Leveraging the Out-of-the-Box BDC Web Parts

After an application has been imported and configured, the next step is to provide a way to view the data. The five Web Parts shown in Figure 11.10 included with MOSS Enterprise allow you to do this.

Figure 11.10. BDC Web Parts in the Web Part Gallery.

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The Business Data List Web Part and the Business Data Related List Web Part have, in addition to the normal Web Part tool pane, the ability to configure the view of the entity through the Edit View button shown in Figure 11.11.

Figure 11.11. Edit View button on the BDC Web Part.

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After this button is clicked, additional options become available as shown in Figure 11.12. These settings allow the editor to configure what items appear when the page is loaded, the number of items to return, which fields (columns) to display, the ability to sort, the ability to filter, and the number of items to return per page.

Figure 11.12. View settings on the BDC Web Part.

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In Chapter 8, “Configuring and Extending Search,” you read about using the Data View Web Part to edit the XSL for the Search Core Results Web Part. Because the Business Data Item, Business Data List, and Business Data Related List Web Parts all have an XSL editor, you can also use the Data View Web Part to generate the XSLT to customize the look of the Web Part.

Business Data Actions Web Part

The Business Data Actions Web Part displays the actions associated with a particular entity. For example, using the Business Data List Web Part, you can display a list of partners. Your administrator might have configured the two actions for the partner entity in addition to the default view profile action of Search Internet and Search the Enterprise, where Search the Enterprise searches all of your applications, file shares, and sites. After connecting the Web Parts, a user can select a partner, and then in the Business Data Actions Web Part, select the Search Internet action and run an Internet search on the partner. Using the Business Data Actions Web Part, it’s easier for users to identify the associated actions than it is for them to use the Actions menu drop-down list and select the action from there.

Business Data Item Web Part

The Business Data Item Web Part displays the profile information for a single item from the BDC. When configuring the Web Part, the user can either select the item to be shown or connect it to another Web Part to receive the value for the Web Part. For example, using the Business Data List Web Part, a list of products from the AdventureWorks products database is displayed. After a user selects a product in the Business Data List Web Part, the Business Data Item Web Part displays the profile information for that item.

Business Data Item Builder Web Part

The Business Data Item Builder Web Part uses the query string, a portion of the URL, to determine the item. This Web Part is used to filter the other Business Data Web Parts on the page to only that item and is used only on the profile page.

Business Data List Web Part

The Business Data List Web Part displays a list of items from an entity. The items displayed can be configured to show all of the items from an entity when the page is loaded, only items searched for by the user, or a predefined list of items determined through the Edit View button. This list might display all of the products your company offers.

Exercise: Configuring the Business Data List Web Part

Business Data Related List Web Part

The Business Data Related List Web Part displays a list of items from a related entity within the BDC application. This Web Part can also be preconfigured in the same manner as the Business Data List Web Part. This Web Part might be used, for example, to configure this list to the retail stores your products are sold in. Keep in mind that the retail stores are pulled in from the same business data application, possible a SQL database. Then you connect this Web Part to the Business Data List Web Part displaying the products for your company. Then when a user selects a product, the Business Data Related List Web Part displays the retail locations in which this product is sold.

Exercise: Connecting Two BDC Web Parts

1. Navigate to the site used in the previous exercise, “Configuring the Business Data List Web Part.” 2. Click Site Actions > Edit Page. 3. In one of the Web Part zones, select Add a Web Part. 4. In the Business Data group, select Business Data Item. 5. Click Add. 6. Click the Open the tool pane link. 7. For type (entity), click the Browse button. 8. Select the Product type. 9. Click OK. 10. Click OK at the bottom of the Web Part tool pane. 11. To connect the Web Parts, on the Product Web Part, select Edit > Connections > Get Item From > Product List. 12. Click Exit Edit Mode in the top-right corner of the page. 13. Select a product in the Product List. Your connection should resemble Figure 11.14. Figure 11.14. Connected Web Parts. [View full size image]