Apple WebObjects 3.5 User Manual
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One of the most powerful features of WebObjects is its ability to provide
access to databases. To do so, it uses a framework called the Enterprise
Objects Framework. This chapter introduces you to the Enterprise Objects
Framework by showing you how to create a simple database application.
The steps you take in creating this application demonstrate the principles
you’ll use in every other application you develop with the WebObjects and
Enterprise Objects Framework.
The application you’ll create in this tutorial is called Movies. It makes use
of a sample database, the Movies database, that contains information about
movies. Before you do this tutorial, you need to set up the Movies database
as described in the Post-Installation Instructions. In addition, if you aren’t
familiar with Project Builder and WebObjects Builder, read the first
tutorials in this book, “Creating a Simple WebObjects Application”
(page 11) and “Enhancing Your Application” (page 37), which introduce
basic concepts and procedures you should know before you go on.
In this tutorial, you will:
•
Use the WebObjects Application Wizard to create a fully functional
Main component that reads and writes from the Movies database.
•
Create and configure display groups for interacting with a database in
terms of objects.
•
Create bindings between display groups and a user interface.
•
Write code to manipulate display groups’ selected objects.
•
Set up display groups in a master-detail configuration.
•
Use EOModeler to maintain a model file.
•
Create custom enterprise object classes.
Along the way, you’ll learn basic Enterprise Objects Framework concepts
you can use to design your own database applications.