ntegrating custom software into Magnolia modules is a given nowadays. Only, all to often the frustration starts when you're using numerous modules and their Spring contexts and other configurations; this can be a real hassle. At Orange11 we do quite a bit of integrating Spring configured custom software into Magnolia modules. For example: when we need to load content from an external database into the Data module, or when we want to create a Blossom dialog that renders a select box based on results from an external web service. We usually create a separate, reusable and testable modules. The services that need to be exposed are configured in a number of Spring contexts. When you are using a lot of these modules, the context management isn't ideal. Loading several contexts, editing the web.xml, for all modules. That's why we're introducing the Magnolia Spring Context Loading Module and we want to take this opportunity to tell you all about it. After this track you will be able to neatly integrate your Spring configured software, while taking full advantage of Magnolia's rich dynamic configuration.

1. Bridging the gap; Magnolia modules and
Spring configured custom software
Erik Alphenaar @ Magnolia Conference 2012: Community day
Software Architect
erik.alphenaar@orange11.nl

2. Bridging the gap; Magnolia modules and Spring configured custom software
Introduction
! Integrating Spring? You mean Blossom!!
! Spring and Magnolia, some drawbacks
! So then what would the ideal situation be?
! Orange Context!
! Final thoughts
! Q & A

3. Integrating Spring? You mean Blossom!!
! Blossom
Controllers
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Dialog factories
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Tab / dialog validators
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VirtualURIMapper
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Etcetera
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! Managing Spring configurations

4. Spring and Magnolia, some drawbacks
! Setting up a Blossom module
! Example
! Setting up another non-Blossom module
! Example

5. So what would the ideal situation be?
“Don’t configure Magnolia: let your projects configure it.”
Greg’s ramblings – 2011
! Configure contexts per module in Magnolia
! Configure servlet contexts per module in Magnolia
! Observed Manager
! Bootstrap the config
! Version Handlers
! Dependencies

6. Orange Context: Automated context loading
! Put the Orange11 Spring context loader to work!
! Example

7. Final thoughts
! One convention
! Taking full advantage of Magnolia configuration model
! Make use of existing powerful Magnolia conventions, like:
Dependency management
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Bootstrapping configuration nodes
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Observed Manager
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! Allow for multiple Blossom modules
! Improvements

8. Q&A
erik.alphenaar@orange11.nl