System and method for application flow integration in a portal framework

Abstract

A system and a method for providing application flow integration in a portal framework. In accordance with one embodiment, the invention comprises a portal servlet, which handles all incoming servlet requests and determines whether the incoming request represents a request either for a portal page or for a non-portal page; and, a portal processor which handles all portal page requests passed by the portal servlet, and executes an appropriate webflow to update the current state of the portal page, depending on a current set of events. Each of a plurality of portlets may have an individual webflow associated with it.

1 . A system for providing application flow integration in a portal framework, comprising: 
 a portal that provides access for users to applications running at the portal;    a portal state object which represents a current state of the portal for a current user;    a portal servlet, which handles incoming requests and determines whether the incoming request represents a request either for a portal page or for a non-portal page; and    a portal processorwhich handles all portal page requests passed by the portal servlet, and executes an appropriate webflow, including detecting the current state of the portal, to update the flow of application logic within the portal.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the portal processor includes a webflow executor for receiving the portal page requests.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the portal processor invokes webflow namespaces for the portal and any portlets to be rendered for the request, and provides a URL to the portal servlet, which is then used to forward the request to an appropriate servlet or Java Server Page.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a portal manager which provides an interface between persisted portal data and a client of that data, by assembling a portal state object for the current user and returning it to the client.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system includes an individual webflow for each of a plurality of portlets associated with the portal.  
     
     
         6 . A method for providing application flow integration in a portal framework, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a portal that provides access for users to applications running at the portal;    representing the current state of the portal for a current user in a portal state object;    determining whether an incoming servlet request represents a request either for a portal page or for a non-portal page; and    passing all portal page requests to a portal processor, and executing an appropriate webflow, including detecting the current state of the portal, to update the flow of application logic within the portal.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the portal processor includes a webflow executor for receiving the portal page requests.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the portal processor invokes webflow namespaces for the portal and any portlets to be rendered for the request, and provides a URL to the portal servlet, which is then used to forward the request to an appropriate servlet or Java Server Page.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 providing an interface between persisted portal data and a client of that data, by assembling a portal state object for the current user and returning it to the client.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the portal includes an individual webflow for each of a plurality of portlets associated with the portal.  
     
     
         11 . A computer readable medium, including instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the steps: 
 providing a portal that provides access for users to applications running at the portal;    representing the current state of the portal for a current user in a portal state object;    determining whether an incoming servlet request represents a request either for a portal page or for a non-portal page; and    passing all portal page requests to a portal processor, and executing an appropriate webflow, including detecting the current state of the portal, to update the flow of application logic within the portal.    
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the portal processor includes a webflow executor for receiving the portal page requests.  
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the portal processor invokes webflow namespaces for the portal and any portlets to be rendered for the request, and provides a URL to the portal servlet, which is then used to forward the request to an appropriate servlet or Java Server Page.  
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  further including instructions stored thereon which when executed cause the computer to perform the additional steps comprising: 
 providing an interface between persisted portal data and a client of that data, by assembling a portal state object for the current user and returning it to the client.    
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11  wherein the portal includes an individual webflow for each of a plurality of portlets associated with the portal.