Create Module HowTo

Introduction

this HowTo will take you through a process of creating your own module extension to OpenCms administration view.

Create Module

First you must create module container for your extension. Creation of a new module is described in detail at Defining_OpenCMS_structured_XML_content#Step_1_.E2.80.93_Create_the_module_and_configure_it. Make sure that you select all module folders to be created.

Create and Install Message Bundle

Next we need to create and install message bundle for our new module, so will be able to customise all workplace labels based on user's selected language. This requires the following steps:-

1. Create messages class.
2. Create action class and initiate the message bundle as part of the action class.
3. Create your module specific workplace.properties file.

All these files must be published as part of your module /classes/ directory.

Create messages class

Message class is used to reference your module specific workplace.properties file at part of OpenCms. This is just a simple class extending org.opencms.i18n.A_CmsMessageBundle and the bundle name variable pointing to the module specific workplace.properties file location. Below is a sample Messages class in order to illustrate this.

Create action class and initiate the message bundle as part of the action class

Action class is used to register the message bundle with OpenCms at start up. Again this is just a simple class this time implementing org.opencms.module.I_CmsModuleAction. The important thing here is to call the message bundle as part of the action class initialize method, so the message bundle gets loaded. Sample class below should demonstrate how to achieve this.

After you have created and uploaded the action class in module /classes/ directory you also need to register the action class with your module. This can be done in the module management by editing the "Action class" value.

Create your module specific workplace.properties file

Next we need to create a text file called workplace.properties in your module /classes/ folder. This file includes all language captions for your module. Below you can see a sample file on how your workplace.properties might look like. Creating a worplace.properties file for another language is easy. You just need to create another file with the required language suffix. For example for Finnish locale the properties file would be called workplace_fi.properties.

# Generic module settings.
MODULE_DATE_FORMAT=dd/MM/yy HH:mm:ss
MODULE_EMAIL_SUBJECT_PREFIX=[Mail from OpenCms]

#Administration view group name.
GUI_NEWSLETTER_MANAGEMENT_TOOL_GROUP_0=Administration

#Generic application captions.
ERR_PROBLEM_SENDING_EMAIL_0=Email could not be sent. Please contact your system administrator in order to check that the email server is configured correctly for the system.

# Tool root folder captions.
GUI_NEWSLETTER_MANAGEMENT_TOOL_NAME_0=Newsletter Management
GUI_NEWSLETTER_MANAGEMENT_TOOL_HELP_0=Click here to send mass emails and newsletters to selected groups of users.

# Mass mail tool folder captions.
GUI_NEWSLETTER_MASSMAIL_TOOL_NAME_0=Mass Mail
GUI_NEWSLETTER_MASSMAIL_TOOL_HELP_0=Click here to send mass email message to selected user groups.

# Mass mail tool captions.
GUI_USER_EDITOR_LABEL_IDENTIFICATION_BLOCK_COMPOSE_EMAIL_0=Compose Email
ERR_BAD_SENDER_ADDRESS_0=Sender email address in not valid.
ERR_BAD_TO_GROUP_0=To group is either missing or is not valid content management group.
ERR_BAD_SUBJECT_FIELD_0=Email subject cannot be empty.
ERR_BAD_SUBJECT_MESSAGE_0=Email message body cannot be empty.
label.massmail.currentDate=Date
label.massmail.fromAddress=From
label.massmail.fromAddress.help=The email address that will be used as sender in this email.
label.massmail.toGroup=To Group
label.massmail.toGroup.help=The user group that the email will be send to.
label.massmail.emailAttachments=Attachment
label.massmail.emailAttachments.help=Up to 5 optional attachment for the email from the download gallery.
label.massmail.emailSubject=Subject
label.massmail.emailSubject.help=The email message subject.
label.massmail.emailMessage=Message
label.massmail.emailMessage.help=The mail message body text.

# Newsletter tool folder captions.
GUI_NEWSLETTER_NEWSLETTER_TOOL_NAME_0=Newsletter
GUI_NEWSLETTER_NEWSLETTER_TOOL_HELP_0=Click here to send a content newsletter to selected user groups.