Configuring Siebel Business Applications > Architecture of Siebel Business Applications > About the Siebel Object Architecture >

Overview of the Physical User Interface Layer

The physical user interface layer includes physical files, such as templates, Siebel tags, style sheets, and other metadata. These files and metadata control the layout and the look and feel of the Siebel client. The physical user interface layer separates definitions for style and layout from user interface objects that reside in the Siebel repository. This separation allows you to define style and layout across multiple objects of the Siebel client. For more information, see Siebel Developer's Reference.

For more information about configuring Siebel CRM, see Developing a Plan to Control File Versions for the Physical User Interface Layer.

Siebel Web Template

A Siebel Web template (SWT) is an HTML file that defines the layout and format of elements that Siebel CRM displays in the Siebel client. Elements include views, applets, controls, and so on. The template provides this layout information to the Siebel Web Engine (SWE) when this engine renders Siebel repository objects into HTML files. Siebel CRM then displays these HTML files in the Siebel client. For more information, see About Siebel Web Templates.

Siebel Tag

A Siebel tag is a special tag that resides in a template file. A tag specifies how Siebel CRM defines a Siebel object in the Siebel repository and how Siebel CRM must render it in the HTML page in the Web browser. For more information, see About Siebel Tags.

Cascading Style Sheet

A cascading style sheet (CSS) is a style sheet document that defines how Siebel CRM displays HTML or XML elements and their contents in a Web document. It includes typographical and format information on how Siebel CRM displays the Web page, such as the text font. It controls the look and feel of user interface elements. A cascading style sheet allows you to control the appearance of the page. For more information, see Configuring Web Templates to Display Menus, Toolbars, and Thread Bars.