Developing and Deploying Siebel Business Applications > Common Software Development Tasks > Process of Modifying Siebel Objects >

Options for Managing Objects

This topic describes other tasks that you might find useful when you manage objects.

Viewing Differences Between Your Local Repository and the Server Repository

Before checking in changes, you can view the differences between projects on your local repository and the projects on the server repository. This is useful for finding errors or omissions before you commit changes to the Siebel Server.

To view differences between your local repository and the server repository

• When you check in projects in Siebel Tools, in the Check In dialog box, click Diff.

  Siebel Tools displays the checked out projects that you modified since the last check-out.

Managing Projects When You Prototype

If you prototype ideas or make changes to objects that you plan to discard, then it is recommended that you lock the project locally rather than checking it out from the Siebel Server. This way the project remains unlocked on the server, which allows other developers to check out the project while still allowing you to prototype temporary changes in your local repository.

To manage projects when you prototype

1. Open Siebel Tools.
2. In the Object List Editor, choose the project or other object type you must modify, choose the Tools menu, and then the Lock Project menu item.

   Siebel Tools locks the project in your local repository so you can make changes. It does not lock the project on the server database. Note that because you cannot check your changes in to the Siebel Server, you cannot save any changes you make to the server.

NOTE:  Do not lock a project locally on the server repository.

Exporting Object Definitions to Another Repository

You can export object definitions to another repository, which is useful if you work in a development environment that includes multiple repositories.

To export object definitions to another repository

1. In Siebel Tools, in the Object Explorer, click the object type you must export.
2. In the Object List Editor, locate the object you must export.
3. Choose the Tools menu, and then the Add to Archive menu item.
4. In the Export to Archive File dialog box, in the Archive File window, enter the path to the directory where you must save the archive file.
5. Click Save.

   Siebel Tools saves the file with an SIF extension. Siebel Tools overwrites any SIF files that contain the same name that already exist in the directory. You cannot add objects to an export file.

Importing Object Definitions from Another Repository

You can import object definitions from an archive file to your local repository.

To import object definitions from another repository

1. Make sure you must possess access to the archive files that include the object definitions you must import.
2. Make sure the target repository is the active repository on your local computer.

   A local database or a server database can contain more than one repository. However, Siebel Tools displays information from only one repository at a time. This is the active repository.

   If the target repository is not active, then do the following:

   1. Choose the File menu, and then the Open Repository menu item.
   2. In the Open Repository dialog box, choose the repository you must open, and then click Open.
3. Lock the projects that will contain the objects you must import.
4. Choose the Tools menu, and then the Import From Archive menu item.
5. In the Select Archive File to Import dialog box, choose the archive file you must import.

   For example, objects.sif.

6. Click Open.
7. In the Import Wizard dialog box, choose a conflict resolution option.
8. Click Next.

   The Import Wizard checks for differences between the object definitions in the current repository and the object definitions in the archive file.

   If there are no differences, then Siebel Tools imports the object definitions.

   If there are differences, then the Import Wizard displays the following:

   • Conflicting Objects. Displays the object types in which differences were found.
   • Object Differences. Displays whether the object exists in the following items:
     • Archive file only
     • Current repository
     • Archive file and in the current repository

       It also displays the conflict resolution action that is defined. You can change the action.

   • Attribute Differences. Displays the object attributes that include different values. If the action for the object difference is merge, then to update the value in the Resolution column, you can right-click attribute, and then choose Repository or File.