Using Designer to Modify Skin Packages
If you intend to modify a skin package using the Skin Administration page, you should do so before exporting the file and performing manual editing.
One way to modify files in a custom skin package is to import the skin into Software AG Designer and make changes in the UI Development perspective. You can export the skin package directly from My webMethods Server, edit CSS, dynamic CSS, or XML files, and then deploy the skin back to the server without unzipping the skin package.
Note: This topic is not intended to provide details of working in Software AG Designer. For specific information on working in the MWS Admin and Servers views of Designer, see the Composite Application Framework online help.
To modify custom skin packages in
Designer1. In the MWS Admin view of the UI Development perspective, connect to the instance of My webMethods Server (create a data provider) that contains the custom skin package.
The MWS Admin view contains a tree view of folders and other My webMethods Server assets.
2. Expand the Skins folder, right-click the custom skin package and click Import/Export > Extract Asset into Project.
3. In the Extract Asset into Project wizard, click New.
4. In the Project Name field, type the name of the skin package exactly as it appears in the MWS Admin view and click Finish twice.
Designer creates an MWS Skin Project and extracts the assets of the skin package into it.
5. Use either the Navigator view or Project Explorer view to locate CSS, dynamic CSS, or XML files in the skin project, and open the files in a text editor.
6. To deploy the skin package to an instance of My webMethods Server, use the Servers view to connect to the server and then publish the skin package.
To test the skin package, you need to create a skin rule that will trigger the use of the custom skin. See
Managing Skin Rules.
Note: Do not test the skin package using the Preview Server in Designer. That server instance does not have the skin rules needed to properly display the skin.
Using this technique, you can make incremental changes and publish the results to the server periodically for confirmation. Associate the custom skin with a test page so you can perform design work without affecting other users.