Configuring Siebel eBusiness Applications > Configuring Docking Rules >

Docking Wizard


The Docking Wizard is used to extend Siebel Remote functionality to support custom database schema changes. You can use the Docking Wizard to do the following:

  • Create new dock objects for custom extension tables that are not already in a dock object.
  • Create new dock object tables for custom dock objects.
  • Create new dock object visibility rules for custom and existing dock objects.

    NOTE:  This is not done directly by the user. The appropriate visibility rules will be added to the dock object depending on the visibility type of the dock object and the structure of the tables involved.

    New dock object visibility rules can be added as a result of one of two actions:

    • A table is added to a custom dock object as a dock object table using the Docking Wizard.
    • The Docking Wizard is invoked from a custom extension column that acts as a foreign key to another table.

The Docking Wizard automatically creates or updates Dock Object, Dock Object Table, and Dock Object Visibility Rule objects for custom tables. You can create Public, Private, and Limited dock objects through the Docking Wizard.

The Docking Wizard creates Limited dock object visibility rules of the following types:

  • Employee. Employee rules replicate data depending on the mobile user's employee identity. To find all candidate rules, find all columns that are foreign keys to S_USER table, except CREATED_BY and LAST_UPD_BY.
  • Employee Manager. Employee Manager rules replicate data based on which employees report to the mobile user. The algorithm for finding all candidate rules is the same as for Employee rules.
  • Position. Position rules replicate data based on the position the mobile user holds. To find all candidate position rules, the algorithm finds all columns that are foreign keys to the S_POSTN table.
  • Position Manager. Position manager rules replicate data based on which positions report to the mobile user position. The algorithm to find all candidate rules is the same as for Position rules.
  • Check Dock Object. Check Dock Object rules replicate data depending on which piece of data from other dock objects is replicated to the mobile local database. The relationship between data in other dock objects and the current dock object determine which records from the current dock object are replicated.

    The Docking Wizard can only find the candidate Check Dock Object rules based on the "Foreign Key Table Name" property definitions for columns. For each foreign key, there are two candidate Check Dock Object rules, regardless of where the foreign key column resides:

    • Rules that use this dock object as the destination dock object. There are two types of these rules:
      • Based on foreign keys on the primary table of the current dock object. The algorithm to find this kind of candidate rule must find in the table of the current dock object all foreign key columns, other than those pointing to S_USER or S_POSTN. For these foreign key columns, the algorithm needs to find the foreign key table to which these foreign key columns refer. The dock object of the foreign key table will become the Check Dock Object object of the newly created Check Dock Object rule in the current dock object.
      • Based on foreign keys on the primary table of other dock objects. To find this type of candidate rule, the algorithm must find all foreign key columns that refer to the primary table of the current dock object, on any table that is part of a limited dock object. The algorithm will add the appropriate Check Dock Object visibility rules to these limited dock objects, with the current dock object being the Check Dock Object object.
    • Rules that use this dock object as the source dock object, that is, Check Dock Object rules. There are two types of these rules:
      • Based on foreign keys on the primary table of the current dock object.
      • Based on foreign keys on the primary table of other dock objects.

        The algorithm for these types of rules is similar to the algorithm for rules that use this dock object as the destination dock object. The main difference involves switching the source table or column and target table or column.

The Docking Wizard process flow is shown in Figure 27.

Figure 27.  Docking Wizard Flow

Before using the Docking Wizard, you should be aware of the following considerations:

  • You can only invoke the Docking Wizard on custom extension tables that are not already placed into any dock objects.
  • You cannot invoke the Docking Wizard on standard Siebel out-of-the-box tables. However, you can invoke the Docking Wizard from a custom extension column that has been added to a standard table.
  • For a custom table that has a mandatory foreign key to another custom table that is already in a custom dock object, you can either create a new dock object for it or add it to the existing custom dock object. The approach depends on the business requirements and desired outcome.
  • The rules created by the Docking Wizard will have a check dock object visibility strength of 100 and a visibility strength of 50. These strengths cannot be modified without assistance from Siebel Systems, Inc.
  • When custom tables are added as dock object tables, they are added with a visibility strength of 50. If this is not appropriate for your business requirements, you must seek assistance from Siebel Systems to modify this strength.

To invoke the Docking Wizard from a table

  1. Select a custom extension table.
  2. Lock the project.
  3. Right-click the table record, and then choose Docking Wizard from the pop-up menu.

    The Docking Wizard will not be activated if the table already exists in a dock object. If the Docking Wizard completes successfully for the table, the Docking Wizard will not be activated again on right-clicking the mouse.

To invoke the Docking Wizard from a column

  1. Select a custom extension column.

    Custom extension columns have the prefix X_.

  2. Lock the project.
  3. Right-click the column record, and then choose Docking Wizard from the pop-up menu.

    The Docking Wizard is activated if the column name is prefixed by X_ or the table name is prefixed by CX_ and the table is already in a dock object, whether the table is a Siebel table or a custom table.

    The Docking Wizard can be invoked multiple times, regardless of whether it has been run for this column before or not.

The behavior of the Docking Wizard differs depending on where it is invoked:

  • From a table:
    • If the custom table is stand-alone, the only option is to create a new dock object for it. After the dock object creation, appropriate routing rules will also be created.
    • If the custom table has appropriate foreign keys to other custom tables (excluding Siebel tables) already in certain dock objects, there are two options. Appropriate routing rules will be created for either option.
      • Create a new dock object.
      • Add the table to an existing custom dock object.
  • From a column:

    You do not need to make any choices. The Docking Wizard will add appropriate routing rules:

    • For a regular foreign key, two Check Dock Object routing rules will be added: one from the table's dock object to the foreign key table's dock object and the other in the opposite direction.
    • For a foreign key to S_POSTN, only a position rule will be added.
Configuring Siebel eBusiness Applications