Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
8.7 Granularity Level 4: Custom User Interface
WS-PGRADE/gUSE offers speci
c APIs that allow the connection of existing user
interfaces to various DCIs via prede
ned workflows (remote API), or the devel-
opment of new custom portlets within the WS-PGRADE/gUSE framework (ASM
API). Granularity level 4 represents custom gateways that were developed using
these APIs that provide access to low level WS-PGRADE/gUSE functionalities.
Using the ASM or the remote API, customized gateways that incorporate visuali-
zation tools and highly speci
c user interfaces can be built with reasonable
development effort (typically 2
4 weeks development
time for a customized
-
gateway). In this section,
first we provide short overviews of the ASM and remote
APIs, followed by the example of the custom user interface developed for the
molecular docking gateway.
8.7.1 Application-Speci
c Module API
The aim of the application-speci
c module (ASM) API is to hide complex work-
flows from end-user scientists and provide for them the most convenient, appli-
cation-oriented interface via a domain-speci
c portlet. In order to achieve this goal,
the ASM API provides access to a set of well parameterized Java methods to utilize
low-level gUSE services. This component enables passing information between
customized portlets and the gateway framework without requiring complex algo-
rithms or web-service calls, thus signi
cantly simplifying the development of such
custom interfaces. Portlets developed with the help of the ASM API enable end-
users to upload new input
files, specify parameters, or visualize results. However,
end-users cannot edit or modify workflow structures, or de
ne executables behind
workflow nodes.
Functionalities of the ASM API fall into three different categories:
1. Methods covering application management issues and getting information about
workflows stored in the application repository, such as getting a list of appli-
cation developers and applications according to a speci
ed developer ID,
importing an application to local user space, and getting a list of applications
that have already been imported.
2. Methods that can be used for input/output data manipulation, such as uploading
a file to a specified port, setting a file that currently exists on the portal server as
input for a job, setting command-line parameters for a job, and fetching outputs
of calculations.
3. Methods for handling user activities during execution such as workflow sub-
mission; getting workflow execution status in simple or in detailed format; and
for aborting, rescuing, or removing a workflow.
As portlets in general are deployed in portlet containers that supervise the most
common user activities and manage user sessions, ASM does not have to provide
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