Reworked the sidebox implementation to depend less on the database and more

on XML config files...the implementation should now be much more customizable
and less klunky.  Added a provision for implementing "generic" (JSP-driven)
sideboxes.  Implemented the sidebox configure button on the front page
(finally!).  Implemented a random password generator class which will be used
in a future implementation of reminder-driven automatic forgotten-password
changing.  Fixed some minor funnies in SIG menu generation.

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/SideBoxDescriptor.java

@@ -23,12 +23,8 @@ public interface SideBoxDescriptor
 
   public abstract int getSequence();
 
-  public abstract String getParameter();
+  public abstract String getTitle(boolean anonymous);
 
-  public abstract String getDescription();
-
-  public abstract String getParamDescription();
-
-  public abstract String getClassname();
+  public abstract String getFactoryClassName();
 
 } // end interface SideBoxDescriptor

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/Startup.java

@@ -48,7 +48,48 @@ public class Startup
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    */
 
-  private static Document loadConfiguration(String configname) throws ConfigException
+  private static String getEngineClassName(Document config) throws ConfigException
+  {
+    // Make sure the configuration is valid...
+    Element root = config.getDocumentElement();
+    if (!(root.getTagName().equals("venice-config")))
+    { // not the correct root tag name
+      logger.fatal("config document is not a <venice-config/> document (root tag: <"
+		   + root.getTagName() + "/>)");
+      throw new ConfigException("document is not a <venice-config/> document",root);
+
+    } // end if
+
+    // Get the <engine/> section.
+    DOMElementHelper root_h = new DOMElementHelper(root);
+    Element engine_sect = root_h.getSubElement("engine");
+    if (engine_sect==null)
+    { // no <engine/> section - bail out now!
+      logger.fatal("config document has no <engine/> section");
+      throw new ConfigException("no <engine/> section found in config file",root);
+
+    } // end if
+
+    // Get the classname out of that section.
+    DOMElementHelper engine_sect_h = new DOMElementHelper(engine_sect);
+    String rc = engine_sect_h.getSubElementText("classname");
+    if (rc==null)
+    { // no <classname/> specified - bail out now!
+      logger.fatal("config document <engine/> section has no <classname/>");
+      throw new ConfigException("no <classname/> found in <engine/> section",engine_sect);
+
+    } // end if
+
+    return rc;
+
+  } // end getEngineClassName
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * External static methods (global functions)
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  public static Document loadConfiguration(String configname) throws ConfigException
   {
     try
     { // create a simple DOM parser by using the Java XML parsing API
@@ -105,48 +146,8 @@ public class Startup
 
   } // end loadConfiguration
 
-  private static String getEngineClassName(Document config) throws ConfigException
-  {
-    // Make sure the configuration is valid...
-    Element root = config.getDocumentElement();
-    if (!(root.getTagName().equals("venice-config")))
-    { // not the correct root tag name
-      logger.fatal("config document is not a <venice-config/> document (root tag: <"
-		   + root.getTagName() + "/>)");
-      throw new ConfigException("document is not a <venice-config/> document",root);
-
-    } // end if
-
-    // Get the <engine/> section.
-    DOMElementHelper root_h = new DOMElementHelper(root);
-    Element engine_sect = root_h.getSubElement("engine");
-    if (engine_sect==null)
-    { // no <engine/> section - bail out now!
-      logger.fatal("config document has no <engine/> section");
-      throw new ConfigException("no <engine/> section found in config file",root);
-
-    } // end if
-
-    // Get the classname out of that section.
-    DOMElementHelper engine_sect_h = new DOMElementHelper(engine_sect);
-    String rc = engine_sect_h.getSubElementText("classname");
-    if (rc==null)
-    { // no <classname/> specified - bail out now!
-      logger.fatal("config document <engine/> section has no <classname/>");
-      throw new ConfigException("no <classname/> found in <engine/> section",engine_sect);
-
-    } // end if
-
-    return rc;
-
-  } // end getEngineClassName
-
-  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   * External static methods (global functions)
-   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   */
-
-  public static VeniceEngine createEngine(String configname) throws ConfigException, DataException
+  public static VeniceEngine createEngine(String configname, String app_root)
+      throws ConfigException, DataException
   {
     // load the configuration data
     Document config = loadConfiguration(configname);
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ public class Startup
 	logger.debug("VeniceEngine created successfully");
 
       // initialize the engine
-      engine.initialize(config);
+      engine.initialize(config,app_root);
 
       // and return it
       return engine;

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/UserContext.java

@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ public interface UserContext extends SearchMode
 
   public abstract List getSideBoxList() throws DataException;
 
+  public abstract void addSideBox(int id) throws DataException;
+
   public abstract List getConferenceHotlist() throws DataException;
 
   public abstract boolean hasAdminAccess();

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/UserSideBoxDescriptor.java

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+/*
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1
+ * (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at <http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/>.
+ * 
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
+ * language governing rights and limitations under the License.
+ * 
+ * The Original Code is the Venice Web Communities System.
+ * 
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Eric J. Bowersox <erbo@silcom.com>,
+ * for Silverwrist Design Studios.  Portions created by Eric J. Bowersox are
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 Eric J. Bowersox/Silverwrist Design Studios.  All Rights Reserved.
+ * 
+ * Contributor(s): 
+ */
+package com.silverwrist.venice.core;
+
+public interface UserSideBoxDescriptor extends SideBoxDescriptor
+{
+  public abstract void setSequence(int seq) throws DataException;
+
+  public abstract void remove() throws DataException;
+
+} // end interface UserSideBoxDescriptor

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/VeniceEngine.java

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import com.silverwrist.venice.htmlcheck.HTMLChecker;
 
 public interface VeniceEngine extends SearchMode
 {
-  public abstract void initialize(Document config) throws ConfigException, DataException;
+  public abstract void initialize(Document config, String app_root) throws ConfigException, DataException;
 
   public abstract int getNumFeatures();
 

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/SIGUserContextImpl.java

@@ -1237,24 +1237,32 @@ class SIGUserContextImpl implements SIGContext, SIGBackend
     SIGData my_sig = getSIGData();
     my_sig.testMembership(level,is_member);
 
-    // Prepare the message text to be sent to the user.
-    boolean is_pub = my_sig.isPublicSIG();
-    String msg = engine.getStockMessage(is_pub ? "invite-public" : "invite-private");
-    String signame = my_sig.getName();
-    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$SIGNAME",signame);
-    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$SIGALIAS",my_sig.getAlias());
-    if (!is_pub)
-      msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$JOINKEY",my_sig.getJoinKey());
-    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$PERSONAL",personal_message);
-    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$FULLNAME",user.realFullName());
-    String uname = user.realUserName();
-    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(msg,"$USERNAME",uname);
-    StringBuffer msg_buf = new StringBuffer(msg);
-    msg_buf.append("\n\n--\n").append(engine.getStockMessage("signature"));
-
     // Prepare the subject line to be sent to the user.
     String subject = engine.getStockMessage("subj-invite");
-    subject = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(subject,"$SIGNAME",signame);
+    HashMap vars = new HashMap(5);
+    vars.put("signame",my_sig.getName());
+    subject = StringUtil.replaceAllVariables(subject,vars);
+
+    // Prepare the message text to be sent to the user.
+    String msg;
+    if (my_sig.isPublicSIG())
+      msg = engine.getStockMessage("invite-public");
+    else
+    { // get the private invite message and set the join key variable
+      msg = engine.getStockMessage("invite-private");
+      vars.put("joinkey",my_sig.getJoinKey());
+
+    } // end else
+
+    // Set the remaining variables and replace them.
+    vars.put("sigalias",my_sig.getAlias());
+    vars.put("personal",personal_message);
+    vars.put("fullname",user.realFullName());
+    String uname = user.realUserName();
+    vars.put("username",uname);
+    msg = StringUtil.replaceAllVariables(msg,vars);
+    StringBuffer msg_buf = new StringBuffer(msg);
+    msg_buf.append("\n\n--\n").append(engine.getStockMessage("signature"));
 
     // Get a SimpleEmailer object, set it up, and send it.
     SimpleEmailer em = engine.createEmailer();

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/SideBoxDescriptorImpl.java

@@ -17,29 +17,41 @@
  */
 package com.silverwrist.venice.core.impl;
 
-import com.silverwrist.venice.core.SideBoxDescriptor;
+import java.sql.*;
+import org.apache.log4j.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.core.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.db.*;
 
-class SideBoxDescriptorImpl implements SideBoxDescriptor
+class SideBoxDescriptorImpl implements UserSideBoxDescriptor
 {
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Static data members
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private static Category logger = Category.getInstance(SideBoxDescriptorImpl.class);
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Attributes
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    */
 
-  private SideBoxDescriptor parent;
-  private int sequence;
-  private String param;
+  private int uid;                         // the user ID
+  private SideBoxDescriptor parent;        // the master side box descriptor
+  private DataPool datapool;               // the data pool used by this object
+  private int sequence;                    // the sequence number
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Constructor
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    */
 
-  SideBoxDescriptorImpl(SideBoxDescriptor parent, int sequence, String param)
+  SideBoxDescriptorImpl(int uid, SideBoxDescriptor parent, DataPool datapool, int sequence)
   {
+    this.uid = uid;
     this.parent = parent;
+    this.datapool = datapool;
     this.sequence = sequence;
-    this.param = param;
 
   } // end constructor
 
@@ -60,28 +72,85 @@ class SideBoxDescriptorImpl implements SideBoxDescriptor
 
   } // end getSequence
 
-  public String getParameter()
+  public String getTitle(boolean anonymous)
   {
-    return param;
+    return parent.getTitle(anonymous);
 
-  } // end getParameter
+  } // end getTitle
 
-  public String getDescription()
+  public String getFactoryClassName()
   {
-    return parent.getDescription();
+    return parent.getFactoryClassName();
 
-  } // end getDescription
+  } // end getFactoryClassName
 
-  public String getParamDescription()
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Implementations from interface UserSideBoxDescriptor
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  public void setSequence(int seq) throws DataException
   {
-    return parent.getParamDescription();
+    Connection conn = null;
 
-  } // end getParamDescription
+    try
+    { // retrieve a connection from the datapool
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
 
-  public String getClassname()
+      // create the UPDATE statement and just execute it blind (if this sidebox is not in the list,
+      // the UPDATE is a no-op).
+      StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("UPDATE sideboxes SET sequence = ");
+      sql.append(seq).append(" WHERE uid = ").append(uid).append(" AND boxid = ").append(parent.getID());
+      sql.append(';');
+      stmt.executeUpdate(sql.toString());
+      this.sequence = seq;
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // this becomes a DataException
+      logger.error("DB error setting sidebox sequence: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("error setting sidebox sequence: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure we release the connection before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+  } // end setSequence
+
+  public void remove() throws DataException
   {
-    return parent.getClassname();
+    Connection conn = null;
 
-  } // end getClassname
+    try
+    { // retrieve a connection from the datapool
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
+
+      // create the DELETE statement and just execute it blind (if this conference is not in the hotlist,
+      // the DELETE is a no-op).
+      StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("DELETE FROM sideboxes WHERE uid = ");
+      sql.append(uid).append(" AND boxid = ").append(parent.getID()).append(';');
+      stmt.executeUpdate(sql.toString());
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // this becomes a DataException
+      logger.error("DB error removing from sidebox list: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("error removing from sidebox list: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure we release the connection before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+  } // end remove
 
 } // end class SideBoxDescriptorImpl

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/UserContextImpl.java

@@ -202,13 +202,20 @@ class UserContextImpl implements UserContext, UserBackend
 
     } // end if
 
-    message = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(message,"$USERNAME",username);
-    message = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(message,"$CONFNUM",String.valueOf(confirm_num));
+    // Replace the variables in the text.
+    HashMap vars = new HashMap(2);
+    vars.put("username",username);
+    vars.put("confnum",String.valueOf(confirm_num));
+    message = StringUtil.replaceAllVariables(message,vars);
+
+    String subject = engine.getStockMessage("email-confirm-subject");
+    if (subject==null)
+      subject = "Venice Email Confirmation";
 
     // Create the emailer and send the message.
     SimpleEmailer emailer = engine.createEmailer();
     emailer.setTo(my_email);
-    emailer.setSubject("Venice Email Confirmation");
+    emailer.setSubject(subject);
     emailer.setText(message);
     emailer.send();
     if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
@@ -974,12 +981,12 @@ class UserContextImpl implements UserContext, UserBackend
       Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
 
       // retrieve the necessary rows from the sideboxes table
-      ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT boxid, sequence, param FROM sideboxes WHERE uid = " + uid
+      ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT boxid, sequence FROM sideboxes WHERE uid = " + uid
 				       + " ORDER BY sequence;");
       while (rs.next())
       { // create the implementation objects and return them all
-	SideBoxDescriptor sbd = new SideBoxDescriptorImpl(engine.getMasterSideBoxDescriptor(rs.getInt(1)),
-							  rs.getInt(2),rs.getString(3));
+	SideBoxDescriptor sbd = new SideBoxDescriptorImpl(uid,engine.getMasterSideBoxDescriptor(rs.getInt(1)),
+							  datapool,rs.getInt(2));
 	rc.add(sbd);
 
       } // end while
@@ -1002,6 +1009,65 @@ class UserContextImpl implements UserContext, UserBackend
 
   } // end getSideBoxList
 
+  public void addSideBox(int id) throws DataException
+  {
+    if (engine.getMasterSideBoxDescriptor(id)==null)
+      throw new DataException("invalid sidebox ID: " + id);
+
+    Connection conn = null;
+
+    try
+    { // retrieve a connection from the datapool
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
+
+      stmt.executeUpdate("LOCK TABLES sideboxes WRITE;");
+      try
+      { // do a quickie query to see if we're already in the sidebox list
+	StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("SELECT sequence FROM sideboxes WHERE uid = ");
+	sql.append(uid).append(" AND boxid = ").append(id).append(';');
+	ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
+	if (rs.next())
+	  return;  // already in sidebox list - this is a no-op
+
+	// find a sequence number for the new entry
+	sql.setLength(0);
+	sql.append("SELECT MAX(sequence) FROM sideboxes WHERE uid = ").append(uid).append(';');
+	rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
+	if (!(rs.next()))
+	  throw new InternalStateError("bogus query result on addSideBox");
+	int new_sequence = rs.getInt(1) + 100;
+
+	// add the new record
+	sql.setLength(0);
+	sql.append("INSERT INTO sideboxes (uid, sequence, boxid) VALUES (").append(uid).append(", ");
+	sql.append(new_sequence).append(", ").append(id).append(");");
+	stmt.executeUpdate(sql.toString());
+
+      } // end try
+      finally
+      { // make sure the table is unlocked before we go
+	Statement ulk_stmt = conn.createStatement();
+	ulk_stmt.executeUpdate("UNLOCK TABLES;");
+
+      } // end finally
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // this becomes a DataException
+      logger.error("DB error adding to sidebox list: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("error adding to sidebox list: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure we release the connection before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+  } // end addSideBox
+
   public List getConferenceHotlist() throws DataException
   {
     return ConferenceUserContextImpl.getUserHotlist(engine,this,datapool);

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/VeniceEngineImpl.java

@@ -200,16 +200,58 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
   class MasterSideBox implements SideBoxDescriptor
   {
     private int id;
-    private String description;
-    private String param_descr;
+    private String title;
+    private String anon_title;
     private String classname;
 
-    MasterSideBox(ResultSet rs) throws SQLException
+    MasterSideBox(Element section) throws ConfigException
     {
-      this.id = rs.getInt("boxid");
-      this.description = rs.getString("description");
-      this.param_descr = rs.getString("param_descr");
-      this.classname = rs.getString("classname");
+      try
+      { // get the ID value for this sidebox
+	String tmp = section.getAttribute("id");
+	if (StringUtil.isStringEmpty(tmp))
+	{ // there's no 
+	  logger.fatal("<sidebox/> specified with no ID!");
+	  throw new ConfigException("no ID specified in <sidebox/>",section);
+
+	} // end if
+
+	id = Integer.parseInt(tmp);
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (NumberFormatException e)
+      { // sidebox ID not numeric
+	logger.fatal("<sidebox/> ID not numeric!");
+	throw new ConfigException("non-numeric ID specified in <sidebox/>",section);
+
+      } // end catch
+
+      DOMElementHelper section_h = new DOMElementHelper(section);
+      title = section_h.getSubElementText("title");
+      anon_title = section_h.getSubElementText("anon-title");
+      classname = section_h.getSubElementText("factory-class");
+
+      if (StringUtil.isStringEmpty(title) || StringUtil.isStringEmpty(classname))
+      { // the configuration is not complete
+	logger.fatal("<sidebox/> config incomplete (missing <title/> or <factory-class/>)!");
+	throw new ConfigException("configuration of <sidebox/> is not complete!",section);
+
+      } // end if
+
+      try
+      { // try to resolve the classname here so we can be sure it's cool
+	Class.forName(classname);
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (ClassNotFoundException e)
+      { // the class can't be resolved - we are h0sed
+	logger.fatal("<sidebox/> config <factory-class/> not valid!");
+	throw new ConfigException("<factory-class/> in <sidebox/> is not a valid class!",section);
+
+      } // end catch
+
+      if (StringUtil.isStringEmpty(anon_title))
+	anon_title = title;  // just set as the same in the event of difficulty
 
     } // end constructor
 
@@ -225,25 +267,13 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
     } // end getSequence
 
-    public String getParameter()
+    public String getTitle(boolean anonymous)
     {
-      return null;
+      return (anonymous ? anon_title : title);
 
-    } // end getParameter
+    } // end getTitle
 
-    public String getDescription()
-    {
-      return description;
-
-    } // end getDescription
-
-    public String getParamDescription()
-    {
-      return param_descr;
-
-    } // end getParamDescription
-
-    public String getClassname()
+    public String getFactoryClassName()
     {
       return classname;
 
@@ -471,12 +501,13 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
    * Loads the Venice engine configuration from the named XML file and creates appropriate subobjects,
    * such as the data pool.
    *
-   * @param config The XML document conating the configuration information for the engine.
+   * @param config The XML document containing the configuration information for the engine.
+   * @param app_root The root directory of the Web application, which ends with a "/".
    * @exception com.silverwrist.venice.core.ConfigException An error occurred during engine configuration;
    *                                                        the engine could not be initialized.
    * @exception com.silverwrist.venice.core.DataException The Venice engine data could not be loaded.
    */
-  public void initialize(Document config) throws ConfigException, DataException
+  public void initialize(Document config, String app_root) throws ConfigException, DataException
   {
     int i;  // loop counter
 
@@ -501,8 +532,56 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
       } // end if
 
-      // Get the <database/> section.
       DOMElementHelper root_h = new DOMElementHelper(root);
+
+      // Get the <engine/> section.
+      Element engine_sect = root_h.getSubElement("engine");
+      if (engine_sect==null)
+      { // unable to find the engine section
+	logger.fatal("config document has no <engine/> section");
+	throw new ConfigException("no <engine/> section found in config file",root);
+
+      } // end if
+
+      DOMElementHelper engine_h = new DOMElementHelper(engine_sect);
+
+      // Get the name of the sidebox config file.
+      String sidebox_config = engine_h.getSubElementText("sidebox-config");
+      if (sidebox_config==null)
+      { // unable to find the sidebox config file
+	logger.fatal("<engine/> section has no <sidebox-config/> element");
+	throw new ConfigException("no <sidebox-config/> element found in <engine/> section",engine_sect);
+
+      } // end if
+
+      if (!(sidebox_config.startsWith("/")))
+	sidebox_config = app_root + sidebox_config;
+      Document sidebox_cfg_file = Startup.loadConfiguration(sidebox_config);
+      Element sb_root = sidebox_cfg_file.getDocumentElement();
+      if (!(sb_root.getTagName().equals("sidebox-config")))
+      { // the sidebox configuration file isn't the right type
+	logger.fatal("config document is not a <sidebox-config/> document (root tag: <"
+		     + sb_root.getTagName() + "/>)");
+	throw new ConfigException("document is not a <sidebox-config/> document",sb_root);
+
+      } // end if
+
+      NodeList sb_nodes = sb_root.getChildNodes();
+      ArrayList sidebox_tmp = new ArrayList();
+      for (i=0; i<sb_nodes.getLength(); i++)
+      { // extract each sidebox section from the list and build a new master sidebox object
+	Node s = sb_nodes.item(i);
+	if ((s.getNodeType()==Node.ELEMENT_NODE) && (s.getNodeName().equals("sidebox")))
+	  sidebox_tmp.add(new MasterSideBox((Element)s));
+
+      } // end for
+
+      // store the real master sidebox table as an array
+      sideboxes = (MasterSideBox[])(sidebox_tmp.toArray(new MasterSideBox[0]));
+      if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+	logger.debug(sideboxes.length + " sidebox definitions loaded from database");
+
+      // Get the <database/> section.
       Element db_sect = root_h.getSubElement("database");
       if (db_sect==null)
       { // unable to find the database section
@@ -642,6 +721,9 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
     } // end catch
 
+    for (i=0; i<sideboxes.length; i++) // insert sideboxes into hashtable
+      sidebox_ids.put(new Integer(sideboxes[i].getID()),sideboxes[i]);
+
     // Allocate the global parameter arrays.
     gp_ints = new int[IPC_NUM_PARAMS];
 
@@ -671,17 +753,6 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
       if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
 	logger.debug(max_value + " features loaded from database");
 
-      // load the master sidebox table
-      ArrayList sidebox_tmp = new ArrayList();
-      rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM refsidebox ORDER BY boxid;");
-      while (rs.next())
-	sidebox_tmp.add(new MasterSideBox(rs));
-
-      // store the real master sidebox table as an array
-      sideboxes = (MasterSideBox[])(sidebox_tmp.toArray(new MasterSideBox[0]));
-      if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
-	logger.debug(sideboxes.length + " sidebox definitions loaded from database");
-
       // load the global defaults
       loadDefaults(stmt);
 
@@ -702,9 +773,6 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
     for (i=0; i<features.length; i++) // insert feature symbols into hashtable
       feature_syms.put(features[i].getSymbol(),features[i]);
 
-    for (i=0; i<sideboxes.length; i++) // insert sideboxes into hashtable
-      sidebox_ids.put(new Integer(sideboxes[i].getID()),sideboxes[i]);
-
     // Here is where we create the HTML Checker and all the goodies it relies on.
     // Start by creating some of the subsidiary objects that get added to HTML Checker configs.
     EmailRewriter email_rewriter = new EmailRewriter();
@@ -982,13 +1050,21 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
       } // end if
 
-      message = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(message,"$USERNAME",username);
-      message = StringUtil.replaceAllInstances(message,"$REMINDER",rs.getString(2));
+      // Replace the message variables.
+      HashMap vars = new HashMap(2);
+      vars.put("username",username);
+      vars.put("reminder",rs.getString(2));
+      message = StringUtil.replaceAllVariables(message,vars);
+
+      // Find the message subject.
+      String subject = getStockMessage("reminder-subject");
+      if (subject==null)
+	subject = "Venice Password Reminder Message";
 
       // Create the emailer and send the message.
       SimpleEmailer emailer = createEmailer();
       emailer.setTo(email_addr);
-      emailer.setSubject("Venice Password Reminder Message");
+      emailer.setSubject(subject);
       emailer.setText(message);
       emailer.send();
       if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
@@ -1074,17 +1150,17 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 	  logger.debug("...created userprefs");
 
 	// get the sidebox configuration for this user
-	rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT sideboxes.boxid, sideboxes.sequence, sideboxes.param FROM sideboxes, "
+	rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT sideboxes.boxid, sideboxes.sequence FROM sideboxes, "
 			       + "users WHERE sideboxes.uid = users.uid AND users.is_anon = 1;");
 	sql.setLength(0);
 	while (rs.next())
 	{ // set up to insert into the sideboxes table
 	  if (sql.length()==0)
-	    sql.append("INSERT INTO sideboxes (uid, boxid, sequence, param) VALUES ");
+	    sql.append("INSERT INTO sideboxes (uid, boxid, sequence) VALUES ");
 	  else
 	    sql.append(", ");
 	  sql.append("(").append(new_uid).append(", ").append(rs.getInt(1)).append(", ");
-	  sql.append(rs.getInt(2)).append(", ").append(SQLUtil.encodeStringArg(rs.getString(3))).append(')');
+	  sql.append(rs.getInt(2)).append(')');
 
 	} // end while