Developing and Deploying Siebel Business Applications > Getting Started in the User Interface Layer > Configuring NREC's Activity Applets >

Exposing Fields in the User Interface

NREC's partner agents must be able to associate an Opportunity record with an Activity record. However, the Activity List Applet and the Activity Detail Applet do not include the Opportunity field by default. Although the field does not appear by default, you can reconfigure the applets to display it. The Opportunity field is already defined on the underlying business component—the Action business component—so that what is required is to expose the field in the user interface.

The tasks for exposing the opportunity field in the user interface differ slightly for a list applet and form applet.

• List applets require that the field be defined as a list column object.
• Form applets require that the field be defined as a control object.

  NOTE:  The Activity Detail Applet (SCW) is a form applet.

After list column or control objects are defined, the objects are mapped to placeholders in Web templates.

For detailed information about configuring applets, read Configuring Siebel Business Applications.

Objects that appear in the user interface, such as controls, fields, views, screens, and so on each have a display name or caption. The Caption field or Display Name field contains the text that appears in the user interface. You do not put text directly into these fields; instead you use the pick list in the appropriate String Reference field to select an existing symbolic string to use. Your selection in this pick list then populates the field.

The String Reference pick list can search for text. For example, you can search for the term "Opportunity" and get a listing of existing symbolic strings that start with that word. Such a search may produce many possible results, each one a slight variation on the base word. For example, you may get "Opportunity:", "OPPORTUNITY", "Opportunities", "Opportunity", and "Opportunity #".

Adding the Opportunity Field to the Activity List Applet (SCW)

On list applets, fields are defined as List Column object types. For the Activity List Applet (SCW) you need to define the Opportunity field as a List Column before mapping it to a Web template.

To define a list column object for a list applet

1. In the Object Explorer, expand the Applet object type.
2. In the Object List Editor, find and select the Activity List Applet (SCW).
3. If the project is not locked, do the following.
   1. Choose Tools > Lock Project.
   2. Change the Project property from Activity (SCW) to NREC Configuration.
4. In the Object Explorer, expand the List object type (a child object of Applet).
5. Expand the List object type, and then select the List Column object type (a child object of List).

   The List Columns window appears in the Object List Editor.

6. In the List Columns window, add a new record using the properties shown in the following table.

   Property	Value	Description
   Name	Opportunity	This is a name of the list column record.
   Display Name - String Reference	SBL_OPPORTUNITY-1004224537-11Q	Use the pick list and search for an Opportunity symbolic string. There are several symbolic strings that start with "Opportunity". Select one that has an initial capital letter and no colon after it. Note that after you pick this symbolic string, the Display Name field shows the selected string.
   Field	Opportunity	The values available from the drop-down list are the fields defined on the parent business component of the Applet (in this case, the Action business component).
   Runtime	TRUE	When the property is set to TRUE, the application makes a run-time check to determine if a pick list, calculator, calendar, or MVG pop-up button must be provided.

Adding the Opportunity Field to a Activity Detail Applet (SCW)

For form applets, fields are defined as Control object types. For the Activity Detail Applet (SCW) you define the Opportunity field as a control before mapping it to a Web template.

To add a control object to a form applet

1. In the Object Explorer, expand the Applet object type.
2. In the Object List Editor, find and select the Activity Detail Applet (SCW).
3. In the Object Explorer, select the Control object type (child of Applet).
4. In the Controls window of the Object List Editor, add a new record with the properties shown in the following table.

   Property	Value	Description
   Name	Opportunity	Unique name of the control object.
   Caption - String Reference	SBL_OPPORTUNITY-1004224537-11Q	Use the pick list and search for an Opportunity symbolic string. There are several symbolic strings that start with "Opportunity". Select one that has an initial capital letter and no colon after it. Select the same symbolic string you selected in Step 6, so that the string on the form applet matches the one used on the list applet. Note that after you pick this symbolic string, the Caption field shows the selected string.
   Field	Opportunity	Field defined on the parent business component. In this case, the parent business component is Action.
   HTML Type	Field	HTML Control Type.

Mapping List Columns or Controls to Web Templates

After you have defined the list column and control object types for the applets, you are ready to map them to placeholders in a Web template. You do this using the Web Layout Editor. The process for mapping list columns or controls to Web templates is the same for both list applets and form applets.

NOTE:  It is also possible to create controls while working in the Web Layout Editor. To do this you drag a control type from the toolbar, drop it onto the template, and then define the necessary properties. This method is an alternative to defining the controls in the Object List Editor as described in the previous section.

The following procedure uses the Opportunities list column on Activity List Applet (SCW) as an example. Note that NREC's design requires that you follow the same procedure for mapping the Opportunity control to the Web templates for the Activity Detail Applet (SCW) as well.

To map fields (controls and list columns) from an applet to a Web template

1. In the Object Explorer, select the Applet object type.
2. In the Object List Editor, select the Activity List Applet (SCW).
3. Right-click and choose Edit Web Layout.

   The Web Layout Editor appears with the applet displayed in Base mode.

4. Change the mode to 3: Edit List.
5. Make room for the Opportunity field by rearranging the controls that are already mapped to the Web template.

   You can move controls by dragging and dropping them or by using the Shift to Previous Placeholder and Shift to Next Placeholder buttons on the toolbar.

6. From the Controls/Columns window, drag the Opportunity list column and drop it into an empty placeholder in the Web template, as shown in the following illustration.

   NOTE:  If the Controls/Columns window is not open, choose View > Windows > Controls.
7. To verify how the applet renders in the user interface, right-click and then choose Preview.

   NOTE:  You can also export the preview to an HTML file by choosing File > Export, and then choosing a file name and location in the Save As dialog.

8. Make adjustments as necessary.
9. Choose File > Save.
10. Repeat the procedure for the Activity Detail Applet (SCW).

NOTE:  On a form applet you need to add the label (OpportunityLabel) and the text box (Opportunity). You may need to resize the label to fit.