HTML client environment

An HTML client is generally used for a home banking application built to use the Branch Transformation Toolkit. An HTML client can also be used in any other kind of application, such as a bank teller application or a CRMS. The client machine requires only a Web browser to run the application.

When the user visits the start page of the application and logs in, the browser displays a menu or HTML desktop with a list of available processes. In this example, the toolkit Struts Extensions in the presentation server controls the navigation. The application presentation layer and application logic layer run on WebSphere(R) Application Server so that the example can show how the application logic layer works when the work area and Process Choreographer are not available and uses Single Action EJBs to perform the logic.

  1. The user requests a customer search and provides the required input data:
    1. The user clicks a customer search link in the HTML desktop. This user action sends a request to toolkit Struts Extensions.
    2. The toolkit Struts Extensions component in the application presentation layer starts the corresponding action (Struts action A) specified in the Struts configuration file. That action then returns the JSP page name. The presentation layer processes the JSP into an HTML page.
    3. In the client side, the browser displays the HTML page.
    4. The user enters the input data and clicks a Submit button. This sends the form data as an HTTP post request to the Action servlet of the Struts Extensions which in turn starts a Struts action (Struts action B) specified in the Struts configuration file. The request data contains a process ID as hidden fields along with the other input data.
    5. Struts Action B requests an invoker from the Bean Invoker Factory.
    6. The invoker formats the data into a process context.
    7. The invoker calls a method in a Single Action EJB to perform a customer search process in the application logic layer. Struts action B uses a formatter to add data from the context as a parameter of the method call. The method call also includes the session ID.
  2. The application logic layer executes the business process:
    1. The Single Action EJB performs the logic contained in the invoked method.
    2. The Single Action EJB returns the response to the presentation server. 
  3. The client view displays a list of customers matching the search criteria:
    1. The invoker unformats the response into the process context.
    2. Struts action B points to a JSP that generates an HTML page with the response to the customer search request. The page contains a list of customers who match the search criteria.
    3. The client displays the HTML page.