Tri State Lug 2009 - Integration And Coexistence Session

Integration and Coexistence:
Leveraging Lotus & Microsoft
products to build
better solutions

John Head

PSC Group, LLC
© 2009 by the individual speaker

Before We Begin

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What We’ll Cover …

Who am I?
Integration Background
Integration from the Notes client
Integration from other applications
Integration from a web browser
Integration with Google Docs
Real World Integration
Looking forward
Wrap-up and Q&A


Who Are We?
John D. Head
Director of Enterprise Collaboration at PSC Group, LLC
Involved in Lotus technology since 1993
OpenNTF.org Steering Committee Member and IP Working Group Chairman
Speaker
Over 30 sessions at Lotusphere since 1996
Speaker at Lotus Developer , ILUG, UKLUG, and other conferences
Author
Publications on Office and SmartSuite integration with Notes
LotusUserGroup.org contributing Author and Forum moderator
―Lotus Symphony for Dummies‖ Technical Editor
―Self Assessment and Strategy Guide for Migrating from Domino Document Manager ―
Redbook Author
www.johndavidhead.com twitter.com/johnhead


PSC Group, LLC
 IBM Premium Business Partner for 19+
Years  Host of the following blogs:
 Ed Brill’s
 Microsoft Managed Partner (www.edbrill.com)
 Lotus Design Blog(Mary Beth Raven)
 Notes & Domino 8.5 Design Partner (www.notesdesign.com)
 LotusStaffNotes (Brent Peters)
 OpenNTF.org Alliance Member, Steering (www.lotusstaffnotes.com)
Committee Company, & Former Host of  Lotus Connections Team
OpenNTF.org (synch.rono.us)
 Lotus Sametime
(www.thesametimeblog.com)
 Winner of 2007 & 2009 Lotus Awards!
 Domino Server Team
(www.dominoblog.com)
 Lotus Mashups
(www.mix-and-mash.com)
 Chris Pepin – IBM CTO’s Office
(www.chrispepin.com)


Demo Databases

Presentation example database
Single database with all examples
You can configure it for your Notes client
Example numbers in the presentation match those in the database
Lotusphere 2009 session database
From Genii Software
Updated version inside the demo database
Personal name and address book
My demos work with the standard Notes 6, 7, 8, & 8.5 templates


Let’s take a little poll …

Who is using …
Office 97 and earlier
Office 2000
Office XP
Office 2003
Office 2007
Office 2010 Beta
OpenOffice / StarOffice
Lotus Symphony
iWork
Other

Integration History
1994 2004
DDE with Ami Pro Notes Domino 6.5 with LS2J and DXL
1996 2005
Notes R4 Notes Domino 7 with Web services
OLE 2007
LotusScript 2007 Office System
VBA Lotus Notes/Domino 8
1997 Lotus Symphony
SmartSuite with LotusScript (Word Pro) 2008
1998 Visual Studio 2008
Notes R5 with COM support Notes/Domino 8.5
2001 2009
Notes/Domino 8.5.1
Notes Domino 6
2010
Visual Studio 2010
Office 2010


The Good News

We have entered the “Industrial Revolution” period of the
Integration Era

In the “Medieval Times”
DDE with Ami Pro
NotesSQL was used to get even the most basic of data
OLE embedding
Notes F/X


The Good News (continued)

The Renaissance brought us new tools
OLE automation
COM automation
And much more

The Revolution brings us major changes
A true competitor to Office
Visual Studio.NET 2008 and VSTO 3.0
Code begins to move from inside a document to complete
applications


Integration from the Notes Client

Integrating Microsoft Word
Integrating Lotus Symphony Documents
Mail Merge
Integrating Microsoft Excel


Integration from Notes

From Notes, you will write code to manipulate the
application

In most cases, you will be converting Visual Basic for
Applications (VBA) code to LotusScript

The VBA code will be written so it saves in Notes as
LotusScript

Once you get the knack of converting the code, you can
focus on the process vs. the code


Creating a Word Document — ―Hello World‖

Demo — Example 1

Launch Microsoft
Word and enter
some text


The Easiest Way to Start

Microsoft Office provides us with a recorder
Records all keyboard actions
Mouse actions are sometimes recorded, so avoid when possible
Generates VBA code for you
Easy way to learn how something is done
Table is created
Page settings are set
etc.


Use the Microsoft Constants Database

Provides a listing of all Microsoft
Office variables and their
converted constants
Extraction of constants by
John Collidge
Database built by Tom Duff
OpenNTF.org project
Supports Microsoft Office 2000,
XP, 2003, and 2007
More features planned!


Introduction to OpenOffice.org Development

Designed on an interface-based component model called
Universal Network Objects (UNO)
UNO definition
UNO offers interoperability between different programming
languages, different object models, different machine
architectures, and different processes; either in a local network or
even via the Internet
UNO components can be implemented in, and accessed from, any
programming language for which a UNO language
binding exists


Lotus Symphony – The Developer Perspective
Does this work with Lotus Symphony?

• All of the demos will be done using Lotus Symphony
• You will need Notes 8.0.1 or higher
– IBM has exposed the Lotus Symphony objects to the registry to
allow COM to work
• If you want run the demos in 8.0.0, they will invoke
OpenOffice.org
• There is a way to hack 8.0.0 to work, but it is not supported


What is the ServiceManager?

• ServiceManager is similar to the NotesSession class
• It is a factory class that gets you to other places

Set SM=CreateObject("com.sun.star.ServiceManager")

• Think of the ServiceManager as a back-end class, and we want the
front end (like NotesUIWorkspace)

Set Desktop=SM.createInstance("com.sun.star.frame.Desktop")


What Did That Do?

Calling the ServiceManager created an OpenOffice.org
window, but we need to do more …

Let’s Start Writer — Word Processing Application

• So far we have an OpenOffice.Org window, but it doesn’t know what
application it will be — we have to tell it

Dim args()
Set WriterApplication=Desktop.loadComponentFromURL
("private:factory/swriter","_blank",0,args)

• Args is a variant array
– We don’t want to pass any parameters, but it must be an array
• The ―s‖ in ―swriter‖ stands for ―Star‖
• Now we have a word processor up and running


The Picture So Far

• Now we have an application open
• Time to do something! © 2009 by the individual speaker

Let’s Add Some Text

• First, we need to get a handle to the text part of
the document

Set WriterText=WriterApplication.getText()

• Next, we need a cursor position where we can insert
the text

Set Cursor=WriterText.createTextCursor()

• Finally, we can make the traditional greeting

Call WriterText.insertString(Cursor,"Hello World!",False)

Hello World!

• After executing all of that code, this is the result
• Now let’s try it for real © 2009 by the individual speaker

Notes to Writer

Demo — Example 2

―Hello World‖ from
Notes to
Symphony Documents

25

Notes 8.5.1 and the Symphony API

• Included with Notes 8.5.1 is the new Symphony API
• Supports LotusScript and Java
• Must run from Notes client – does not work with
Standalone Symphony Application
(applications or plug-ins)
• API is modeled after Notes Object Model
• Symphony Container added to Composite Applications
thru the CA Editor


Symphony Documents LotusScript API


Symphony Spreadsheets LotusScript API


Symphony Presentations LotusScript API


Step 1: Symphony Application

• Create a new SymphonyApplication object
• This is a base level object, much like the NotesSession
• You will not see anything on screen after setting this

Dim application As SymphonyApplication
Set application = New SymphonyApplication


Step 2: Symphony Documents

• Initialize the Documents Application
• You should see the Symphony Application at this point

Dim documents As SymphonyDocuments
Set documents = application.Documents


Step 3: Open a New Document

• Create a new document
• You can also create a new document based on a Template
using the second property

Dim document As SymphonyDocument
Set document = documents.AddDocument("",False,True)

• New Document based on a template

Set document = documents.AddDocument("D:FileTypeAssociationtest.ott",True,True)


Step 4: Set the Range

• You can set a range based on a paragraph, table, or in this
case, the entire document contents

Dim range As SymphonyTextRange
Set range = document.content.End


Step 5: Insert Text

• Using the InsertBefore or InsertAfter methods, you can
insert text based on any range or object

Call range.InsertBefore("Hello World")


―Hello World‖ in Symphony Documents via LotusScript

Dim application As SymphonyApplication
Dim documents As SymphonyDocuments
Dim document As SymphonyDocument
Dim range As SymphonyTextRange

Set application = New SymphonyApplication
Set documents = application.Documents
Set document = documents.AddDocument("",False,True)
Set range = document.content.End
Call range.InsertBefore("Hello World")


Lotus Symphony API via LotusScript

Demo — Example 3

―Hello World‖ in
Documents using
LotusScript

More info in the “Symphony Developer's Guide for
Notes.pdf” that comes with the Symphony Toolkit


Merging Mail from Notes

Most requested Notes-to-Office Integration functionality
Users have no idea how to get data from Notes into Word
Lotus has not provided this functionality … yet
Quick win for you — take this code back and add it to your
boss’s personal name and address book and be the HERO!


Mail Merge from Address Book
Demo — Example 4
Generate a mail merge
from the personal
name and address
book


Integration with Microsoft Excel
Working with Excel is very different from Word
The objects we use are different
Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel
Text Position/Cursor Cell
Paragraph Range
Page Worksheet
Document Workbook

In Excel, we tend to move more data from Notes to the application
Lots of rows in Excel vs. filling in bookmarks in Word


Working with Microsoft Excel

Demo — Example 5
Create a spreadsheet
from Notes data and
generate a chart


What We’ll Cover …

Who we are?
Integration Background
Integration from the Notes client
Integration from other applications
Integration from a web browser
Integration with Google Docs
Looking forward
Wrap-up and Q&A


Moving to the Other Side

This part covers the more advanced subjects
Such as automating Lotus Notes from Microsoft Office and other
technologies
We will use COM, XML, Web services, and .NET technologies
As the title suggests, this part is more technical We are about to pick up
the pace


Automation from the Microsoft Side

Many integration scenarios require that user interaction start, or
solely be, from an application other than Notes
Many times we will not have the Notes client installed
We will not be writing LotusScript
We may call LotusScript through the Notes COM interface
We need to take advantage of ―new‖ technologies
XML
Web services
.NET
Managed code


Word Template — Data from Notes

Demo — Example 6

Create a new document
Prompt user
Place data into document


Demo — Example 7

Word template that
reads a Notes database
via a Web service


Microsoft Excel and XML

Demo — Example 8

Importing Domino data
into a spreadsheet
using XML


VSTO Versions

Visual Studio Tools for Office
Version 1 = VSTO 2003 with Visual Studio.NET 2003
Version 2 = VSTO Second Edition with Visual Studio.NET 2005
Version 3 = VSTO 3.0 with Visual Studio.NET 2008
Unless you are forced too, only use VSTO 3.0
VSTO allows for VB.NET and C#
PSC has moved to C# for all our development
C# is more powerful
More third-party tools available for C#


VSTO 3.0 Project Types


VSTO 3.0 and Microsoft Word and Domino Web Service

Demo — Example 9

Creating a new Word
document that prompts
the user and fills out
Domino data via
Using VSTO


Ways to Add Domino Functionality to ASP.NET

Using Domino Web services
Using Domino Web agents and XML

NOTE: Selecting the right option is dependent on the Domino
Server version and the developer’s skill


ASP.NET Calling a Domino Web Service

We can call the same Domino Web service we have used
before
ASP.NET will import the Web service
Code behind the button will be virtually the same as when
ASP.NET called Domino via COM


ASP.NET Calling Domino via a Web Service

Demo — Example 10

Creating an ASP.NET
Web page that calls
Domino via a
Web service


Google Docs Integration

Higher degree of difficulty
Java code integrated with the Notes 8 and 8.5 Standard
Clients
Eclipse.org plug-ins
A sidebar application that displays the documents
Just like Quickr!
This sample is not for the timid!
There is also a C# library available


Google Docs Integration – Posting Documents

Demo — Example 11

Posting Document to
Google Doc from
Notes



• Real World Use Cases

• Zain Africa Challenge Application
• www.zainafricachallenge.com
• PSC won the 2009 Best Philanthropic Lotus Award for this solution
• Integration Samples
• Excel for reporting
• Word for Scripts
• Integra for XML export


Real World Integration - Demos

Demo — Example 12

Advanced VSTO
Demos


Looking Forward

2010
• Visual Studio 2010 with VSTO 4
• Office 2010
• Backstage
• SymphonyNext (2.0)
• Beta around Lotusphere
• New/Updated APIs for Notes Data
• REST
• DXL


We Only Scratched the Surface

There are over 3 hours of content available for this
presentation
Search Slideshare for Lotusphere 2009 JMP205
Over 25 demos including
Symphony Spreadsheets
Microsoft PowerPoint
Symphony Presentations
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Visio
Microsoft InfoPath
ASP.NET and COM
Google Docs consuming Domino XML

Resources

Microsoft Office developer’s Web site
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/office/default.aspx
Microsoft Developer Network
http://msdn.microsoft.com
Microsoft Office blog listing
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/office/aa905342.aspx
PSC’s Reporting and Office Integration page
www.psclistens.com/enTouchCMS/app/viewCategory?
catgId=66


Resources (continued)

OpenOffice.org
http://www.openoffice.org
OpenOffice Developers Guide
http://api.openoffice.org/DevelopersGuide/DevelopersGuide.html
Programming OpenOffice with Visual Basic
http://www.kalitech.fr/clients/doc/VB_APIOOo_en.html


Lotus Community Sites
Planet Lotus (www.planetlotus.org) is an aggregation of Lotus related blogs
and news

IdeaJam (www.ideajam.net) is a place where people can post and share their
ideas, and gauge the marketability, popularity and viability with input from
others

OpenNTF (www.openntf.org) is a site devoted to getting groups of individuals
all over the world to collaborate on Lotus Notes/Domino applications and
release them as open source

IBM’s Official portal for developers including a dedicated section for Lotus
(www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus)
Bleedyellow.com provides community implementations of
Lotus Connections and Sametime

Lotus Greenhouse (greenhouse.lotus.com) is a live
community website where you can use Lotus Collaboration
Products for free!
LotusUserGroup.org is the on-line home of the IBM Lotus
community for regional and virtual user groups

The Lotus Community Podcasts


Follow Up

How to contact:
John Head
jhead@psclistens.com
Twitter.com/johnhead
Linkedin.com/in/johndhead
Facebook.com/johnhead
Slideshare.com/johnhead


Tri State Lug 2009 - Integration And Coexistence Session

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