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Sharing and reusing component definitions

Host On-Demand allows users to save the following component definitions into separate files on their local machines and use the definitions in host sessions without having to import them into the session configuration itself:

This capability allows users to share and reuse these component definitions easily.

Users

Users can define macro, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad, and file transfer list definitions and save them into separate files. These separate files are then immediately available to other sessions. Users no longer need to configure the identical component again for the new session or import the file. If the user subsequently updates any of these macro, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad, or file transfer list definitions files, other sessions that use those external files will automatically get the updates.

The ability of the session to use external definitions is available for the HTML, Configuration server-based, and Combined models. You can disable this ability for macros, keyboard, toolbars, popup keypad and file transfer lists.

By default, the macro, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad and file transfer list component files that users create are stored on their local machines in the HODObjs subdirectory. The complete path for the HODObjs subdirectory is a writable location unique to the user, and the exact path depends on the platform, browser, and JVM level. A typical path on a Windows machine using Internet Explorer, for example, might be Documents and Settings\username\HODObjs\. If you have configured the Save HTML parameter, the HODObjs subdirectory will use the Save path that you specify.

Macro

All of the session windows that list available macros, such as the Play Macro window, allow you to select a macro location. Possible locations include the following:

When users record new macros or update existing ones, they have the option to save them to the current session, their personal library or to any network location for which they have write access. Also, on the Available Macros window, which is accessed from the drop-down menu on the Macro Manager toolbar, users can copy and paste any number of macros from one macro location to another.

Keyboard

The Open button on the keyboard window allows users to change the current keyboard definition being used by the session. At any given time, there is only one keyboard definition associated with an active session, but users can open a different one whenever the need arises. The Open button launches a window that allows users to choose either the legacy keyboard defined internally in the session (the Current Session option) or an external file. Users can open a keyboard definition file from any location on their system, but the default location is the HODObjs subdirectory. Regardless of which keyboard definition the user opens, the selected definition becomes the current one used by the Host On-Demand session. Any updates that the user makes to the keyboard using the Save button are saved back to the location from which the keyboard was loaded (either the current session or the particular file). The next time the user launches the session, the same keyboard is automatically loaded from either the current session or the file.

The Save As button on the keyboard window allows users to save the current keyboard definition to a different location or file than is currently being used by the session. When the user selects Save As, the newly-saved keyboard becomes the current one for the session. This means that the saved keyboard will be the one loaded the next time the user launches the session.

Toolbar

Like the keyboard, the toolbar offers Open and Save As options. These options are available by clicking Edit > Preferences > Toolbar in a host session or by right-clicking the toolbar itself.

Popup Keypad

Like the keyboard, the popup keypad offers Open and Save As options. These options are found on the Customize Popup Keypad window, which is available by clicking Edit > Preferences > Popup Keypad > Customize in a host session or Edit > Customize in a popup keypad.

File transfer list

All of the session windows that allow users to select or specify a file transfer list also allow them to select a file transfer list location. Possible locations include the following:

Users can work with file transfer lists using either Host File Transfer or FTP/sftp, depending on the type of session they are running.

Administrators

The fact that macros, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad and file transfer list definitions can exist as separate files makes it easier for you to reuse components when you are configuring sessions for your users. However, you should understand that these sessions should not normally point to file components, since the files are not distributed to your users along with the session definitions. Generally, any macro, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad or file transfer list definition that you want to make available to your users should be saved in the current session.

You can configure sessions from either the Deployment Wizard (for the HTML model) or the Host On-Demand Administration Utility (for the Configuration server-based and Combined models) In either case, you can start the sessions you wish to configure, and from the launched sessions, you will have access to all the user functions relating to macro, keyboard, toolbar, popup keypad and file transfer list definitions that are discussed above.

The following examples demonstrate the steps you need to follow to use the file components in a session that you are configuring for your users:

Additional enhancements for the administrator (HTML model only)

Related topics

  • Using the Macro Manager
  • Macro Programming Guide
  • Using the Macro Manager
  • Remapping the keyboard
  • Customize Toolbar
  • Configuring the popup keypad
  • File Transfer overview