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The Domino AgentRunner
Lotus Domino is an application and messaging server with an integrated set of services
that enable you
to create interactive business solutions for the Internet and corporate intranets. The
Domino AgentRunner is a tool which can be used to build, run, and debug Domino agents
in VisualAge for Java. The AgentRunner uses a set of debug classes that access Notes
context information while you are running an agent in the IDE, on a Lotus Notes client.
To use the AgentRunner, you must follow these steps:
Each of these steps is described in more detail below.
Set up the AgentRunner
First you have to set up your Notes environment to access the AgentRunner classes, and then you have to set up the VisualAge for Java environment to access Domino Java classes and Notes AgentContext documents.
To set up your Notes 4.6 environment to support the AgentRunner, follow these steps:
JavaUserClasses=X:\VAJava\ide\runtime\IVJAgentRunner.jar
where X:\VAJava
is the path where VisualAge for Java is installed. After
you have edited the notes.ini file, you must shut down Notes and restart it so that your
changes take effect.
set path=%path%X:/path/Notes
on a command line. X is the drive on which Notes is installed. path is the path to your Notes directory. Your Notes directory will be temporarily added to your path. When you close your command window, this setting will be erased. Do not close the command window in which you set your path until you have finished using the AgentRunner. (If you want to permanently add this pointer, set the path to Notes in your computer's systems settings.)
X:\VAjava
is the path where VisualAge for Java is installed) to your notes\data directory.Your Notes environment is now set up to support the AgentRunner. Next, you have to set up your VisualAge for Java Environment.
Add the Domino Java classes to the Workbench
To set up your VisualAge for Java IDE to use the AgentRunner, add the Domino Java class library from the repository to your workspace. (From the Workbench window's Selected menu, select Add > Project. The Add Project SmartGuide will open.)
You now should see the Domino Java class library on the Projects page of the Workbench window. This project contains a package called lotus.notes, with all the Java classes for Notes Object Interface/Domino 4.6 and additional Debug classes that support the AgentRunner tool. You can now use these classes when running or debugging an agent in the IDE.
Import an agent from Notes
In the Workbench, create a project called Domino Agents.
Next, use the Import SmartGuide to import your agent from Notes into this new project. The imported Java code is compiled and any unresolved problems are added to the All Problems page. Your .java file appears as in a package in your Domino Agents project in the Workbench.
Create a new agent in VisualAge for Java:
Use the Create Class SmartGuide to create a class in your new package, in your Domino Agents project. Click on the class with mouse button 1. In the Source pane of the Workbench, write the code for your agent. (For instructions, see the Java Programmer's Guide for Lotus Notes).
Export the class file
When you have finished writing your agent, use the Export SmartGuide to save it and export the .class file from the IDE to the file system, so it can be read by Notes.
You can now generate your AgentContext document in a Notes Database.
Run the agent in Notes to generate an AgentContext document
Create a Java agent in a Notes database. See the Notes help for more information on creating an agent.
The AgentContext document is automatically generated in the AgentRunner.nsf when you run your agent in Notes from an agent class that extends DebugAgentBase. A call to getSession() will, after generating an AgentContext document, return null. So any use of the returned session will result in a thrown exception. But, since the purpose of running the agent is only to generate the context document (and not to run any of the agent code), you can ignore the exception.
Debug your agent
When you have generated an AgentContext document, you are ready to debug it in VisualAge for Java.
You have two options:
or
Create the production agent
When your development of the agent is complete, you can move your agent to Notes. First, in the IDE, you have to change your agent's base class to extend lotus.notes.AgentBase instead of DebugAgentBase.
Export the .class file to the file system. and reimport it in your agent in Notes.
You can now run your agent in Notes.
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