Configuring Siebel Business Applications > Architecture of Siebel Business Applications >

About Siebel Objects

A Siebel object definition is the metadata that defines a Siebel application. Siebel object definitions define user interface elements that Siebel CRM includes in the Siebel client, business entities, and the Siebel Database. The Siebel Repository is a set of database tables that stores these object definitions. Examples of types of objects include applets, views, business components, and tables. You can use Oracle's Siebel Tools to create or modify an object definition.

An object definition includes properties that are qualities of the software construct that the object defines. For example, the properties of a database column includes the name, data type, and length of the column.

This book uses the terms Siebel Business Applications and Siebel CRM interchangeably to mean the same thing.

How Siebel Tools Displays Relationships Between Objects

A parent-child relationship is a hierarchical relationship that defines a relationship between object definitions. If you expand an object type in the Object Explorer, then Siebel Tools displays the child objects of the parent-child relationship. For example, if you expand the Applet tree, then Siebel Tools displays the following child object types:

• Applet Method Menu Item
• Applet Browser Script
• Applet Server Script
• Applet Toggle

A parent-child relationship between object definitions implies that the child object definition is in, or belongs to, the parent object definition. It does not imply inheritance between object definitions. The properties of a parent object are not related to the properties of a child object.

Terms such as object, property, or class describe the Siebel CRM metadata. These terms do not describe corresponding terms in object-oriented programming.

For more information about the Object Explorer and the Object List Editor, see Using Siebel Tools.

How This Book Describes Objects

For brevity, this book describes how an object, such as a user property, does something. For example:

The Copy Contact user property copies contacts.

In reality, the Copy Contact user property only includes information that some other Siebel CRM component uses to copy contacts.

For brevity, this book typically only describes the property name to describe how Siebel CRM uses the value that a property contains. For example, assume Siebel CRM displays the value that the Display Name property contains. This is a property of a tree node object. This book only states the following:

Siebel CRM displays the Display Name property of the tree node.

In reality, Siebel CRM displays the value that the Display Name property contains.

How This Book Describes Relationships Between Objects

An object definition includes properties and a property includes a value. For example, the Business Object property of the Account Address view contains a value of Account. To describe this relationship, this book states the following:

The Account Address view references the Account business object.

Sometimes the relationship between objects occurs through multiple objects. For brevity, this book does not always describe the entire chain of relationships that exists between objects through the entire Siebel object hierarchy. For example, the Account business object references the Account business component and the Account Address view references the Account business object. So, this book states the following:

The Account Address view references the Account business component.

Overview for Using This Book

This book uses the following terms:

• A user is a person who uses a Siebel Business Applications client to access Siebel CRM data.
• The client is the client of one of the Siebel applications. Siebel Call Center is an example of a Siebel application.
• The server is the Siebel Server, unless noted otherwise.
• An administrator is anyone who uses an administrative screen in the client to configure Siebel CRM. The Administration - Server Configuration screen is an example of an administrative screen.

Computer font indicates a value you enter or text that Siebel CRM displays. For example:

This is computer font

Italic text indicates a variable value. For example, the n and the method_name in the following format description are variables:

Named Method n: method_name

The following is an example of this code:

Named Method 2: WriteRecord

A predefined object is an object that comes already defined with Siebel CRM. The objects that Siebel Tools displays in the Object List Editor immediately after you install Siebel Tools and the SRF (Siebel Repository File) but before you make any customization are predefined objects.

The term focus indicates the currently active object in the client. To indicate the object that is in focus, Siebel CRM typically sets the border of this object to a solid blue line.

Depending on the software configuration you purchase, your Siebel Business Applications might not include all the features that this book describes.

Getting Help From Oracle

If you require help from Oracle for using object types, you can create a service request (SR) on My Oracle Support. Alternatively, you can phone Global Customer Support directly to create a service request or get a status update on your current SR. Support phone numbers are listed on My Oracle Support. You can also contact your Oracle sales representative for Oracle Advanced Customer Services to request assistance.