Building WebLogic Portals shows the beginning portal developer how to develop a portal application from start-to-finish and supplies the intermediate developer with proven strategies and development tactics for creating an enterprise portal. It also provides the advanced Java application server developer with a full range of reference material. Building WebLogic Portals also goes beyond portal development. The Web services chapter shows how to use Web services that allow companies to integrate business processes and data with their suppliers and customers. The authors describe the architecture of a well-planned user interface and include everything from data binding strategies to document-view architecture with MDI. They also show how to create elegant custom controls tailored to specific data and application logic and how to create dynamic user interfaces, dockable windows, and a vector-based drawing program. The book also teaches the GDI+ essentials needed for good user interfaces such as hit testing, irregularly shaped forms, owner-drawn menus, and animated controls, and shows how to integrate intelligence into user interfaces with embedded help and user agents.