DocumentationExperience PlatformMigrate Target from at.js 2.x to Web SDK

Render Adobe Target Visual Experience Composer (VEC) activities

Last update: Tue Apr 11 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

CREATED FOR:

  • Intermediate
  • Experienced
  • Developer

Target activities are set up using either the Visual Experience Composer (VEC) or the form-based composer. The Platform Web SDK can retrieve and apply VEC-based activities to the page just like at.js. For this part of the migration, you will:

  • Install the Visual Editing Helper browser extension
  • Execute a sendEvent call with the Platform Web SDK to request activities.
  • Update any references from your at.js implementation that use getOffers() to execute a Target pageLoad request.

Visual Editing Helper browser extension

The Adobe Experience Cloud Visual Editing Helper browser extension for Google Chrome lets you load websites reliably within the Adobe Target Visual Experience Composer (VEC) to rapidly author and QA web experiences.

The Visual Editing Helper browser extension works with web sites that use at.js or Platform Web SDK.

Obtain and install the Visual Editing Helper

  1. Navigate to the Adobe Experience Cloud Visual Editing Helper browser extension in the Chrome Web Store.
  2. Click Add to Chrome > Add Extension.
  3. Open the VEC in Target.
  4. To use the extension, click the Visual Editing Helper browser extension icon Visual Editing Extension icon {modal="regular"} in your Chrome browser’s toolbar while in the VEC or QA Mode.

The Visual Editing Helper is automatically enabled when a website is opened in the Target VEC to power authoring. The extension doesn’t have any conditional settings. The extension handles all the settings automatically, including SameSite cookies settings.

Refer to the dedicated documentation for more information about the Visual Editing Helper extension and troubleshooting the Visual Experience Composer.

IMPORTANT
The new Visual Editing Helper extension replaces the previous Target VEC Helper browser extension. If the older VEC Helper extension is installed, it should be removed or disabled before using the Visual Editing Helper extension.

Request and apply content automatically

After the Platform Web SDK is configured on the page, you can request content from Target. Unlike at.js which can be configured to automatically request content when the library loads, the Platform Web SDK requires you to explicitly execute a command.

If your at.js implementation has the pageLoadEnabled setting set to true which enables automatic rendering of VEC-based activities, then you would execute the following sendEvent command with the Platform Web SDK:

JavaScript
code language-javascript 
alloy("sendEvent", {
  "renderDecisions": true
});
Tags

In tags, use the Send event action type with the Render visual personalization decisions option selected:

Send an event with Render visual personalization decisions selected in tags {modal="regular"}

Request and apply content on demand

Some Target implementations require some custom processing of VEC offers before applying them to the page. Or, they request multiple locations in a single call. In an at.js implementation, this can be done by setting pageLoadEnabled to false and using the getOffers() function to execute a pageLoad request.

at.js example using getOffers() and applyOffers() to manually render VEC-based activities
code language-javascript 
adobe.target.getOffers({
  request: {
    execute: {
      pageLoad: {}
    }
  }
}).
then(response => adobe.target.applyOffers({ response: response }));

The Platform Web SDK does not have a specific pageLoad event. All requests for Target content are controlled with the decisionScopes option with the sendEvent command. The __view__ scope serves the purpose of the pageLoad request.

An equivalent Platform Web SDK sendEvent approach:
  1. Execute a sendEvent command which includes the __view__ decision scope
  2. Apply the returned content to the page with the applyPropositions command
  3. Execute a sendEvent command with the decisioning.propositionDisplay event type and proposition details to increment an impression
code language-javascript 
alloy("sendEvent", {
  // Request the special "__view__" scope for target-global-mbox / pageLoad
  decisionScopes: ["__view__"]
}).then(function(result) {
  // Check if content (propositions) were returned
  if (result.propositions) {
    var retrievedPropositions = result.propositions;
    // Apply propositions to the page
    return alloy("applyPropositions", {
      propositions: retrievedPropositions
    }).then(function(applyPropositionsResult) {
      var renderedPropositions = applyPropositionsResult.propositions;
      // Send a display notification with the sendEvent command
      alloy("sendEvent", {
        "xdm": {
          "eventType": "decisioning.propositionDisplay",
          "_experience": {
            "decisioning": {
              "propositions": renderedPropositions
            }
          }
        }
      });
    });
  }
});
NOTE
It is possible to manually render modifications made in the Visual Experience Composer. Manual rendering of VEC-based modifications is not common. Check if your at.js implementation uses the getOffers() function to manually execute a Target pageLoad request without using applyOffers() to apply the content to the page.

The Platform Web SDK offers developers a great deal of flexibility with requesting and rendering content. Refer to the dedicated documentation about rendering personalized content for additional options and details.

Implementation example

The foundational Platform Web SDK implementation is now complete.

JavaScript

JavaScript example with automatic Target content rendering:

code language-html 
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Example page</title>
  <!--Data Layer to enable rich data collection and targeting-->
  <script>
    var digitalData = {
      // Data layer information goes here
    };
  </script>

  <!--Third party libraries that may be used by Target offers and modifications-->
  <script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.6.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

  <!--Prehiding snippet for Target with asynchronous Web SDK deployment-->
  <script>
    !function(e,a,n,t){var i=e.head;if(i){
    if (a) return;
    var o=e.createElement("style");
    o.id="alloy-prehiding",o.innerText=n,i.appendChild(o),setTimeout(function(){o.parentNode&&o.parentNode.removeChild(o)},t)}}
    (document, document.location.href.indexOf("mboxEdit") !== -1, ".body { opacity: 0 !important }", 3000);
  </script>

  <!--Platform Web SDK base code-->
  <script>
    !function(n,o){o.forEach(function(o){n[o]||((n.__alloyNS=n.__alloyNS||
    []).push(o),n[o]=function(){var u=arguments;return new Promise(
    function(i,l){n[o].q.push([i,l,u])})},n[o].q=[])})}
    (window,["alloy"]);
  </script>

  <!--Platform Web SDK loaded asynchonously. Change the src to use the latest supported version.-->
  <script src="https://cdn1.adoberesources.net/alloy/2.6.4/alloy.min.js" async></script>

  <!--Configure Platform Web SDK then send event-->
  <script>
    alloy("configure", {
      "edgeConfigId": "ebebf826-a01f-4458-8cec-ef61de241c93",
      "orgId":"ADB3LETTERSANDNUMBERS@AdobeOrg"
    });

    // Send an event to the Adobe edge network and render Target content automatically
    alloy("sendEvent", {
      "renderDecisions": true
    });
  </script>
</head>
<body>
  <h1 id="title">Home Page</h1><br><br>
  <p id="bodyText">Navigation</p><br><br>
  <a id="home" class="navigationLink" href="#">Home</a><br>
  <a id="pageA" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page A</a><br>
  <a id="pageB" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page B</a><br>
  <a id="pageC" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page C</a><br>
  <div id="homepage-hero">Homepage Hero Banner Content</div>
</body>
</html>
Tags

Tags example page with automatic Target content rendering:

code language-html 
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Example page</title>
  <!--Data Layer to enable rich data collection and targeting-->
  <script>
    var digitalData = {
      // Data layer information goes here
    };
  </script>

  <!--Third party libraries that may be used by Target offers and modifications-->
  <script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.6.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

  <!--Prehiding snippet for Target with asynchronous Web SDK deployment-->
  <script>
    !function(e,a,n,t){var i=e.head;if(i){
    if (a) return;
    var o=e.createElement("style");
    o.id="alloy-prehiding",o.innerText=n,i.appendChild(o),setTimeout(function(){o.parentNode&&o.parentNode.removeChild(o)},t)}}
    (document, document.location.href.indexOf("mboxEdit") !== -1, ".body { opacity: 0 !important }", 3000);
  </script>

    <!--Tags Header Embed Code: REPLACE WITH THE INSTALL CODE FROM YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENT-->
    <script src="//assets.adobedtm.com/launch-EN93497c30fdf0424eb678d5f4ffac66dc.min.js" async></script>
</head>
<body>
  <h1 id="title">Home Page</h1><br><br>
  <p id="bodyText">Navigation</p><br><br>
  <a id="home" class="navigationLink" href="#">Home</a><br>
  <a id="pageA" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page A</a><br>
  <a id="pageB" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page B</a><br>
  <a id="pageC" class="navigationLink" href="#">Page C</a><br>
  <div id="homepage-hero">Homepage Hero Banner Content</div>
</body>
</html>

In tags, add the Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK extension:

Add the Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK extension {modal="regular"}

Add the desired configurations:
configuring the Web SDK tag extension migration options {modal="regular"}

Create a rule with a Send event action and Render visual personalization decisions selected:
Send an event with Render Personalizations selected in tags {modal="regular"}

Next, learn how to request and render form-based Target activities.

NOTE
We are committed to helping you be successful with your Target migration from at.js to Web SDK. If you run into obstacles with your migration or feel like there is critical information missing in this guide, please let us know by posting in this Community discussion.
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