This chapter presents an overview of all known tasks in an Oracle Configurator implementation, including custom tasks.
This chapter covers the following topics:
This chapter provides an overview of tasks performed prior to implementing Oracle Configurator. The list of tasks is organized into the following categories:
General implementation tasks are the initial tasks that set up an environment and enable the implementer to begin working with Oracle Configurator Developer.
Verify Oracle Rapid Install of Oracle Configurator, Oracle Configurator Developer and the CZ schema. See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide for additional information.
Configure Oracle Configurator Developer, JInitiator, and your browser to display appropriate fonts for Multiple Language Support (MLS). See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide for details.
See the current release or patch information for Oracle Configurator on MetaLink, Oracle’s technical support Web site, for any effects an Oracle Configurator upgrade may have on your development and test environments; new functionality in Configurator Developer may depend on other applications.
Upgrade Oracle Configurator Developer to the latest release or patch level. For more information, see the current release or patch information for Oracle Configurator on MetaLink, Oracle's technical support Web site.
Assign users an Oracle Configurator responsibility to use Oracle Configurator Developer. For more information about assigning responsibilities, see Setting up Access to Configurator Developer and the Oracle E-Business Suite System Administrator’s Guide.
Assign users either the Oracle Configurator Administrator or Oracle Configurator Developer responsibility to run the Oracle Applications concurrent programs. For more information about assigning responsibilities, see the Oracle E-Business Suite System Administrator’s Guide. For more information on which concurrent program can be run by the Oracle Configurator Administrator or Oracle Configurator Developer responsibilities, see Concurrent Programs.
Database tasks are the tasks that set up and support the development and deployment of the CZ schema.
These tasks must be performed to set up and support development and deployment of a runtime Oracle Configurator.
Decide whether to use a single database instance for both development and production, or a separate instance for development and an instance for production. For information see Database Instances .
Verify that Inventory and BOM Model data in Oracle Applications are correctly defined. See Standard Import.
Populate the CZ schema with production BOM and Inventory data for use in defining configuration models. This is also referred to as data import in Oracle Configurator documentation. For information, see Standard Import.
Control the scope of the data import by modifying values in the integration tables (CZ_XFR_) provided for that purpose. For information, see Control Tables.
Define and enable servers, as needed for data import, synchronization, and publication. For information, see Server Administration concurrent program.
Modify Configurator Parameters. The Oracle Configurator Administrator runs this concurrent program to set installation-wide customizable settings (CZ_DB_SETTINGS) that describe the structure and content of the CZ schema, and define application functions. For information, see Modify Configurator Parameters concurrent program.
Explode the BOM Model data if the data on which you plan to base your configuration model is in a different database instance from the one in which you are developing the configuration model. For information, see Exploding BOM Models in Oracle Applications.
Refresh data in the CZ schema as production BOM and Inventory data changes. For information, see Refreshing Imported Data.
Run the concurrent programs to migrate Item and Model structure data from one schema into the CZ schema. For more information, Migrating Data.
Verify that after populating or refreshing the CZ schema the BOM Model data is correct by viewing the Item Master area of the Repository in Oracle Configurator Developer. For information, see the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Synchronize BOM Model data in the CZ schema with production Inventory and BOM data if the import server or publication target have changed by running concurrent programs for that purpose. For information, see Synchronizing BOM Model Data.
If you plan to base your configuration model on legacy data, prepare that data and custom extraction and load programs so the data can be transferred to the CZ schema. For information, see Custom Import.
Migrate Functional Companions that were developed prior to 11i10 to Configurator Extensions. For more information see Migrate Functional Companions.
Purge tables in the CZ schema if your database gets too large and fails to perform adequately. It is recommended that you purge tables on a regular basis. The Purge Configurator Tables concurrent program deletes those records that are marked for deletion. The Purge Configurator Import Tables, Purge To Date Configurator Import Tables, and Purge To Run ID Configurator Import Tables concurrent programs delete data in the CZ_IMP tables, and the corresponding data in the CZ_XFR_RUN_INFOS, and CZ_XFR_RUN_RESULTS control tables. For more information see Purging Configurator Tables.
Delete old configuration data by running the DELETE_CONFIGURATIONS API. For more information, see DELETE_CONFIGURATION.
Optional tasks for providing additional flexibility in your Oracle Configurator implementation include:
Use PL/SQL to modify nodes created in Configurator Developer and BOM Model Item descriptions to use Multiple Language Support (MLS). For more information see Multiple Language Support.
Write Configurator Extensions designed to populate CZ table fields with configuration data that cannot be directly inserted using runtime Oracle Configurator. For more information, see the Oracle Configurator Extensions and Interface Object Developer’s Guide, and Migrate Functional Companions.
Design custom configuration attributes and attach them to certain nodes of configuration models. For more information, see the Oracle Configurator Methodologies documentation.
Write legacy rules in Constraint Definition Language (CDL) format and import the rules into the CZ schema. For CDL information, see the Oracle Configurator Constraint Definition Language Guide. See Rule Import for rule import information.
Integration tasks enable Oracle Configurator to work with a particular host application.
These tasks must be performed for all integrations of Oracle Configurator with a host application.
Set profile options to integrate and set behavior of Oracle Configurator within Oracle Applications. For a listing of profile options that affect Oracle Configurator, see the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide.
Verify and set the Apache and JServ properties for your host application that affect the runtime Oracle Configurator. See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide for more information.
Verify and set properties of the Oracle Configurator Servlet for your host application. See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guidefor more information.
Test the integration of Oracle Configurator in the host application running in a Web browser.
These tasks provide additional aspects of integration between Oracle Configurator and a host application, and apply to both custom and predefined integrations.
Provide pricing and ATP support for the runtime Oracle Configurator by setting switches in the file cz_init.txt. See Pricing and ATP in Oracle Configurator.
Enable Multiple Language Support (MLS). For details see Multiple Language Support.
Set up the Model structure and Configurator Extensions for configuration attributes. See the Oracle Configurator Methodologies documentation.
These tasks (in addition to the required tasks listed in Required Tasks for All Integrations) must be performed if you are integrating Oracle Configurator with a custom host application. A custom host application is one that does not provide any predefined integration with Oracle Configurator.
Manually install servlet, media, and HTML files and verify that these files are in the correct location. See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide for more information.
Tailor the initialization message that invokes the runtime Oracle Configurator. For details, see Session Initialization.
Create and install a servlet that handles the runtime Oracle Configurator’s XML termination message, which contains configuration output data. For details, see Session Termination.
Set up a return URL for the servlet that handles the termination message, and add it to the initialization message. For details, see Session Initialization.
Model development tasks enable you to extend a BOM Model by adding additional structure, rules, UIs, and publishing your configuration model to a host application.
These tasks must be performed so that you can create Models or add additional structure, rules, and UIs to BOM Models.
Design configuration models with performance in mind. See the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide for guidelines.
Verify the imported data in Configurator Developer if you are developing a configuration model based on existing data in Oracle Applications Bills of Material and Inventory. See Database Tasks for additional tasks needed to populate the CZ schema.
Define the structure, rules, and user interface in the Model’s Workbench. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide for more information.
Generate logic to create the structure and rules of the configuration model. Generating logic is also used to help debug some issues. Rerun this procedure after you have completed the following activities:
Changed rule definitions
Changed the Model structure
Select the Refresh option on the UI Workbench page or the UI Refresh Status on the General Workbench page to update a User Interface with the latest modifications to the User Interface definitions and customizations. Rerun this procedure after you have completed the following activities:
Changed the Model structure
Refreshed your BOM-based model
Unit test your configuration model before publishing it. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Create a publication for the configuration model to appropriate host applications. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Define the configuration model’s applicability parameters in preparation for publishing the configuration model so that it can be accessed by a host application. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Assign each publication to one Model and the appropriate usages to control when and if the usages are invoked by the host applications. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide for additional information.
Publish configuration models for availability to host applications. For information, see Publishing Configuration Models and the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Republish the configuration model if the Model’s structure, rules, or UI change. For more information, see the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
The following tasks can be performed to provide additional Model functionality.
Write Configurator Extensions to extend the functional capabilities of your configuration model beyond what is implemented in Oracle Configurator Developer. For information on writing Configurator Extensions see the Oracle Configurator Extensions and Interface Object Developer’s Guide , Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide and the Oracle Configurator Methodologies documentation.
Change the default behavior of locking Models or UI Content Templates. For more information, see the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Set the Effectivity Date Filter if you want to filter ineffective Model structure nodes and rules when working in Configurator Developer . For more information about the Effectivity Date Filter, see the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide.
Run the Add Model Names to Configurations by Model Items or Add Model Names to Configurations by Model Product Key concurrent program in order to restore configurations, made prior to your upgrade, against updated migrated Models.
Deployment involves making a runtime Oracle Configurator available to end users. The following tasks complete the deployment of a runtime Oracle Configurator either embedded in a host Oracle Application or in a custom host application.
The following tasks are required for the runtime Oracle Configurator to use the currently supported user interfaces. (As of this release, DHTML UIs are no longer supported.)
Recommended screen resolution is 800 X 600 or greater. This depends on how you have generated the Components Tree user interface in Oracle Configurator Developer. See the Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide for details.
System test the configuration model by accessing it from the host application.
Optimize the performance of the production environment by:
Adjusting system size or setting up the database and application tiers on multiple server computers.
Tuning components of the Oracle Configurator architecture on the client system, such as browser settings, swap space, and memory
Adjusting Web server configuration settings
Determining whether you should load balance the Apache Web listener
Determining whether you should load balance across CPUs on a multi-CPU machine
For details see the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide.
Run LoadRunner to determine response time, CPU utilization, number of transactions per hour, throughput and hits per second. See the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide for load testing.
These tasks can be performed to maximize performance, usability, and functionality when your configuration model is deployed to end users.
Consider preloading a configuration model for improved performance. For details see the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide.
Load balance the Apache Web listener (HTTP). For details see the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide.
Set up Secured Sockets Layer (SSL) if you want to create a secure connection between a client and server system. For details see Load Balancing and Secure Sockets Layer. For additional SSL information, see MetaLink, Oracle’s technical support Web site.
Set up a dedicated Jserv for running Oracle Configurator, if you want to take advantage of Oracle Applications Java Caching Framework (OAJCF). For more information about Oracle Applications Java Caching Framework, see the Oracle Configurator Performance Guide.
Adjust the ApJServVMTimeout setting that affects the amount of time to wait for the JVM to start up and respond. See the Oracle Configurator Installation Guide for details.
Pricing behavior must be set for Item price display type and price data update method. For more information, see Controlling Pricing and ATP in a Runtime Oracle Configurator.
Consider setting up firewalls, using routers, and separate computers to protect unauthorized access to your servers. For more information, see Deployment Considerations.
If you are implementing a custom deployment, then consider the following:
Create a UI that adheres to the Oracle guidelines. See Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide for User Interface information.
Create online Help for the runtime Oracle Configurator. See Oracle Configurator Developer User’s Guide for generic runtime information.
In examples, an implied carriage return occurs at the end of each line, unless otherwise noted. You must press the Return key at the end of a line of input.
The table below lists other conventions that are also used in this guide.
| Convention | Meaning |
|---|---|
| . . . |
Vertical ellipsis points in an example mean that information not directly related to the example has been omitted. |
| . . . | Horizontal ellipsis points in statements or commands mean that parts of the statement or command not directly related to the example have been omitted |
| boldface text | Boldface type in text indicates a new term, a term defined in the glossary, specific keys, and labels of user interface objects. Boldface type also indicates a menu, command, or option, especially within procedures |
| italics | Italic type in text, tables, or code examples indicates user-supplied text. Replace these placeholders with a specific value or string. |
| [ ] | Brackets enclose optional clauses from which you can choose one or none. |
| > | The left bracket alone represents the MS DOS prompt. |
| $ | The dollar sign represents the DIGITAL Command Language prompt in Windows and the Bourne shell prompt in Digital UNIX. |
| % | The per cent sign alone represents the UNIX prompt. |
| name() | In text other than code examples, the names of programming language methods and functions are shown with trailing parentheses. The parentheses are always shown as empty. For the actual argument or parameter list, see the reference documentation. This convention is not used in code examples. |
| & | Indicates a character string (identifier) that can display text dynamically in Configurator Developer or a runtime Oracle Configurator. For example, "&PROPERTY" can be used to dynamically construct and display a Property of a Model structure node. |
The mission of the Oracle Support Services organization is to help you resolve any issues or questions that you have regarding Oracle Configurator Developer and Oracle Configurator.
To report issues that are not mission-critical, submit a Technical Assistance Request (TAR) using MetaLink, Oracle’s technical support Web site, at:
http://www.oracle.com/support/metalink/
Log into your MetaLink account and navigate to the Configurator TAR template:
Choose the TARs link in the left menu.
Click on Create a TAR.
Fill in or choose a profile.
In the same form:
Choose Product: Oracle Configurator or Oracle Configurator Developer
Choose Type of Problem: Oracle Configurator Generic Issue template
Provide the information requested in the iTAR template.
You can also find product-specific documentation and other useful information using MetaLink.
For a complete listing of available Oracle Support Services and phone numbers, see:
http://www.oracle.com/support/metalink
Oracle Configurator Developer and Oracle Configurator use the standard Oracle Applications methods of logging to analyze and debug both development and runtime issues. These methods include setting various profile options and Java system properties to enable logging and specify the desired level of detail you want to record.
For more information about logging, see:
The Oracle E-Business Suite System Administrator’s Guide for descriptions of the Oracle Applications Manager UI screens that allow System Administrators to set up logging profiles, review Java system properties, search for log messages, and so on.
The Oracle E-Business Suite Developer's Guide, which includes logging guidelines for both System Administrators and developers, and related topics.
The Oracle Application Framework Developer's Guide, which describes the logging options that are available via the Diagnostics global link. This document is available on MetaLink.