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IBM Connections 3.0.1 is a social networking software that consists of several applications. You can customize IBM Connections by changing the user interface, adding features to applications such as the Home page and Profiles, integrating Profiles with external data, and exploiting the IBM Connections API, among other aspects. This IBM Redbooks Wiki provides details about these and other ways of extending and changing IBM Connections.
Attention: This documentation is provided to help you customize your deployment of IBM Connections. IBM Support can address questions about the customization process, but cannot address questions about the particulars of your customization.
1.1 Overview of customization
IBM Connections 3.0.1 supports changing many aspects without altering the content of the installed web applications. You customize the user interface by overriding the installed files, saving files under a directory named "customization" that exists outside the application source directories. Files in the customization directory override the corresponding installed files in the application source directories. This customization process uses the WebSphere extended document root facility to allow IBM Connections applications access to files outside of the application web archive (WAR) directory. Separating the customized files from the installed files helps you identify what you have customized, allows you to revert to the default data, and means that updates to default files do not overwrite your customizations.
1.2 IBM Connections customization variables
Two WebSphere variables are applicable to customizing IBM Connections. You can view these variables from the WebSphere Application Server Integrated Solutions Console.
1.3 Source application files
To find the code that you want to change, you usually start by locating an installed source application file inside a web archive (WAR) file. The application WAR file subdirectories contain the customizable files.
1.4 Publishing customizations with the wsadmin tool
Web pages in IBM Connections are usually cached by the browser to improve performance for users. After you make your customization, override the cache and force web browsers to download the new copies of the changed files. By your overriding the cache, others will see the customization changes you have made. Using the WebSphere Application Server wsadmin tool, update the version stamp on the appropriate configuration files. The wsadmin tool and the scripts that you need are included with IBM Connections.
1.5 General troubleshooting
This solution information can help you to learn what to do to diagnose or resolve an issue with customizing IBM Connections 3.0.1.