a much important role in the ADF faces of the next generation. These ADF faces could be attributed to 2001 when UIX was developed and later the JSF which is the ADF Faces library. The first generation of ADF Faces from Oracle came much later in 2006 with the Apache Software Foundation. The project is currently called as Apache MyFaces Trinidad. The ADF Faces Rich Client is among the next generation of ADF faces and is also a part of the JDeveloper along with Oracle 11g.
Rich Internet Applications
The Rich Internet Internet Applications or the RIA is included in the ADF Rich Client Framework or the RCF and contains over 150 AJAX enabled JSF components. So the RIA can be easily realized using the JSF. The JSF library contains UI components along with several different helpers such as validators and listeners that help export data in the form of an excel sheet. JSF also contains the complete API of Javascript. However, the RCF would require an implementation of the JSF runtime application with version 1.2 of the specifications. It also uses several different APIs from the Apache MyFaces Trinidad 1.2.x.
Using the RCF
The RCF helps create an ADF Face project. This can be achieved by opening the wizard and generating the project as per your requirements. When you do this, you need not add any FaceServlet from JSF to the project and you also do not require any RenderKit for the ADF. The wizard will take care of all of these aspects so you can work conveniently. The wizard also includes a simple drag and drop mechanism to add the components and forms that are required to run the ADF Faces. You can drag and drop any component as per your wish from the component palette, save and run the project without any further hassle. This not only makes the ADF Faces highly functional but also easy and quick to work with. With nothing more than a few clicks you can create a project and even launch the page.
Ajax library
When ADF was in it's initial phases of development, AJAX was not existent. However, there has always been a need for AJAX. ADF Faces uses the same technology with a different name known as PPR or Partial Page Rendering. The RCF makes use of the XmlHttpRequest or the XHR as an object for the communication channel when working with AJAX with an exception of file upload due to the limitations in XHR. But, the developer need not worry anything about this exception as it is already built into the framework to treat any file uploads as a special case when working with AJAX. AJAX or PPS in ADF is constrained to three attributes of RCF components known as partialSubmit, partialTrigger and autoSubmit. The PPR request is sent down to the server depending upon the value of these three components. These attributes can then be compared with a listener and the request may be updated if the component triggers an AJAX request.
Components
The RCF project requires a lot of projects to be able to function fully. These components either have AJAC built into them or they leverage AJAX. These components also offer more features and do not need a lot of coding to arrive at a declarative view as opposed to the similar usage of components in a standard case of JSF. These components are also available in the RCF for free compared to the standard components of the vanilla JSF where you would be required to write some special scroller components to achieve the same results. This can easily be considered as one of the areas where using the more advanced RCF will give you the power of completing your application in a very short duration of time.
Creating layouts
When it comes to actually designing the user interface for the project, an architect needs to consider a lot more than simply being able to show or edit the data. Oracle's ADF Face includes several components that are specifically oriented towards bridging this gap in the layout. These components provide you with a wide range of functionality such as the ability to quickly group elements and build a rich layout that provides a user experience very close to what most users associate with native applications.
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About Author:
Seth Williams has been writing with Firebox Training, http://www.fireboxtraining.com since July, 2011. He writes on many topics across IT programming, training and developments in the industry. Through spreading wisdom across forums and tech blogs, Seth has realized an open source approach to training professionals across the globe is the way to go.
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