Development with the Force.com Platform

Preface xvi

Foreword xxi

Chapter 1: Introducing Force.com 1

Force.com in the Cloud Computing Landscape 1

Platform as a Service (PaaS) 2

Force.com as a Platform 4

Force.com Services 7

Inside a Force.com Project 9

Project Selection 9

Team Selection 11

Lifecycle 13

Tools and Resources 16

Sample Application: Services Manager 18

Background 18

User Roles 19

Development Plan 19

Summary 20

Chapter 2: Database Essentials 23

Overview of Force.com's Database 23

Objects 23

Fields 25

Relationships 27

Query Language 28

Data Integration 31

Working with Custom Objects 33

Force.com Developer Edition 33

Tools for Custom Objects 35

Object Creation 36

Field Creation 39

Entering and Browsing Data 42

Sample Application: Data Model 45

Logical Data Model 45

Force.com Data Model 50

Implementing the Data Model 52

Importing Data 58

Summary 64

Chapter 3: Database Security 65

Overview of Database Security 65

Object-Level Security 67

Profiles 68

Field-Level Security 70

Record-Level Security 71

Record Ownership 72

User Groups 72

Sharing Model 73

Sample Application: Securing Data 77

Designing the Security Model 78

Implementing the Security Model 81

Testing the Security Model 86

Summary 91

Chapter 4: Additional Database Features 93

Dependent Fields 94

Record Types 95

Defining Record Types 95

Securing Record Types 97

Using Record Types 99

Roll-Up Summary Fields 100

Field History Tracking 102

Tags 104

Enabling Tags 104

Using Tags 104

Force.com Connect Offline 104

Administration of Force.com Connect Offline 105

Using Force.com Connect Offline 106

Custom Settings 107

Using List Custom Settings 108

Using Hierarchy Custom Settings 109

Sample Application: Applying the Features 110

Dependent Fields for Skill Types 111

Roll-Up Summary Fields for Project Reporting 113

Force.com Connect Offline for Staffing 114

Summary 116

Chapter 5: Business Logic 119

Introduction to Apex 120

Introducing the Force.com IDE 121

Installation 121

Force.com Perspective 121

Force.com Projects 122

Problems View 123

Schema Explorer 123

Apex Test Runner View 124

Execute Anonymous View 124

Apex Language Basics 124

Variables 125

Operators 129

Arrays and Collections 130

Control Logic 132

Understanding Governor Limits 136

Database Integration in Apex 137

Database Records as Objects 137

Database Queries 139

Persisting Database Records 144

Database Triggers 146

Database Security in Apex 149

Object-Oriented Apex 149

Encapsulation 150

Information Hiding 154

Modularity 155

Inheritance 155

Polymorphism 157

Debugging and Testing 158

Debugging 158

Testing 161

Sample Application: Validating Timecards 162

Force.com IDE Setup 163

Creating the Trigger 163

Unit Testing 164

Summary 166

Chapter 6: Advanced Business Logic 169

Aggregate SOQL Queries 170

Aggregate Functions 170

Grouping Records 171

Grouping Records with Subtotals 172

Additional SOQL Features 174

Inner Join and Outer Join 174

Semi-Join and Anti-Join 176

Multi-Select Picklists 179

Salesforce Object Search Language (SOSL) 180

SOSL Basics 180

SOSL in Apex 181

Transaction Processing 182

Data Manipulation Language (DML) Database Methods 183

Savepoints 184

Record Locking 185

Apex Managed Sharing 187

Sharing Objects 187

Creating Sharing Rules in Apex 188

Sending and Receiving Email 192

Sending Email 193

Receiving Email 197

Dynamic Apex 200

Dynamic Database Queries 200

Schema Metadata 202

Custom Settings in Apex 204

Sample Application: Adding Email Notifications 206

Summary 207

Chapter 7: User Interfaces 209

Introduction to Visualforce 210

Overview of Visualforce 210

Getting Started with Visualforce 212

Visualforce Controllers 215

Standard Controllers 215

Custom Controllers 217

Controller Extensions 221

View Components 222

View Component Basics 222

Data Components 224

Action Components 227

Primitive Components 228

Force.com-Styled Components 229

Force.com User Interface Components 232

Visualforce and the Native User Interface 236

Standard Pages 237

Standard Buttons 240

Page Layouts 240

Custom Buttons and Links 240

Custom Tabs 242

Visualforce in Production 242

Debugging and Tuning 243

Security 245

Error Handling 247

Governor Limits 248

Unit Tests 249

Sample Application: Skills Matrix 250

Basic Implementation 251

Full Implementation 252

Implementation Walkthrough 252

Summary 259

Chapter 8: Advanced User Interfaces 261

Asynchronous Actions 261

Partial Page Refresh 262

Action as JavaScript Function 263

Action as Timed Event 264

Action as JavaScript Event 265

Indicating Action Status 266

Modular Visualforce 268

Static Resources 268

Inclusion 269

Composition 269

Custom Visualforce Components 271

Extending Visualforce 273

Using JavaScript Libraries 273

Adobe Flex and Visualforce 274

Force.com Sites 281

Sample Application: Enhanced Skills Matrix 285

Summary 288

Chapter 9: Batch Processing 291

Introduction to Batch Apex 292

Batch Apex Concepts 292

Understanding the Batchable Interface 293

Applications of Batch Apex 294

Getting Started with Batch Apex 295

Developing a Batch Apex Class 295

Working with Batch Apex Jobs 296

Using Stateful Batch Apex 299

Using an Iterable Batch Scope 300

Limits of Batch Apex 302

Testing Batch Apex 303

Scheduling Batch Apex 303

Developing Schedulable Code 304

Scheduling Batch Apex Jobs 304

Sample Application: Missing Timecard Report 306

Creating the Custom Object 307

Developing the Batch Apex Class 308

Testing the Missing Timecard Feature 310

Summary 310

Chapter 10: Integration 313

Force.com Integration Solutions 313

Outbound Messaging 314

Salesforce-to-Salesforce (S2S) 319

Developing Custom Integrations 329

Calling Web Services from Apex Code 329

Using HTTP Integration 331

Sample Application: Anonymous Benchmarking 334

Visualforce Page Design 334

Visualforce Controller Design 336

Integrating the Web Service 337

Sample Implementation 339

Summary 342

Chapter 11: Advanced Integration 345

Understanding Force.com Web Services 346

Basics of Force.com Web Services 346

Generating Stub Code 349

Logging In 351

Force.com Data Types in SOAP 355

Error Handling 356

Using the Enterprise API 357

Retrieving Records 357

Writing Records 359

Building Custom Web Services in Apex 362

Understanding Custom Web Services 362

Service Definition 363

Calling a Custom Web Service 364

Introduction to the Metadata API 365

Overview 366

Getting Started with the Metadata API 366

Using the Force.com REST API 368

Overview of Force.com REST API 368

Authentication 369

API Walkthrough 369

Sample Application: Database Integration 373

Integration Scenario 373

Implementation Strategy 373

Sample Implementation 374

Summary 377

Chapter 12: Additional Platform Features 379

Workflow and Approvals 379

Introduction to Workflow 380

Getting Started with Approval Processes 382

Introduction to Analytics 388

Working with Reports 389

Configuring Dashboards 392

Using Analytic Snapshots 393

Force.com for International Organizations 395

Multilingual Support 395

Using Multiple Currencies 398

Advanced Currency Management (ACM) 400

Using Single Sign-On 402

Federated Single Sign-On 402

Delegated Single Sign-On 407

Sample Application: Project Map Dashboard 410

Summary 416

Chapter 13: Social Applications 417

Overview of Chatter 418

Chatter Concepts 418

Configuring Chatter 419

Understanding the Chatter Data Model 424

Chatter Posts 425

Chatter Comments 429

Feed-Tracked Changes 430

Followed Records 431

Chatter in Visualforce 432

Sample Application: Follow Project Team 434

Summary 437

Index 439