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Overview of XMLUI / Manakin
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For more detailed overview of XMLUI/Manakin, see the following resources:
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The XMLUI (aka Manakin) is built on Apache Cocoon framework. The XMLUI uses Cocoon to provide a modular, extendable, tiered interface framework
The XMLUI essentially consists of three main tiers, in increasing order of complexity:
- Style Tier - allows one to use CSS and simple XHTML to stylize an existing XMLUI Theme
- Theme Tier - allows one to use XSLT, XHTML and CSS to create new, more complex XMLUI Theme(s)
- Aspect Tier - allows one to use the Cocoon framework and Java (or XSLT) to create new features (aspects), and generate new content into DRI.
These tiers are very important and powerful because of their modularity. For example, based on your local expertise with these technologies, your institution may decide to only modify the XMLUI at the "Style Tier" (by just modifying CSS & images in an existing theme). As you learn more about themes & aspects, you may decide to slowly venture into the more complex "Theme Tier" and finally into the "Aspect Tier". Other institutions may determine that all they really need to ever do is make "Style Tier" changes.
Digging in a little deeper, there are three main XMLUI components that are unique to the XMLUI and used throughout the system. These main components are:
- DRI Schema - Digital Repository Interface (DRI) schema (XML), which is the "abstract representation of a single repository page". The DRI document is contains all of the information (metadata) available for display on a given page within the XMLUI. This information includes:
- Metadata elements (described in METS, MODS, DSpace Internal Metadata (DIM), Qualified Dublin Core, etc.)
- Structural elements (described in TEI light)
- For more specific information about DRI Schema along with examples, see DRI Schema Reference.
- #Aspects - One or more aspects are enabled at a given time. Generally speaking an aspect implements a set of related features within the XMLUI. More specifically, the enabled aspects are what build the DRI document. So, Aspects are the only things that can change the structure of the DRI document (or add/remove content to/from DRI)
- Aspects apply to all pages across your entire DSpace site. Each aspect must take a valid DRI document as its input, and also output a valid DRI document.
- Aspects usually are written in Java (and controlled by a Cocoon "sitemap.xmap"). However, Aspects can also be written in XSLT (provided that the input and output are both valid DRI documents)
- #Themes - One or more themes are enabled at a given time. Themes are in charge of stylizing content into a particular look & feel. More specifically, a theme is what transforms a DRI document into XHTML (and adds any CSS, javascript, images, etc).
- A single Theme may apply to your entire DSpace site, just a specific Community or Collection, or just a specific page.
- A Theme may consist of one or more of the following: an XSLT stylesheet, CSS stylesheets, images, other static resourcs.
- More information on creating a theme is available at: #Creating a New Theme
- Additional Theme Resources include:
Manakin Configuration Property Keys
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