Extending IBM Rational RequisitePro with Java

Document options Document options requiring JavaScript are not displayed Discuss Sample code Rate this page Help us improve this content

Level: Intermediate

Mark Goossen, Software Engineer, IBM　

17 Sep 2007

This article shows how to use Java technology to access the IBM® Rational® RequisitePro® Extensibility Interface. It also explains how to use the Java™ Native Interface (JNI) libraries that are installed with RequisitePro.

Note: This article expands upon a previous one titled "An introduction to Rational RequisitePro extensibility."

Tips for using Java in RequisitePro

The libraries that comprise the RequisitePro API are COM libraries. The focus of this article is on one library, ReqPro.dll, which is the most frequently used. One way of accessing this library from Java is to use the RJCB (Rational Java-COM Bridge) technology. The RJCB tool generates Java class proxies and C++ bridge libraries that can access the COM DLL files through the Java™ Native Interface (JNI). You can find more information on the RJCB tool, plus a download that you can use to generate a Java bridge for any COM library, on the Integrate COM and Java components page on IBM® developerWorks®.

It is not necessary to generate your own Java bridge for the extensibility interface, because RequisitePro includes everything that you need to access the API.

Your Java class path needs to contain the RJCB Java runtime and proxies libraries. These are installed with RequisitePro in the following locations:

• <install location>\Rational\common\RJCB.jar
• <install location>\Rational\RequisitePro\lib\proxies.jar

The required RJCB runtime and bridge DLL files are also installed and registered with RequisitePro. These do not need to be in your Java class path, but you can find them in these locations:

• <install location>\Rational\RequisitePro\common\RJCB.dll
• <install location>\Rational\RequisitePro\bin\ReqProBridge.dll

Note:
Before the 7.0 release, these libraries were only installed with Rational RequisiteWeb.

Documentation

The attached rpxdoc.zip archive file contains the Javadoc tool, which will help determine the appropriate RequisitePro Extensibility Interface methods to use (see Downloads).

You might also need to use traditional methods of accessing COM inline help. This is especially helpful when you are trying to better resolve the arguments of a method. Some information is lost during the generation of Java classes. This includes the conversion of COM enum arguments to Java int variables and the default values for what were optional arguments in COM. To see the original declaration in a COM object browser, use any Microsoft® development tool that can reference a COM library.

Code examples

Open a project

_Application RPX = new Application();
String path =
	"C:\\Program Files\\Rational\\RequisitePro\\Projects\\" +
	"Project 1\\Project 1.RQS";

String username = "admin";
String password = "";

_Project project = RPX.OpenProject(
	path,
	enumOpenProjectOptions.eOpenProjOpt_RQSFile,
	username,
	password,
	enumProjectFlags.eProjFlag_Normal,
	enumRelatedProjectOptions.eRelatedProjOption_ConnectNone);

Create a requirement type and attribute definitions

_ReqType reqType = project.getReqTypes().Add(
	"Product Feature", //name
	"FEAT", //prefix
	enumReqStyles.eReqStyles_Normal,
	enumReqColors.eReqColors_Auto,
	1, //initial req number
	"", //description
	null, //must contain
	false); //allow external refs

///create a text attribute
_Attr attr1 = reqType.getAttrs().Add(
	"Contact",
	0, //displayRank
	true, //autoSuspect
	enumAttrDataTypes.eAttrDataTypes_Text,
	null, //defaultValue
	false); //required

//create a list attribute 
_Attr attr2 = reqType.getAttrs().Add(
	"Priority",
	0, //displayRank
	true, //autoSuspect
	enumAttrDataTypes.eAttrDataTypes_List,
	null, //defaultValue
	false); //required

_ListItem listItem1 = attr2.getListItems().Add(
	0, //rank
	"High",
	true); //default

_ListItem listItem2 = attr2.getListItems().Add(
	1, //rank
	"Low",
	false); //default

project.Save();

Create a package at the root level

_RootPackage rootPack = project.GetRootPackage(false);

com.rational.reqpro.rpx.Package pack = new com.rational.reqpro.rpx.Package(
		rootPack.CreatePackage(
				"new package", 
				"", 
				enumPackageTypes.ePackageType_Empty));

Create a requirement in a package

_Requirement newReq = project.CreateRequirement(
		"new req",
		"the text",
		"FEAT",
		enumReqTypesLookups.eReqTypesLookups_Prefix, 
		"", //sVersionLabel 
		"", //sVersionReason As String
		new Integer(0), //vParentReqLookupValue
		enumRequirementLookups.eReqLookup_Empty);

newReq.Save();

pack.AddElement(newReq, enumPackageLookups.ePackageLookup_Object, 
enumElementTypes.eElemType_Requirement);

Get a requirement and update attribute values

_Requirement existingReq = project.GetRequirement("FEAT1", 
enumRequirementLookups.eReqLookup_Tag, 
enumRequirementsWeights.eReqWeight_Medium, 
enumRequirementFlags.eReqFlag_Empty);

//update a text attribute
_AttrValue attrVal = existingReq.getAttrValue("Contact", 
enumAttrValueLookups.eAttrValueLookup_Label);
attrVal.setText(String.valueOf("Bob"));

//update a list attribute
attrVal = existingReq.getAttrValue("Priority", 
enumAttrValueLookups.eAttrValueLookup_Label);
_ListItemValue listItemVal = attrVal.getListItemValue("Low", 
enumListItemValueLookups.eListItemValueLookup_Text);
listItemVal.setSelected(true);

existingReq.Save();

Create a relationship between two requirements

//by default, changes to relationships will not create a new revision of a requirement
project.setLogRelationshipRevisions(true);

_Requirement req1 = project.CreateRequirement("new req 1", 
"", "FEAT", 
enumReqTypesLookups.eReqTypesLookups_Prefix, null, null, 0, 
enumRequirementLookups.eReqLookup_Empty);
_Requirement req2 = project.CreateRequirement("new req 2", "", "FEAT", 
enumReqTypesLookups.eReqTypesLookups_Prefix, null, null, 
0, enumRequirementLookups.eReqLookup_Empty);
_Relationship rel = req2.getTracesTo().Add(
		req1.getKey(),enumRequirementLookups.eReqLookup_Key, 
		null, //the requirement is not in an external project
		enumRelatedProjectLookups.eRelProjLookup_Empty, 
		false); //suspect state

req1.Save();
req2.Save();

Share this... Digg this story Post to del.icio.us Slashdot it!

Close a project

project.CloseProject();;
ComObjectProxy obj = (ComObjectProxy) RPX;
obj.release();
RPX= null;

Back to top

Download

	Information about download methods

Resources

• Read An introduction to Rational RequisitePro extensibility, (developerWorks, November 2007), which explains more about how RequisitePro can easily be extended to help support your project's process. This article demonstrates how to quickly get started with scripts that you can use to customize this requirements management tool..
  
  
• The article by the creators of the IBM Java-COM bridge technology, Integrate COM and Java components, (developerWorks, November 2004) describes how this tool simplifies the job and also provides an evolutionary approach to migrating applications from COM to the Java platform. The authors explain its basics and present a sample application that leverages its capabilities. .
  
  
• Learn how you can use the included APIs to extend the capabilities of Rational RequisitePro in IBM author Sharoon Kuriyala's article: "Project administration using IBM Rational RequisitePro."
  
  
• Visit the Rational software area on developerWorks for technical resources and best practices for Rational Software Delivery Platform products.
  
  
• In the Architecture area on developerWorks, get the resources you need to advance your skills in the architecture arena.
  
  
• Subscribe to the developerWorks Rational zone newsletter. Keep up with developerWorks Rational content. Every other week, you'll receive updates on the latest technical resources and best practices for the Rational Software Delivery Platform.
  
  
• Subscribe to the Rational Edge newsletter for articles on the concepts behind effective software development.
  
  
• Subscribe to the IBM developerWorks newsletter, a weekly update on the best of developerWorks tutorials, articles, downloads, community activities, webcasts and events.
  
  
• Browse the technology bookstore for books on these and other technical topics.
  
  

• Download trial versions of IBM Rational software.
  
  
• Download IBM product evaluation versions and get your hands on application development tools and middleware products from DB2®, Lotus®, Rational®, Tivoli®, and WebSphere®.

• Participate in the discussion forum.
  
  
• Check out developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
  
  

About the author

		Mark Goossen is a software engineer with IBM Rational, with over ten years of application development experience. His focus is on the design and development of requirement definition and management tools.

Rate this page

Please take a moment to complete this form to help us better serve you. Did the information help you to achieve your goal? Yes No Don't know   Please provide us with comments to help improve this page:   How useful is the information? 1 2 3 4 5 Not useful Extremely useful

Back to top