Portlet Modes

Using and switching between JSR-168 portlet modes

Portlet Modes Available in uPortal

The modes currently available to uPortal portlets are those enumerated by the JSR-168 specification. More explicitly, these modes are:

  • VIEW
  • EDIT
  • HELP

Using Edit Mode

Edit mode is often used to display a configuration screen to users of your portlet. If you pursue this strategy, you may also wish to use the PortletPreferences API to record the configuration options your users select. To accomplish this, make the configuration form POST to an action URL and modify the preferences during the ActionRequest.

If you wish to render an 'edit' link or button to help your users navigate to the edit mode of your portlet, read the section below.

Switching between portlet modes

Changing portlet mode through URLs

The most common method of switching portlet modes is through a URL. For example, you might create an "edit" URL that when clicked, sends the user to the portlet's edit mode. Portlet mode-switching links may be created through the use of the portlet JSP tag library:

<portlet:renderURL portletMode="edit"/>

It is also possible to create a URL which will switch the mode of a portlet through direct use of the Java API:

PortletURL myPortletURL = response.createRenderURL();
myPortletURL.setPortletMode(PortletModeEDIT);

Window states may also be set via either the JSP tag or Java API.

Changing portlet mode programmatically

actionResponse.setPortletMode(PortletMode.EDIT);