• Documentation of Horde Ajax Applications mostly from poking around existing examples.

The Horde Ajax framework facilitates creating javascript-heavy single page applications but is also useful in other contexts.
It contains of a horde-wide server-side entry point ajax.php and per-application definitions which handlers are used.
On the client side, HordeCore.js provides the tools to call these endpoints and automatically add security tokens to the request.

++ Convention
$app (lowercase, for example "passwd")
$App (First Uppercase, for example "Passwd")

++ Javascript libraries used

!JavaScript for "dynamic" and "traditional" mode uses [http://api.prototypejs.org/ PrototypeJS]
!JavaScript for "smartmobile" mode uses [http://jquerymobile.com/ jQuery Mobile]

+++ Using jquery alongside prototype
This is generally not accepted upstream.
jQuery can be made coexist with dynamic/traditional mode's !PrototypeJS

For non-upstream custom code:

var $j = jQuery.noConflict(); $j(document).ready( /* Do jquery stuff here. $.* is prototype, $j.* is jQuery. Some plugins may not like this, but DataTables, JQuery UI and mainstream stuff work */ );

++ Files and Classes of a Horde Ajax Application

+++ Horde_Ajax_Application class

Bare Minimum for a Horde Ajax Application (on top of a skeleton Horde_Registry_Application):
A File $app/lib/Ajax/Application.php with a class

[http://dev.horde.org/api/master/lib/Core/classes/Horde_Core_Ajax_Application.html Horde_Core_Ajax_Application documentation]

+++ Application-specific javascript code

Most apps which sport completely distinct dynamic and traditional views (kronolith, hermes) also have $app/js/$app.js

var $AppCore = { /* What is strictly required here? */ } document.observe('dom:loaded', $AppCore.onDomLoad.bind(AppCore)); // more observers as needed

+++ View Selection

Common, but not strictly required:

Logic in $app/index.php to decide if traditional, ajax or other modes should be loaded.

TODO: Example

+++ Horde Ajax Request Service
The Horde Base App provides a common receiver for ajax requests by Ajax_Applications.
It only works for AUTHENTICATED user requests.

Fails silently for malformed requests and unauthenticated users
It loads the app, passes the call's variables to $App_Ajax_Application and runs the ->doAction() method on this class.
Finally it returns a Response.

The default response type is JSON

TODO: Does this only work for pretty URL rewriting mode?

TODO: pretty example

horde/services/ajax.php

**

• Processes an AJAX request and returns a JSON encoded result.
• Path Info:

• ---

• http://example.com/horde/services/ajax.php/APP/ACTION
• 'APP' - (string) The application name.
• 'ACTION' - (string) The AJAX action identifier.
• Reserved 'ACTION' strings:
• 'logOut' - Logs user out of Horde.
• Copyright 2010-2012 Horde LLC (http://www.horde.org/)
• See the enclosed file COPYING for license information (GPL). If you
• did not receive this file, see http://www.horde.org/licenses/gpl.
• @author Michael Slusarz slusarz@horde.org
• @package Horde
*/


+++ $App_Ajax_Application_Handler
A Handler inherits from Horde_Core_Ajax_Application_Handler and can manage external/public (unauthenticated??) calls
extends Horde_Core_Ajax_Application_Handler

Seems like the difference between Horde 5 and Horde 4 is that each action has its own Handler class rather than a methods in the $App_Ajax_Application class?

++ Client side js infrastructure
important hordecore.js HordeCore class methods:

• doAction(action, params, opts) - client side method for ajax requests against Horde_Ajax_Application
• submitForm(form, opts) - ajax request to submit a form

TODO

++ The big picture

• When do I use a service/ajax.php handler as opposed to a rampage.php Controller ?
• Imples seem to be used to return snippets? "Don't use imples; they are archaic and can generally be rewritten using the Ajax framework instead"