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Overview of the Object Explorer and Object List Editor

The Object Explorer is a window in Siebel Tools that displays the Siebel object hierarchy. It allows you to use a tree structure to navigate the object types that the hierarchy contains. The Object List Editor is a window in Siebel Tools that displays the object definitions of the object type that you choose in the Object Explorer. It allows you to view and modify the object definitions.

How Siebel Tools Displays Object Types and Object Definitions

Figure 1 illustrates how Siebel Tools includes an Object Explorer window and one or more Object List Editor windows. In this figure, Siebel Tools displays the Applications list in the Object List Editor. For more information about the object hierarchy that Siebel CRM uses, see Configuring Siebel Business Applications.

Figure 1. Object Explorer and Object List Editor

Explanation of the Callouts

Figure 1 includes the following items:

1. Object Explorer. A window that displays object types. Allows you to navigate between each group of object definitions of an object type.
2. Object List Editor. A window that displays object definitions. For more information, see Using the Object List Editor.

An object type is an entity that includes a predefined set of properties. You can use it as a template to create an object definition. An Application is one kind of object type. For more information, see About Predefined Objects.

An object definition implements one piece of the software. This object definition consists of object properties, which are characteristics of this piece of the software. The Object Explorer and Object List Editor display all the object definitions that the repository contains. Siebel Field Service is an example of an object definition of an application. Siebel CRM uses the terms attribute and property. These terms have the same meaning.

If an object type is not visible in the Object Explorer, then you can display it. For more information, see Displaying Object Types in the Object Explorer.

How Siebel Tools Displays the Siebel Object Hierarchy

Figure 2 illustrates a parent and child relationship, which is a type of hierarchical relationship that exists between one object type and another object type.

Figure 2. How Siebel Tools Displays Relationships Between Object Types

Explanation of Callouts

Figure 2 includes the following items:

1. Object type hierarchy. In this example, the Page Tab object type and the Screen Menu Item object type are child objects of the parent Application object type. The Object Explorer displays this relationship as a hierarchical tree that you can expand or collapse. For more information, see Using the Types Tab.
2. Object definition hierarchy. The Object List Editor uses two windows to display this parent and child relationship. In this example, the Applications list displays the object definition for the parent Siebel Field Service application. The Page Tabs list displays the object definitions of the child page tabs that the repository contains for the Siebel Field Service application.

If you choose the Types tab in the Object Explorer, then Siebel Tools arranges folder icons in a hierarchy. An object type that the Object Explorer displays beneath and slightly to the right of another object type is the child in a parent and child relationship. The object type that the Object Explorer displays above the child object type is the parent. A parent object type can include multiple child object types.

About Predefined Objects

This book uses the term predefined to describe an object or configuration that comes already defined when you first install Siebel CRM or Siebel Tools. Each object that the Object List Editor displays after you install Siebel Tools, but before you make any modification is a predefined object. A custom object is a new object that you create. A modified object is a predefined object or custom object that you modified.