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Customizing the Presentation Model and Physical Renderer

Siebel Open UI uses two JavaScript files to implement the presentation model and the physical renderer that it uses to display an applet. For example, it uses the following files to display a carousel:

• ListPModel.js for the presentation model
• CarouselRenderer.js for the physical renderer

It uses the following files to display a grid:

• JQGridRenderer.js for the physical renderer
• ListPModel.js for the presentation model

Customizing the Presentation Model

Siebel Open UI considers static and dynamic values as part of the presentation model that it uses. For example, a list applet includes columns and renders data in each column in every row. Metadata specifies the column name and other details for each column, such as required, editable, and so on. These values are static. Siebel Open UI does not modify them unless you modify them as part of a customization effort. A list applet can also include dynamic values. For example, a value that identifies the record that is in focus, or the total number of visible records. Siebel Open UI can modify the value of a dynamic value in reply to an external event according to the behavior of the model. For example, if the user clicks a field in a record, and if this record is not in focus, then Siebel Open UI modifies the property that stores the focus information to the record that the user clicked. You can implement this type of functionality in a presentation model. For more information, see About the Presentation Model.

Example of Customizing the Static and Dynamic Values of a Presentation Model

You can modify a presentation model to add a list column. For example, you can modify the SIS Product List Applet so that it displays a Select column that allows the user to choose more than one record, and then press Delete to delete them. You only modify a presentation model to implement this example. You do not modify a physical render. Siebel Open UI uses the JQGridRenderer physical renderer for the grid control. JQGridRenderer is sufficiently generic that it can iterate any list of columns that the presentation model returns. To view an example of this modification, see Customizing List Applets to Render as a Table.

Example of Customizing the Behavior of a Presentation Model

You can add behavior to a presentation model. For example, you can configure a presentation model to display or hide a set of fields according to the value of another field. You can configure Siebel Open UI so that the Job Title field on the Contacts form applet determines whether or not it displays the Work# field and the Main Fax# field of a contact. If the Job Title includes a value, then Siebel Open UI displays the Work# field and the Main Fax# field. A presentation model controls this conditional display. The physical renderer requires no configuration to implement this example. It queries the presentation model, and then renders these fields according to the instructions that it gets from the presentation model. You can implement this behavior on the client without modifying any configuration on the Siebel Server. For a detailed description of an example that uses this type of configuration, see Example of Customizing Siebel Open UI.

Customizing the Physical Renderer

You can use a physical renderer to modify how Siebel Open UI renders an object. For example, Siebel Open UI displays the predefined Contact Affiliations list applet as a typical Siebel CRM list. You can modify this list to display as a carousel. You can modify how the user scrolls through a set of records, which is a physical aspect of the applet that a physical renderer defines. But this list is still a list of records that is a logical representation of the applet that the presentation model defines. You do not modify this logical representation. To view an example of this type of modification, see Customizing List Applets to Render as a Carousel. For more information, see About the Physical Renderer.