EMC Documentum WDK Application Development

The Documentum Web Development Kit (WDK) is specifically designed to facilitate the rapid development of web-based applications that connect to and interact with the EMC Documentum repository. It provides reusable components and behaviors tailored for Documentum integration.

WDK-based applications are standard web applications deployed on a centralized J2EE application server. Users access the system using a web browser over HTTP or HTTPS, eliminating the need to install any application software locally on individual client machines.

WDK provides a framework, library of components, and templates to build custom Documentum web applications from scratch. While Webtop is a popular pre-built WDK application that developers often customize or extend, starting with Webtop is entirely optional rather than a mandatory requirement.

WDK applications rely on the Documentum Foundation Classes (DFC) for repository communication. Each WDK WAR file includes a dfc.properties configuration file in its classpath (WEB-INF/classes) containing connection broker (Docbroker) details and global registry settings. This configuration is necessary for the application to establish Docbase connections.

Different Java EE application servers, such as WebLogic, WebSphere, and WildFly, utilize unique deployment architectures, administration consoles, and commands to install WAR files. Because there is no single standardized installation procedure across all vendors, the statement is false.

Directly editing webtop/app.xml is not the recommended or correct way to configure elements. The framework likely provides specific configuration tools, UI interfaces, or other configuration mechanisms that should be used instead of manual file edits to maintain consistency and avoid breaking the application.

When modifying nested elements (grandchildren) in the framework's layer system, you must copy the entire parent child element that contains the grandchild to your custom application layer. This maintains the structural integrity and allows proper override of the nested configuration.

A component definition file serves as the central reference that specifies and links all the other pieces that make up a complete component. This includes the WDK form for UI, Java behavior class for logic, and NLS properties bundle for internationalization support.

The component list maintains a one-to-one correspondence with component definition files in the application. Each definition file results in exactly one component entry in the component list, ensuring systematic tracking and management of all components.

Component definition files are not located in the {virtual root}\config directory. They are typically found in other designated locations within the framework's directory structure, such as component-specific directories or other configuration areas, not the general config directory.

Extending components from the webtop layer does not always require copying elements to the custom layer. The framework likely provides alternative extension mechanisms such as inheritance, references, or override methods that don't necessitate direct copying, allowing for more flexible and maintainable customizations.