Chapter 2. Database Management
Terms you'll need to understand:
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Design template
Inheritance
Document locking
Database Access Control List (ACL)
Design synopsis
Techniques you'll need to master:
Defining what constitutes a Notes database
Controlling what gets replicated
Copying a database
Creating a blank database
Creating a design template
Creating database help documents
Creating database icons
Monitoring/maintaining replication
Preventing design inheritance
Printing from the designer
Setting database properties
Setting up design inheritance
Setting up document locking
Troubleshooting database access
Using design synopsis to analyze application elements
Using design templates to refresh an application design
This chapter briefly describes the various IBM Lotus Notes and Domino 6 clients available (as well as how each client is used), defines the Lotus Notes database, outlines how to create a Lotus Notes database, and describes how to set up the database for application design.
IBM/Lotus defines the Lotus Notes client as “the leading integrated email and collaborative software for the Internet.”
Since Release 5.0, Lotus Notes has comprised three individual software clients, each client geared toward a specific function and user type:
Lotus Notes 6 Client (for the standard user)
Domino Administrator 6
Domino Designer 6
 | The Domino Designer is an integrated development environment enabling Notes developers and Web designers to create, manage, and deploy secure interactive Notes client/server and Web applications. |
However, in addition to the three clients offered by Lotus, you may be designing applications for other client types:
iNotes Web Access client— A Web client that delivers Domino messaging, collaboration, and PIM (Personal Information Management) capabilities to Web browsers
iNotes for Microsoft Outlook— A collaborative server solution that delivers the messaging, calendar, scheduling, and personal information management (PIM) services of Lotus Domino technology to Outlook 2000 and 2002 clients
Other POP/IMAP clients— Other third-party email clients utilizing POP (Post Office Protocol) and IMAP (Internet Messaging Access Protocol)
Mobile clients— Clients that include PDA's, Internet enabled phones, and so on
The Domino Designer 6 client enables developers to design applications for Notes clients, Web browser clients, and Mobile clients (a feature enhanced with Lotus Domino 6) with the same rapid application development (RAD) tool, which uses a consistent programming environment for all support languages. In addition, you can easily integrate third-party application development tools, and Domino 6 supports Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), enabling users to access and edit Domino design elements without using the Lotus Domino Designer clients (assuming that users are using a editor that supports WebDAV). This is covered in more detail in Chapter 12, “Programming.”
Many (though not all) of the design elements used to design for a specific platform (for example, the native Lotus Notes client) are compatible with an alternate platform (such as a Web browser). According to Lotus documentation, about 85% of your database design is compatible with both Lotus Notes clients and Web clients. Thus, only 15% of your application would require custom development for each respective platform. These figures may be generous and may assume a level of application functionality that falls short of your application requirements. Nonetheless, many design elements are well suited for both platforms and can significantly reduce your application development investment.
Because you are preparing to become a certified Application Developer, you are probably very familiar with the Lotus Notes Client and Domino Designer client. This chapter focuses on the different considerations Domino application designers must address when designing applications for Web users, native Lotus Notes users, mobile users, or all three.