In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure and create ADF connections in WebLogic Server 11g.
The external connections used by an application are managed in the configuration of the connections, and these are maintained in the connections.xml file that is specific to each application.
This file is a part of the EAR during deployment. Typically, the connection details are some test connection details during the development phase of an application and are replaced with the original production connection configuration at deployment time.
Some aspects of these connections may also be changed after the application is deployed. An example of a connection is a web service connection or a portlet producer connection that is used by an application to interact with an external application.
Similar to adf-config.xml, for any post-deployment change to connections, the connections.xml file is customized, and the customization is stored in MDS.
Connections can be configured either via Enterprise Manager, via MBeans using the generic MBeans browser, or via WLST command.
As part of setting a connection, one can specify the physical connection information as well as additional details, such as cache sizes and timeout information.
To update this configuration via Enterprise Manager, the first step is to launch the MBean browser by navigating to target domain and application and launching the ADF | Configure ADF menu. In the left panel of the System MBean browser, navigate to the ADFConnections MBean.
The MBean is in the oracle.adf.share.connection | server name | application name path. Several connection types are supported, including File System Connection, Mail Server Connection, Web Service Connection, and URL Connection.
The properties to be configured for different connections are specific to those types of connection. For example, for a data-source-based connection, it is the data source name that is needed. For a URL connection, one can specify whether to use a proxy or not on a per-connection basis.
An example where a connection needs to be created or updated is when an ADF application uses a web service in the model layer. In such an application, the web service connection needs to be set up to access the service at runtime, as previously illustrated.
