GBC 4.01
Customization
How customization works
Planning for the customization Getting the customization to the user
Set up your GBC build environment Create a customization project Rebuild the GBC
Create a runtime package Deploy on GAS Deploy on JGAS Change the version customization suffix
Manage themes
Add a theme part Add a theme Modify a theme Delete a theme
Replace an image
Change the favicon Change background image for empty tabbed container
Use theme variables
Display or hide the sidebar Customize the chromebar Change checkbox icons Display the Genero context menu Change relog prompt
Use style sheets
Center progress indicator icon Center file loading icon
Use widgets
Add header image Add header image using style class Add header text Add footer text Change file loading icon Redirect application end Extend the MainContainerWidget
Internationalize your app
Add localized text Configure right-to-left languages Customize translation text Default encoding
Migrating customizations
Planning for the customization

The first step is to answer the question "What do I need to do to complete the customization that I wish to achieve?"

Identify your goals:

  • Do you have a single audience for your application, and only need to customize the interface to apply some corporate branding?
  • Do you want your users to be able to change the appearance of the interface? For example, you could provide:
    • A default view and a high-contrast view (as in the default GBC runtime package)
    • A lighter-color view and a darker-color view
  • Do you have different audiences that require a separate and distinct look-and-feel?

Let's examine each scenario.

I have a single audience and only need to apply corporate branding

Use a single customization containing a single theme. This theme may be comprised of one or more theme parts.

I want the user to be able to choose between different look-and-feels

Start with a single customization and create multiple themes within that customization. Each theme provides a specific look-and-feel. These themes may share some theme parts, but the combination of theme parts define the theme.

I want the UI to change based on the user device

Start with a single customization and create a theme for each device type that the application may encounter. Within the definition of the theme, specify which device the theme is valid for. When users access the application from a device, they see only those themes that are allowed for that device.

I have two separate audiences and want each to have their own look-and-feel

Create two distinct customizations. If you want to provide any themes to both groups, use theme parts that are defined globally for the project, and then reference those theme parts with the themes set up in each of the customizations.

Getting the right customization and theme to the user

After you modify a customization and its themes, you package your customization and deploy it to the Genero Application Server (GAS). You can deploy many customizations to the GAS, but only one can be marked as the default customization. Unless otherwise specified, a user receives the default customization.

You can use the URL to specify a different customization.

Within the selected customization, a default theme is used unless:

  • The user has previously accessed the application and selected a different theme. The last selected theme for the user is chosen.
  • The theme is specified specifically in the URL.
  • The theme is set by a frontcall from the application.

When the application is running, the theme can be changed, but the customization cannot. To use a different customization, restart the application with the new customization selected.