The Script Workbench for IBM® InfoSphere™ Master Data Management (MDM) Server for Product Information Management (PIM) is a stand-alone, Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) that dramatically simplifies development, testing, and deployment of custom scripts for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM. Since its introduction as an internal IBM tool in mid-2005, the Script Workbench has become the standard tool for IBM professional service (PS) staff engaged in projects on InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM. The Script Workbench has already proven itself on PS engagements, delivering significant productivity benefits to end customers. Shorter customization and deployment times for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM translate to lower implementation cost and earlier return on investment for the customer. Customers and business partners who have seen IBM staff using the Script Workbench on projects now want it for their own developers. With availability of the Script Workbench on alphaWorks®, developers outside IBM can now use the tool themselves. Benefits of the Workbench include the following:

• Reduction of learning curve for writing scripts for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM
• Simplification of writing, editing, testing, and documenting of scripts for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM
• Improvement of script quality and help in catching errors at time of editing in scripts for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM
• Streamlining of deployment of script file to server.

How does it work?

The Script Workbench, delivered as a set of Eclipse plug-ins, provides the usability and productivity improvements of a full-featured Eclipse IDE. The Script Workbench simplifies and streamlines development of script files and server page files for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM both before and after deployment.

Following are some of the features of the Workbench that assist in the creation of scripts for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM:

• A tailored script editor that provides a number of script preparation facilities, including content assistance on the script operations used in the script and on functions defined within the script.
• Automatic checking for errors and warnings in scripts and server page files for InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM.
• Provision of a Server Explorer capability that allows the user to work with the contents of document repositories (docstores) on remote InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM servers. A developer can copy, paste, and delete files between the server and the Eclipse workspace defined in the local file system.
• Script testing via a script launch facility, which runs scripts on remote InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM servers and returns information about the execution of the script.
• Support of integration with Version control tools such as CVS.
• Online Help and rich usability features of the Eclipse IDE.
• The Script Workbench can be used to develop scripts in disconnected mode -- that is, without connectivity to a InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM server. A InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM server connection is necessary for deploying and testing scripts to the server and for server-side explorer functions.

The Workbench was formerly available here at alphaWorks under the name Script Workbench for IBM WebSphere® Product Center which has now been changed to IBM InfoSphere MDM Server for PIM. The rebranded version is known as Version 6.0. The Workbench provides support for three IBM WebSphere Product Center releases (5.3, 5.3.1, and 5.3.2).

Further information is available in the user's guide.

The Script Workbench was developed by IBM Hursley Labs. The project team was led my Mike Cobbett and key project members include Kerry Stares, Jeffrey Blight, Umair Akeel, Colin Stone, Simon Martin, Andrew Osborne, David Radley, Megan Beynon, Alex Bowyer, Steve Hughes, Zeb Mahmood, Rebecca Schaller, and Stephen Hibbert.