WebFOCUS and App Studio Overview and Architecture

In this section:

App Studio is used to develop and manage WebFOCUS applications, as well as to administer Managed Reporting environments. It is normally assumed, but not required, that WebFOCUS is installed, or will be installed, somewhere in your enterprise. In addition, App Studio architecture and functionality are based on the architecture of WebFOCUS.


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App Studio Components

There are two pieces involved when developing or administering with App Studio.


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WebFOCUS Environments and Components

In a WebFOCUS environment, WebFOCUS connects a web server and/or application server to your data. End users then access WebFOCUS applications through a web browser. Your enterprise may have multiple WebFOCUS environments, each containing the following components:

WebFOCUS employs a distributed architecture. This means that the WebFOCUS Client and its WebFOCUS Reporting Servers can either be on the same machine and operating system or distributed across multiple machines running different operating systems. You can easily connect an Apache web server running on UNIX to Microsoft SQL Server data on Windows and DB2 data on z/OS.

For more information on WebFOCUS components and configuration options, refer to the installation and configuration documentation for your platform.

Note: To ensure proper communication, WebFOCUS components should be the same release number as each other and App Studio.


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WebFOCUS Processing

The following steps accompany the figure below and describe how WebFOCUS or App Studio processes requests:

  1. A user makes a request and passes parameters by calling the WebFOCUS servlet through links and forms on a webpage or through App Studio.
  2. The request and parameters come to the WebFOCUS Client through the web and/or application servers, and the WebFOCUS Client processes the parameters to create a request for the WebFOCUS Reporting Server.
  3. The WebFOCUS Reporting Server receives the request, processes it, and accesses any needed data.
  4. Data is retrieved from data sources to process the request.
  5. The WebFOCUS Reporting Server processes the user request using the retrieved data.
  6. The response is returned to the WebFOCUS Client.
  7. The response is returned to the user.

WebFOCUS and App Studio processing


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App Studio Processing

App Studio processes requests the same way that WebFOCUS does. App Studio makes calls to a web and/or application server that is configured to accept a WebFOCUS servlet request. The servlet then connects to the WebFOCUS Reporting Server to process the request.

The web and/or application server can be located on the same machine as App Studio or located elsewhere in your enterprise.

You can also use a combination of local and remote processing.


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App Studio Development Options

App Studio provides flexibility in how you develop and maintain your WebFOCUS applications and reports. There are several ways to develop with App Studio.

For more information about App Studio configurations and development environments, see the Getting Started With WebFOCUS App Studio manual.


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App Studio Networked Installation

Normally, App Studio is installed on the desktop of each developer. However, a networked App Studio installation option is available as well.

In a networked configuration, App Studio is installed on a single shared machine, rather than each desktop. Developers then launch App Studio on their desktops by executing files that have been installed on the shared machine. This simplifies administration, installation, and upgrading and it allows all developers to use a common, preconfigured environment.

A network installation of App Studio includes only the GUI features and functions to develop, organize, maintain, and deploy applications and procedures. After installing the networked App Studio option, you must set up a connection to a WebFOCUS environment somewhere on your network. App Studio then uses the web server configuration, application server configuration, WebFOCUS Client connectivity, and WebFOCUS Reporting Server of that WebFOCUS environment.

Network installations are discussed in Configuring a Network Installation.


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App Studio on a WebFOCUS Machine

App Studio and WebFOCUS can be installed on the same machine, provided WebFOCUS is installed first. The App Studio installation program will detect that WebFOCUS is already installed and by default, use the existing WebFOCUS environment and components. App Studio then runs using the existing WebFOCUS Client configuration, application root directories (APPROOT), web and/or application server aliases and context roots (virtual folders), and WebFOCUS Reporting Server. All products can co-exist and use the same WebFOCUS environment through App Studio or a browser.

App Studio can also be configured to have an independent configuration from WebFOCUS.


WebFOCUS