Events

 

This topic provides information about standard events and how to register custom events. It is intended for use by Business Analysts or marketing professionals. The first part provides general information about events that you can use when writing scenarios actions. The second part tells you how to register custom events.

BEA supplies standard events with each product. A Java developer can create additional events, referred to as custom events. More information about custom events is provided in Registering Custom Events and at http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13210_01/wlcs/docs35/events/index.htm.

In general, an event is a notification that something has happened in a computer program. Events are used for a variety of things. You can use events with campaigns to enhance promotion of products and services. You can also use a special kind of event called a behavior tracking event to gather intelligence about customer interactions on an e-commerce site. E-analysis and e-marketing systems use this information to help you understand your customers so that you can improve your marketing and build long-lasting customer relationships.

This topic contains the following sections:

• Standard Event Categories

• Standard Events

• Registering Custom Events

 

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Standard Event Categories

Events are organized into categories. The following list presents each category of standard event along with a brief description:

• Session: The start time, end time, and if executed, the login time of the customer's session.

• Registration: The customer registers on the e-commerce site.

• Product: The customer is presented with a product or clicks (selects) the presented product.

• Content: The customer is presented some content, such as an ad, or clicks (selects) the presented content.

• Cart: An item is added, removed, or updated to the customer's shopping cart. Also when an entire order is purchased.

• Buy: The customer completes purchase of one or more items.

• Rules: The rules that are fired as a customer navigates a Web site.

• Campaign: The events generated within the context of a campaign.

 

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Standard Events

This section describes standard events in more detail. You can use it to reference events when writing scenario actions. The following list presents each type of standard event along with a brief description:

Event	Description
SessionBeginEvent	Occurs when a customer begins interacting with a Web site. Specific to WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
SessionEndEvent	Occurs when a customer leaves a Web site. Specific to WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
SessionLoginEvent	Occurs when a customer logs on a Web site. Specific to WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
UserRegistrationEvent	Occurs when customer registers on a Web site. Specific to the WebLogic Personalization Server Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
ClickContentEvent	Occurs when a customer clicks some Web site content, such as a link or banner. Specific to WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
ClickProductEvent	Occurs when a customer clicks a product link. Specific to WebLogic Commerce Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
DisplayContentEvent	Occurs when content presented is to a customer, commonly any content from a content management system. Specific to WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
DisplayProductEvent	Occurs when a product is displayed to the customer. Specific to WebLogic Commerce Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
AddToCartEvent	Occurs when an item is added to a customer's shopping cart. Specific to WebLogic Commerce Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
RemoveFromCartEvent	Occurs when an item is removed from a customer's shopping cart. Specific to WebLogic Commerce Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
PurchaseCartEvent	Occurs once for an entire order, unlike the BuyEvent, which occurs for each line item. This event is useful for campaigns. You can use it when writing scenario actions to know when your customer makes a purchase with specific characteristics, such as an order greater than $100 or the purchase of a particular product. Only present in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
BuyEvent	Occurs when a customer completes the purchase. A BuyEvent occurs for each line item. A purchase may consist of one or more line items. A line item may consist of one or more items. For example, although a particular line item may have a quantity of four items, only one BuyEvent occurs. Specific to WebLogic Commerce Server. Available in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
RuleEvent	Indicates the rules that were fired as a customer navigates a Web site. Specific to the WebLogic Personalization Server. Available in the Campaign Manager for WebLogic, WebLogic Commerce Server.
CampaignUserActivityEvent	Occurs when a customer participates in a campaign. Specifically, this event is fired whenever one or more scenario actions are true and the campaign service is activated. You can limit this event to a single occurrence for a particular scenario. This event is intended for use by analytic software. Only present in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
DisplayCampaignEvent	Occurs when campaign content, such as an ad, is presented to the customer. Specifically, this event is fired whenever a campaign placeholder displays an ad placed in the ad bucket by a campaign. You can use this event to trigger another campaign. Analytic software uses this event to determine if a customer saw an ad as a result of a campaign. Only present in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.
ClickCampaignEvent	Occurs when a campaign item, such as an ad, is clicked by the customer. Specifically, this event is fired whenever a customer clicks a campaign ad that was placed in the ad bucket by a campaign. You can use this event to trigger another campaign. Analytic software uses this event to determine if a customer clicked on an ad as a result of a campaign. Only present in Campaign Manager for WebLogic.

 

 

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Registering Custom Events

This topic contains basic information about registering custom events. This information includes background information about custom events, how to register events using the Events Editor in the BEA E-Business Control Center, and what you need to do when you make changes to custom events.

This topic contains the following sections:

• Overview of Creating a Custom Event

• Why Register an Event?

• Registering a Custom Event

• Updating a Registered Custom Event

Note: You cannot change any of the standard events supplied with the Campaign Manager for WebLogic, the WebLogic Commerce Server, or the WebLogic Personalization Server.

Overview of Creating a Custom Event

The creation of a custom event is a multiple-step process. The following list provides an overview of the process:

• Create the code that defines the event and event listener.

• Create the code to trigger the event with a JSP tag or an API call.

• Register the event using the instructions in this topic.

• To record the event data, modify the weblogiccommerce.properties file to include the new event and create an entry for the event in the EVENT_Type table.

You can find detailed information about defining an event, creating a trigger, modifying the weblogiccommerce.properties file, and creating an entry in the EVENT_TYPE table, at http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13210_01/wlcs/docs35/events/index.htm.

Why Register an Event?

When you create a custom event, you must register the event. Registering a custom event lets the E-Business Control Center know that the custom event exists. Registering permits campaign developers using the E-Business Control Center to create scenario actions that refer to the event. Registering also identifies the event's properties.

Whenever you change the event code, you must update the event registration. Conversely, whenever you change the event registration, you must also update the event code. A possible ramification of event modification is that the scenario actions that refer to the event's properties may need to be modified.

Registering a Custom Event

The Event Editor in the E-Business Control Center allows you to easily register a custom event. For the purpose of registering an event, you can consider an event property as a name-value pair. During the registration of a custom event, you specify the event's name, description, and one or more properties. Each property has a range, type of permissible value, and default value. The information you need to register for an event should be available from your Commerce Business Engineer (CBE) or Java developer.

The properties for a custom event includes the following information:

• Data type: Specifies the data type for your property. The possible values are Text, Numeric, Floating Point Number, Boolean, and Date/Time.

• Selection mode: Specifies whether an property has a single default value or a collection of default values.

• Value range: Specifies whether the defaults are restricted to one specific value, one or more specific values, or any value.

Note: When you set property values, you are not guaranteed that the property will adhere to these restrictions at run time. Events are not checked by the SchemaManager for adherence to a property schema. Therefore, you need to keep the event type definition and the event registration synchronized.

As the previous list suggests, a combination of property values are possible. The possible combinations of properties are listed here:

• Boolean: The values for this type of property are either True or False. You can choose the default. The default value is displayed only in the Enter Property Values Window, not in the Edit Event Property window. When this data type is selected, the Selection mode and Value range are unavailable.

• Single, Unrestricted: This type of property has only one value, which is also the default value.

• Single, Restricted: This type of property has multiple values and a single default value. You can select which value is the default.

• Multiple, Restricted: This type of property has multiple values. You can select one or more values as defaults values.

• Multiple, Unrestricted: This type of property has multiple values. You cannot select any defaults; all values are defaults

To create a custom event:

1. Start the E-Business Control Center and connect it to a server. The Explorer window opens as shown in Figure 7-1.

   Figure 7-1 E-Business Control Center Window

   
    

   Note: For more information on connecting the E-Business Control Center to a server, see Connecting the BEA E-Business Control Center to a Server.

2. Open the Event Editor as follows:

   Note: You cannot edit the standard events.

   1. In the Explorer window, select the Event icon. A list of events appears in the Events field.

   2. Click the New Button, and then select Event. The Event Editor window appears as shown in Figure 7-2.

      Figure 7-2 Event Editor Window

      
       

3. In the Edit Event Editor window, complete these steps:

   1. In the Name field, enter a unique name for the event no longer than 100 characters (required).

   2. In the Description field, enter a description for the event no longer than 254 characters (required).

   3. Click the Save button in the E-Business system toolbar.

   4. To create properties for the event, click the New button. The Edit Event Property window opens, as shown in Figure 7-3.

      Figure 7-3 Edit Event Property Window

      
       

4. In the Edit Event Property window, complete these steps:

   1. In the Name field, enter a unique name for the property no longer than 100 characters (required).

   2. In the Description field, enter a description of the property no longer than 254 characters (required).

   3. In the Data type list, select the data type. If you select Boolean as the data type, the Selection mode and Value range are no longer available. The default for Boolean is Single, Restricted.

   4. In the Selection mode list, select either Single or Multiple.

   5. In the Value range list, select whether the value is Restricted or Unrestricted.

   6. Click the Add/Edit Values button.

The type of window that appears depends on the values selected.

Entering Property Values and Setting the Default Value

Depending on the data type, different steps are required for entering values and setting default values. The following property categories are available:

• Properties with Boolean or a Single Value and Single Default.

• Properties with Multiple Values and Single, Multiple, or All Defaults

• Properties with Date and Time Values

Properties with Boolean or a Single Value and Single Default

To enter the default value for Boolean property or a property with a single value and a single default (unrestricted), complete the following steps:

1. In the applicable Enter Property Value window (Figure 7-4 or Figure 7-5), perform one of the following:

   • For a Boolean property, select either True or False.

   • For a Single Value, Single Default property, enter a value.

     Figure 7-4 Enter Property Values Window—Boolean

     
      

     Figure 7-5 Enter Property Values Window—Single Value, Single Default

     
      

2. Click the OK button.

3. In the Edit Event Property window, click the OK button.

Properties with Multiple Values and Single, Multiple, or All Defaults

To enter multiple property values and set one or more defaults (unrestricted), complete the following steps:

1. In the applicable Enter Property Values window (Figure 7-6 or Figure 7-7), enter a value, and then click the Add button.

   Figure 7-6 Enter Property Values—Multiple Values, Single Default

   
    

   Figure 7-7 Enter Property Values—Multiple Values, Multiple Restricted Defaults

   
    

   Figure 7-8 Enter Property Values—Multiple Values, Multiple Unrestricted Defaults

   
    
    

2. Repeat the previous step until you have entered all values.

3. To select one or more default values, complete one of the following:

   • If you do not want to select a default, go to next numbered step.

   • For multiple values with a single default, select the value (radio button) that you want to set as the default, and then click the OK button.

     Note: To remove the default value for a property with multiple values and a single default, click the Deselect All button.

   • For multiple values with multiple restricted defaults, select the value (check boxes) that you want to set as defaults, and then click the OK button.

     Note: For multiple values without restrictions (that is, the Value range is Unrestricted), you do not need to select any defaults.

4. In the Edit Event Property window, click the OK button.

Properties with Date and Time Values

Properties with date and time values can use all Selection mode and Value range settings. For more information about these settings, see Properties with Boolean or a Single Value and Single Default and Properties with Multiple Values and Single, Multiple, or All Defaults.

To enter date and time values and set one or more defaults, complete the following steps:

1. In the Enter Property Values window shown in Figure 7-9, click the drop-down arrow in the Date list. A calendar appears.

   Figure 7-9 Enter Date/Time Values

   
    

2. Select a date from the calendar.

3. In the Time field, enter a time.

4. Click the Add button.

5. To add more dates and times, repeat the first four steps until you have entered all the values.

6. To select one or more default values, complete one of the following:

   • If the event has a single date and time with a single default (restricted), click the OK button.

   • If the event has multiple dates and times with a single default (restricted), select the value (radio button) that you want to set as the default, and then click the OK button.

   • If the event has multiple dates and times with multiple defaults (unrestricted), select the values (check boxes) that you want to set as the default, and then click the OK button.

7. In the Edit Event Property window, click the OK button.

Updating a Registered Custom Event

Whenever you make changes to a custom event's code, you should update that event's registration. Updating the registration lets the E-Business Control Center know about the changes in the custom event and aids campaign developers using the E-Business Control Center to modify any scenario actions that refer to the event.

To update a custom event:

1. Start the E-Business Control Center and connect it to a Web server. The Explorer window opens.

   Note: For more information on connecting the E-Business Control Center to a server, see Connecting the BEA E-Business Control Center to a Server.

2. In the Explorer window, select the Event icon. A list of events appears in the Events field as shown in Figure 7-10.

   Note: You cannot edit standard events.

   Figure 7-10 Explorer Window

   
    

3. Double-click the custom event that you wish to edit. The Event Editor window opens as shown in Figure 7-11. The Event properties field displays a list of existing properties.

   Figure 7-11 Event Editor Window

   
    

4. In the Event properties field, select the property that you want to edit.

   Note: For more information about setting custom event properties, see Entering Property Values and Setting the Default Value.

5. Click the Edit button. The Edit Event Editor window opens as shown in Figure 7-12.

   Figure 7-12 Edit Event Property Window

   
    

6. To change the Data type, Selection mode, or Value range, select a setting from the appropriate list box.

   Note: If you change the property setting Data type, Selection mode, or Value range, the associated values will be erased.

7. To add or change values, click the Add/Edit values button. The Enter Property Value window opens as shown in Figure 7-13.

   Figure 7-13 Enter Property Value Window

   
    

   1. To remove a value, select the value, and then click the Remove button.

   2. To add a value, enter the value, and then click the Add button.

   3. To change a value, select the value, remove it, and then add the new value.

   4. If required, select the default value or values.

   5. To remove the default value for a property with multiple values and a single default, click the Deselect All button.

   6. Click the OK button. The Enter Property Value window closes.

8. After you have finished updating the properties or values for the event, click the OK button in the Edit Event Property window.