gave the "top" page the makeover it so richly deserved - now, instead of an

array of content panels, we have a big content panel (use to come later)
plus a set of configurable "sideboxes" that look kind of like Slashboxes...

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

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * 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 Community System.
+ * 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

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

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * 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 Community System.
+ * 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
@@ -17,20 +17,18 @@
  */
 package com.silverwrist.venice.core;
 
-public interface FrontPageViewConfig
+public interface SideBoxDescriptor
 {
-  public abstract int getNumRows();
+  public abstract int getID();
 
-  public abstract int getNumColumns();
+  public abstract int getSequence();
 
-  public abstract String getPartID(int row, int column);
+  public abstract String getParameter();
 
-  public abstract void setPartID(int row, int column, String partid);
+  public abstract String getDescription();
 
-  public abstract String getParameter(int row, int column);
+  public abstract String getParamDescription();
 
-  public abstract void setParameter(int row, int column, String param);
+  public abstract String getClassname();
 
-  public abstract boolean getModified();
-
-} // end interface FrontPageViewConfig
+} // end interface SideBoxDescriptor

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

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * 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 Community System.
+ * 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
@@ -52,10 +52,6 @@ public interface UserContext extends SearchMode
 
   public abstract void setDescription(String new_descr) throws DataException;
 
-  public abstract FrontPageViewConfig getFrontPageViewConfig(int max_cols) throws DataException;
-
-  public abstract void putFrontPageViewConfig(FrontPageViewConfig cfg) throws DataException;
-
   public abstract List getMemberSIGs() throws DataException;
 
   public abstract SIGContext getSIGContext(int sigid) throws DataException;
@@ -89,4 +85,6 @@ public interface UserContext extends SearchMode
 
   public abstract boolean canCreateSIG();
 
+  public abstract List getSideBoxList() throws DataException;
+
 } // end interface UserContext

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

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * 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 Community System.
+ * 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
@@ -71,4 +71,6 @@ public interface VeniceEngine extends SearchMode
 
   public abstract int getMaxNumSIGMembersDisplay();
 
+  public abstract List getMasterSideBoxList();
+
 } // end interface VeniceEngine

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

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.security.AuditRecord;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.htmlcheck.HTMLChecker;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.core.DataException;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.core.SideBoxDescriptor;
 
 public interface EngineBackend
 {
@@ -80,4 +81,6 @@ public interface EngineBackend
 
   public abstract void forceParamReload() throws DataException;
 
+  public abstract SideBoxDescriptor getMasterSideBoxDescriptor(int id);
+
 } // end interface EngineBackend

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

@@ -1,273 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * 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 Community 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.impl;
-
-import java.sql.*;
-import java.util.*;
-import com.silverwrist.venice.core.*;
-import com.silverwrist.venice.db.*;
-
-class FrontPageViewConfigImpl implements FrontPageViewConfig, Stashable
-{
-  private int my_uid;
-  private int num_cols;
-  private Vector v_parts = new Vector();
-  private Vector v_params = new Vector();
-  private boolean is_modified = false;
-
-  FrontPageViewConfigImpl(Connection conn, int uid, int max_cols) throws DataException, SQLException
-  {
-    my_uid = uid;
-    num_cols = max_cols;
-    StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("SELECT row, col, partid, param FROM topconfig WHERE uid = ");
-    sql.append(uid).append(';');
-
-    Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
-    ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
-    while (rs.next())
-    { // make sure the column is in range first
-      int col = rs.getInt("col");
-      if ((col>=0) && (col<num_cols))
-      { // get the row and find out how far down we have to go in the vector
-	int row = rs.getInt("row");
-	if (row>=0)
-	{ // now look for the right arrays to store into
-	  String[] a_part = null;
-	  String[] a_param = null;
-
-	  if (row>=v_parts.size())
-	  { // need to extend the vector contents
-	    while (row>=v_parts.size())
-	    { // append new arrays onto the config
-	      a_part = new String[num_cols];
-	      a_param = new String[num_cols];
-	      for (int i=0; i<num_cols; i++)
-	      { // nuke the new arrays
-		a_part[i] = null;
-		a_param[i] = null;
-
-	      } // end for
-
-	      v_parts.addElement(a_part);
-	      v_params.addElement(a_param);
-
-	    } // end while
-
-	  } // end if
-	  else
-	  { // just fetch the existing arrays
-	    a_part = (String[])(v_parts.elementAt(row));
-	    a_param = (String[])(v_params.elementAt(row));
-
-	  } // end else
-
-	  // and now save off the recordset data
-	  a_part[col] = rs.getString("partid");
-	  a_param[col] = rs.getString("param");
-
-	} // end if
-
-      } // end if
-
-    } // end while
-
-  } // end constructor
-
-  public int getNumRows()
-  {
-    return v_parts.size();
-
-  } // end getNumRows
-
-  public int getNumColumns()
-  {
-    return num_cols;
-
-  } // end getNumCols
-
-  public String getPartID(int row, int column)
-  {
-    if ((row<0) || (row>=v_parts.size()))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid row specified to FrontPageViewConfig.getPartID");
-    if ((column<0) || (column>=num_cols))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid column specified to FrontPageViewConfig.getPartID");
-
-    String[] array = (String[])(v_parts.elementAt(row));
-    return array[column];
-
-  } // end getPartID
-
-  public void setPartID(int row, int column, String partid)
-  {
-    if (row<0)
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid row specified to FrontPageViewConfig.setPartID");
-    if ((column<0) || (column>=num_cols))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid column specified to FrontPageViewConfig.setPartID");
-
-    String[] a_part = null;
-    String[] a_param = null;
-
-    if (row>=v_parts.size())
-    { // need to extend the vector contents
-      while (row>=v_parts.size())
-      { // append new arrays onto the config
-	a_part = new String[num_cols];
-	a_param = new String[num_cols];
-	for (int i=0; i<num_cols; i++)
-	{ // nuke the new arrays
-	  a_part[i] = null;
-	  a_param[i] = null;
-
-	} // end for
-
-	v_parts.addElement(a_part);
-	v_params.addElement(a_param);
-
-      } // end while
-
-    } // end if
-    else // just fetch the existing array
-      a_part = (String[])(v_parts.elementAt(row));
-
-    a_part[column] = partid;
-    is_modified = true;
-
-  } // end setPartID
-
-  public String getParameter(int row, int column)
-  {
-    if ((row<0) || (row>=v_params.size()))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid row specified to FrontPageViewConfig.getParameter");
-    if ((column<0) || (column>=num_cols))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid column specified to FrontPageViewConfig.getParameter");
-
-    String[] array = (String[])(v_params.elementAt(row));
-    return array[column];
-
-  } // end getParameter
-
-  public void setParameter(int row, int column, String param)
-  {
-    if (row<0)
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid row specified to FrontPageViewConfig.setParameter");
-    if ((column<0) || (column>=num_cols))
-      throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException("invalid column specified to FrontPageViewConfig.setParameter");
-
-    String[] a_part = null;
-    String[] a_param = null;
-
-    if (row>=v_parts.size())
-    { // need to extend the vector contents
-      while (row>=v_parts.size())
-      { // append new arrays onto the config
-	a_part = new String[num_cols];
-	a_param = new String[num_cols];
-	for (int i=0; i<num_cols; i++)
-	{ // nuke the new arrays
-	  a_part[i] = null;
-	  a_param[i] = null;
-
-	} // end for
-
-	v_parts.addElement(a_part);
-	v_params.addElement(a_param);
-
-      } // end while
-
-    } // end if
-    else // just fetch the existing array
-      a_param = (String[])(v_params.elementAt(row));
-
-    a_param[column] = param;
-    is_modified = true;
-
-  } // end setParameter
-
-  public boolean getModified()
-  {
-    return is_modified;
-
-  } // end getModified
-
-  public int getStashableUID()
-  {
-    return my_uid;
-
-  } // end getStashableUID
-
-  public void stash(Connection conn) throws SQLException
-  {
-    StringBuffer buf = new StringBuffer();
-    for (int row=0; row<v_parts.size(); row++)
-    { // retrieve the row arrays first
-      String[] a_part = (String[])(v_parts.elementAt(row));
-      String[] a_param = (String[])(v_params.elementAt(row));
-
-      for (int col=0; col<num_cols; col++)
-      { // add to the list as long as the part isn't NULL
-	if (a_part[col]!=null)
-	{ // append this set of values to the INSERT we're going to make later
-	  if (buf.length()==0)
-	    buf.append("INSERT INTO topconfig (uid, row, col, partid, param) VALUES ");
-	  else
-	    buf.append(", ");
-	  buf.append('(').append(my_uid).append(", ").append(row).append(", ").append(col).append(", ");
-	  buf.append(SQLUtil.encodeStringArg(a_part[col])).append(", ");
-	  buf.append(SQLUtil.encodeStringArg(a_param[col])).append(')');
-	  
-	} // end if
-
-      } // end for (each column)
-
-    } // end for (each row)
-
-    String insert_cmd = null;
-    if (buf.length()>0)
-    { // we've got the insert command
-      buf.append(';');
-      insert_cmd = buf.toString();
-      buf.setLength(0);
-
-    } // end if
-
-    // now create the DELETE command
-    buf.append("DELETE FROM topconfig WHERE uid = ").append(my_uid).append(';');
-
-    // we need to lock the topconfig table while we do this
-    Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
-    stmt.executeUpdate("LOCK TABLES topconfig WRITE;");
-
-    try
-    { // delete all existing records
-      stmt.executeUpdate(buf.toString());
-      
-      // now insert the new records
-      if (insert_cmd!=null)
-	stmt.executeUpdate(insert_cmd);
-
-    } // end try
-    finally
-    { // make sure to unlock the tables when we're done
-      Statement ulk_stmt = conn.createStatement();
-      ulk_stmt.executeUpdate("UNLOCK TABLES;");
-
-    } // end finally
-
-  } // end stash
-
-} // end class FrontPageViewConfigImpl

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

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+/*
+ * 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.impl;
+
+import com.silverwrist.venice.core.SideBoxDescriptor;
+
+class SideBoxDescriptorImpl implements SideBoxDescriptor
+{
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Attributes
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private SideBoxDescriptor parent;
+  private int sequence;
+  private String param;
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Constructor
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  SideBoxDescriptorImpl(SideBoxDescriptor parent, int sequence, String param)
+  {
+    this.parent = parent;
+    this.sequence = sequence;
+    this.param = param;
+
+  } // end constructor
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Implementations from interface SideBoxDescriptor
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  public int getID()
+  {
+    return parent.getID();
+
+  } // end getID
+
+  public int getSequence()
+  {
+    return sequence;
+
+  } // end getSequence
+
+  public String getParameter()
+  {
+    return param;
+
+  } // end getParameter
+
+  public String getDescription()
+  {
+    return parent.getDescription();
+
+  } // end getDescription
+
+  public String getParamDescription()
+  {
+    return parent.getParamDescription();
+
+  } // end getParamDescription
+
+  public String getClassname()
+  {
+    return parent.getClassname();
+
+  } // end getClassname
+
+} // end class SideBoxDescriptorImpl

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

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * 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 Community System.
+ * 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
@@ -710,76 +710,6 @@ class UserContextImpl implements UserContext, UserBackend
 
   } // end setDescription
 
-  public FrontPageViewConfig getFrontPageViewConfig(int max_cols) throws DataException
-  {
-    Connection conn = null;
-
-    try
-    { // retrieve a connection from the data pool
-      conn = datapool.getConnection();
-
-      // create new object
-      return new FrontPageViewConfigImpl(conn,uid,max_cols);
-
-    } // end try
-    catch (SQLException e)
-    { // turn SQLException into data exception
-      logger.error("DB error getting front page view config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
-      throw new DataException("unable to retrieve front page view config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
-
-    } // end catch
-    finally
-    { // make sure the connection is released before we go
-      if (conn!=null)
-	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
-
-    } // end finally
-
-  } // end getFrontPageViewConfig
-
-  public void putFrontPageViewConfig(FrontPageViewConfig cfg) throws DataException
-  {
-    Connection conn = null;
-
-    try
-    { // coerce the value to a Stashable first
-      Stashable obj = (Stashable)cfg;
-      if (obj.getStashableUID()!=uid)
-      { // wrong UID for configuration - this is bogus
-	logger.error("invalid ownership of FrontPageViewConfig (was "
-		     + String.valueOf(obj.getStashableUID()) + ", should be " + String.valueOf(uid) + ")");
-	throw new DataException("invalid front page view config record");
-
-      } // end if
-
-      // retrieve a connection from the data pool
-      conn = datapool.getConnection();
-
-      // stash the object
-      obj.stash(conn);
-
-    } // end try
-    catch (ClassCastException cce)
-    { // we need to be able to coerce the FrontPageViewConfig to a Stashable
-      logger.error("FrontPageViewConfig was not a Stashable");
-      throw new DataException("improper front page view config record");
-
-    } // end catch
-    catch (SQLException e)
-    { // turn SQLException into data exception
-      logger.error("DB error saving front page view config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
-      throw new DataException("unable to save front page view config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
-
-    } // end catch
-    finally
-    { // make sure the connection is released before we go
-      if (conn!=null)
-	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
-
-    } // end finally
-
-  } // end putFrontPageViewConfig
-
   public List getMemberSIGs() throws DataException
   {
     return SIGUserContextImpl.getMemberSIGEntries(engine,this,datapool);
@@ -893,6 +823,45 @@ class UserContextImpl implements UserContext, UserBackend
 
   } // end canCreateSIG
 
+  public List getSideBoxList() throws DataException
+  {
+    Connection conn = null;
+    Vector rc = new Vector();
+
+    try
+    { // retrieve a connection from the data pool
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      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
+				       + " 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));
+	rc.add(sbd);
+
+      } // end while
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // turn SQLException into data exception
+      logger.error("DB error getting side box config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("unable to retrieve side box config: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure the connection is released before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+    return new ReadOnlyVector(rc);
+
+  } // end getSideBoxList
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Implementations from interface UserBackend
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

@@ -190,6 +190,94 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end class VeniceFeatureDef
 
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Internal class storing side box information.
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  class MasterSideBox implements SideBoxDescriptor
+  {
+    private int id;
+    private String description;
+    private String param_descr;
+    private String classname;
+
+    MasterSideBox(ResultSet rs) throws SQLException
+    {
+      this.id = rs.getInt("boxid");
+      this.description = rs.getString("description");
+      this.param_descr = rs.getString("param_descr");
+      this.classname = rs.getString("classname");
+
+    } // end constructor
+
+    public int getID()
+    {
+      return id;
+
+    } // end getID
+
+    public int getSequence()
+    {
+      return -1;
+
+    } // end getSequence
+
+    public String getParameter()
+    {
+      return null;
+
+    } // end getParameter
+
+    public String getDescription()
+    {
+      return description;
+
+    } // end getDescription
+
+    public String getParamDescription()
+    {
+      return param_descr;
+
+    } // end getParamDescription
+
+    public String getClassname()
+    {
+      return classname;
+
+    } // end getClassname
+
+  } // end class MasterSideBox
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Internal class for returning side box information.
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  static class MasterSideBoxList extends AbstractList
+  {
+    private MasterSideBox[] array;
+
+    MasterSideBoxList(MasterSideBox[] array)
+    {
+      this.array = array;
+
+    } // end constructor
+
+    public Object get(int index)
+    {
+      return array[index];
+      
+    } // end get
+
+    public int size()
+    {
+      return array.length;
+
+    } // end size
+
+  } // end class MasterSideBoxList
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Static data values
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -214,6 +302,8 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
   private Hashtable conf_objects = new Hashtable();   // holder for ConferenceCoreData objects
   private HTMLCheckerConfig[] html_configs;           // holder for HTML checker configurations
   private int[] gp_ints;                              // global integer parameters
+  private MasterSideBox[] sideboxes;                  // master sidebox table
+  private Hashtable sidebox_ids = new Hashtable();    // maps sidebox IDs to MasterSideBox objects
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Constructor
@@ -274,6 +364,8 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
    */
   public void initialize(Document config) throws ConfigException, DataException
   {
+    int i;  // loop counter
+
     if (this.config!=null)
     { // already configured!
       logger.error("Venice engine already initialized");
@@ -345,10 +437,9 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
       // Retrieve the list of dictionary files to load into the spellchecker.
       dictionary_tmp = new Vector();
       NodeList dict_nodes = dict_sect.getChildNodes();
-      int j;
-      for (j=0; j<dict_nodes.getLength(); j++)
+      for (i=0; i<dict_nodes.getLength(); i++)
       { // scan the <dictionary> element looking for <file> elements
-	Node dn = dict_nodes.item(j);
+	Node dn = dict_nodes.item(i);
 	if ((dn.getNodeType()==Node.ELEMENT_NODE) && (dn.getNodeName().equals("file")))
 	{ // store the file name as a vector element
 	  Element del = (Element)dn;
@@ -370,9 +461,9 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
       // Initialize the stock messages list.
       stock_messages = new Hashtable();
       NodeList msg_nodes = msg_sect.getChildNodes();
-      for (j=0; j<msg_nodes.getLength(); j++)
+      for (i=0; i<msg_nodes.getLength(); i++)
       { // examine all subnodes to add them to the message text
-	Node msgn = msg_nodes.item(j);
+	Node msgn = msg_nodes.item(i);
 	if (msgn.getNodeType()==Node.ELEMENT_NODE)
 	{ // add it to the hash table by its tag name
 	  Element msgel = (Element)msgn;
@@ -426,6 +517,19 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
       if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
 	logger.debug(max_value + " features loaded from database");
 
+      // load the master sidebox table
+      Vector sidebox_tmp = new Vector();
+      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 = new MasterSideBox[sidebox_tmp.size()];
+      for (i=0; i<sidebox_tmp.size(); i++)
+	sideboxes[i] = (MasterSideBox)(sidebox_tmp.get(i));
+      if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+	logger.debug(sideboxes.length + " sidebox definitions loaded from database");
+
       // load the global defaults
       loadDefaults(stmt);
 
@@ -443,9 +547,12 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
     } // end finally
 
-    for (int i=0; i<features.length; i++) // insert feature symbols into hashtable
+    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();
@@ -458,7 +565,7 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
     // Create the LazyLexicon that holds our dictionary files, and add it to the SpellingRewriter.
     String[] dictfiles = new String[dictionary_tmp.size()];
-    for (int i=0; i<dictionary_tmp.size(); i++)
+    for (i=0; i<dictionary_tmp.size(); i++)
       dictfiles[i] = (String)(dictionary_tmp.get(i));
     LazyTreeLexicon lex = new LazyTreeLexicon(dictfiles);
     spell_rewriter.addDictionary(lex);
@@ -767,7 +874,7 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
     { // look to see if the user name is already present
       conn = datapool.getConnection();
       Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
-      stmt.executeUpdate("LOCK TABLES users WRITE, userprefs WRITE, sigmember WRITE, topconfig WRITE;");
+      stmt.executeUpdate("LOCK TABLES users WRITE, userprefs WRITE, sigmember WRITE, sideboxes WRITE;");
       try
       { // make sure the user name isn't there already
 	ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT uid FROM users WHERE username = '" + encode_username + "';");
@@ -835,20 +942,18 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 	if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
 	  logger.debug("...loaded default SIG memberships");
 
-	// get the "top" configuration for this user
-	rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT topconfig.row, topconfig.col, topconfig.partid, topconfig.param "
-			       + "FROM topconfig, users WHERE topconfig.uid = users.uid AND "
-			       + "users.is_anon = 1;");
+	// get the sidebox configuration for this user
+	rs = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT sideboxes.boxid, sideboxes.sequence, sideboxes.param 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 topconfig table
+	{ // set up to insert into the sideboxes table
 	  if (sql.length()==0)
-	    sql.append("INSERT INTO topconfig (uid, row, col, partid, param) VALUES ");
+	    sql.append("INSERT INTO sideboxes (uid, boxid, sequence, param) 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)));
-	  sql.append(", ").append(SQLUtil.encodeStringArg(rs.getString(4))).append(')');
+	  sql.append(rs.getInt(2)).append(", ").append(SQLUtil.encodeStringArg(rs.getString(3))).append(')');
 
 	} // end while
 
@@ -860,7 +965,7 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 	} // end if
 
 	if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
-	  logger.debug("...loaded default top view config");
+	  logger.debug("...loaded default sidebox config");
 
       } // end try
       finally
@@ -1255,6 +1360,12 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end getMaxNumSIGMembersDisplay
 
+  public List getMasterSideBoxList()
+  {
+    return new MasterSideBoxList(sideboxes);
+
+  } // end getMasterSideBoxList
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Implementations from interface EngineBackend
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1663,4 +1774,10 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end forceParamReload
 
+  public SideBoxDescriptor getMasterSideBoxDescriptor(int id)
+  {
+    return (SideBoxDescriptor)(sidebox_ids.get(new Integer(id)));
+
+  } // end getMasterSideBoxDescriptor
+
 } // end class VeniceEngineImpl