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Novell Portal Services Overview and Gadget Development

April 2003

DeveloperNet University Course

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Lab 1 - Themes

Themes can be assigned on a per object basis (U/G/C or Portal Group).

• One object can have only one Theme.
  
  
• Controls the main look and feel of the portal.
  
  
• Controls which gadgets are assigned.
  
  
• Controls the layout of the assigned gadgets.
  
  
• Controls the Inherited Area where all pages are displayed.
  
  
• Choose number of columns to use--one, two, or three.
  
  

Exercise 1: Create a Theme on your Container (e.g. o=novell)

1. Log in as admin (NDS admin user name and password).
   
   
2. Under the Portal Administration Page click on the Administer The Portal button.
   
   
3. Select Themes. Click on Create.
   
   
4. Enter the Theme Name and optional Description.
   
   
5. Click the Create button.
   
   
6. Select OK.
   
   
7. The Theme will now appear in the menu.
   
   
8. Click the Assign button.
   
   
9. Click the Add button.
   
   
10. Select Containers in the "Search for:" pull down and click OK.
    
    
11. Click on Search (searching for "containers").
    
    
12. (This will return a list of all your containers.)
    
    
13. Select your container (where the users' objects reside).
    
    
14. Click the Assign button at the bottom of the page.
    
    
15. Click the Close button.
    
    
16. Select the created Theme and click Edit.
    
    
17. Select Properties.
    
    
18. You are now able to complete the Theme. There are several key settings.
    
    
19. Title bar name: Type "My Portal" (required).
    
    
20. Portal look: Press the Edit button to set the overall look of the portal (skin). We are going to use the Default skin. Press OK to use the Default portal look (skin). (Required.)
    
    
21. Priority: "". The Theme is the only object in the NPS environment that doesn't require a priority. For a Theme, the priority is optional (helps you resolve Theme assignment conflicts in complex design).
    
    
22. Click on Continue, then Save, and OK and you now have saved the new Theme.
    
    

Exercise 2: Create Theme Gadget Assignments

Customize Gadget

1. You should now be at the "Themes" screen.
   
   
2. Select the created Theme and click Edit.
   
   
3. Notice that the Authenticator gadget is always added to new Themes (by default).
   
   
4. Select Add.
   
   
5. Select the Preferences gadget from the list of gadgets and press Add.
   
   
6. For the Display name, type Preferences.
   
   
7. Leave all other Configuration settings as default.
   
   
8. Press the All Settings button to see advanced properties.
   
   
9. For Location, select Header.
   
   
10. For Gadget has a frame, select False.
    
    
11. Press Continue, then Save, and OK and you now have saved the new Theme gadget assignments.
    
    
12. You should now be at the Themes screen.
    
    

Exit the portal administration gadget and logout. Please login as the admin user to view the change.