The Version 6.0 enhancements provide all the function you
need for an authoring interface. However, in some rare situations, you
might need to develop your own custom authoring interface.
Developing a custom authoring interface requires Java and WebSphere Portal
skills. The Web Content Management API is used to build the interface.
There are two types of custom authoring interfaces:
- Authoring portlet replacement - a completely new portlet
is created that provides the custom authoring functionality.
- Custom launch page - a custom entry view is created for
the default authoring portlet that is included with Web Content Management.
Authoring portlet replacement
Generally speaking, creating your own authoring portlet can be a complex
and resource-intensive task, and for this reason, it's not recommended
unless absolutely necessary. Of course there might be some cases
where authoring portlet replacement can't be avoided -- for example, if
the content creation process (not the publishing process) needs to be customized
through integration with third-party applications or the use of custom
entry fields.
Be aware that if you create a custom authoring portlet, you must be prepared
to support it. IBM Support cannot directly support custom authoring
portlets that replace the provided authoring portlet. However, public APIs
used to develop the authoring portlet replacement are supported.
Custom launch page
To streamline common authoring tasks during development, create a custom
launch page. The custom page can include links to create common content
types or to see documents waiting for approval.