3Using Web Tools
Using Web Tools
This chapter describes how to use Oracle’s Siebel Tools. It includes the following topics:
About Web Tools
Oracle is gradually migrating from Siebel Tools to Web Tools to simplify and expedite the process of configuring Siebel Business Applications. Web Tools is a Web-enabled application that runs on a server, and you access it in a browser by using a Siebel Open UI client. Siebel Tools is a stand-alone application that runs on Microsoft Windows.
In Web Tools, you currently have access to some of the functionality in Siebel Tools, so you can use Web Tools to perform some of the tasks that in the past you performed in Siebel Tools. In both Siebel Tools and Web Tools, you need to be added to the database to access these tools. In addition, for Web Tools, you need to have the Composer Administrator responsibility to access the Workspace Dashboard to perform developer or configuration operations. To learn more about workspaces in Web Tools, see Setting up Web Tools.
Using Web Tools, note that:
You must ensure that the Workspace features are enabled on the environment before you work on Web Tools.
For more information about how to use the Workspace feature in Siebel Tools, see Using Workspaces in Siebel Tools.
Web Tools has the same client requirements as other Siebel Open UI clients. For more information, see Deploying Siebel Open UI.
Benefits of Web Tools
Web Tools provides the following benefits:
More elements for composition of the user interface.
More efficient rendering of Web pages.
The DOM (Document Object Model) structure in Siebel Business Applications is simplified, and the DOM is assembled using a single HTTP response, not multiple relays between the client and the server.
When you use Siebel Tools, content is trimmed only from the client. Also, post-response JavaScript execution trims content. When you use Web Tools, the server evaluates client capabilities, such as resolution and form factors. Content is tailored from the server, and more efficient options are available to manage content.
Decreased network traffic.
Only the content that is necessary to currently render the user interface is included in responses. Extraneous content that the client must later discard or ignore is not included in responses. This decrease in content decreases the network traffic.
More control in the client.
Improved file loading.
The framework files that are needed to start a Siebel application are loaded from the manifest. The files for the presentation model and physical renderer that are needed to render Web pages are also loaded from the manifest.
About Delivering in Siebel Tools and Web Tools
In Siebel Tools, you deliver modifications to implement your configuration changes in the user interface of the Siebel application. You deliver the modifications that you make to objects directly into the Siebel application. To deliver modifications, see Delivering Workspaces.
In Web Tools, you deliver modifications to implement your configuration changes in the user interface of the Siebel application. You deliver the modifications that you make to objects directly into the Siebel application.
Siebel Tools Features Included in Web Tools
Web Tools currently supports the following features in Siebel Tools:
Locking and unlocking projects in the local repository.
Configuring symbolic strings.
Adding to archive.
Sorting on objects.
List of Values, Analytic Strings, and System Preferences.
Settings for Web Tools.
Using Object Explorer and Object List Editor.
Using Siebel IDE for layout editing.
IO deploy/undeploy.
Siebel Tools Objects Included in Web Tools
The following table shows the objects in Siebel Tools that Web Tools currently supports.
Table Objects in Siebel Tools That Web Tools Supports
Applet |
Find |
Screen |
Workflow Process |
Application |
HTML Hierarchy Bitmap |
Symbolic String |
|
Business Component |
Icon Map |
System Activity Object |
|
Assignment Attribute |
Import Object |
Table |
|
Assignment Criteria |
Integration Object |
Task |
|
Bitmap Category |
Link |
Task Group |
|
Business Object |
Menu |
Toolbar |
|
Business Service |
Message Category |
Type |
|
Class |
Pick List |
View |
|
Command |
Project |
Web Page |
|
Content Object |
Repository |
Web Template |
|
DLL |
Schema Maintenance Phase |
Workflow Policy Column |
|
Dock Object |
Schema Maintenance Process |
Workflow Policy Object |
|
EIM Interface Table |
Schema Maintenance Step |
Workflow Policy Program |
Siebel Tools Features Excluded From Web Tools
Web Tools currently does not support the following features in Siebel Tools:
Using various windows and wizards (such as New Object and Synchronize) that are only available in Siebel Tools.
Tagging objects to manage developer changes.
Validating, examining, and comparing objects.
Using the Siebel Script Editor, the ST eScript Engine, the Siebel Debugger, and the Script Profiler.
Configuring locale data and using the Locale Management utility to manage locales and Advanced Compile to localize repositories.
Setting debug options.
Importing objects from an archive and using Application Deployment Manager (ADM).
Siebel Tools Objects Excluded From Web Tools
This is the list of the objects in Siebel Tools that Web Tools currently does not support:
Entity Relationship Diagram
Help Id
Pager Object
Server Component Type
Search Category
Search Engine
Search Index