5Using the Development Environment to Develop a Task UI
Using the Development Environment to Develop a Task UI
This chapter describes how to use the development environment to develop a task UI. It includes the following topics:
Displaying Object Types You Use to Develop a Task UI
This topic describes how to display the object types in the Object Explorer that you use to develop a task UI. The following image includes the object hierarchy of the Task object type. For more information, see Siebel Object Types Reference.
To display object types you use to develop a task UI
Open Siebel Tools.
Choose the View menu, and then the Options menu item.
Click the Object Explorer tab.
To locate the Task tree, scroll down through the Object Explorer Hierarchy window, and then make sure the Task tree and all child objects of the Task tree include a check mark.
Repeat the previous step for the following object types:
Task Group and all children of the task group object type.
View and all children of the view object type.
Optional. Display other object types that you might use to develop a task UI:
- Expand the Applet tree, and then make sure the Applet Message tree and all child object types of the Applet Message object type include a check mark.
- In the Applet tree, make sure Applet User Prop includes a check mark.
- In the Applet tree, expand the Control tree, and then make sure Control User Prop includes a check mark.
- Collapse the Applet tree, expand the Business Component tree, and then make sure Business Component User Prop includes a check mark.
- Collapse the Business Component tree.
- Scroll down through the Object Explorer Hierarchy window, and then make sure the Symbolic String tree and all child object types of the Symbolic String object type include a check mark.
Click OK.
Using the Task Editor
This topic describes how to use the Task Editor. For more information, see About the Task Editor.
Opening the Task Editor
You can open the task editor for a task UI.
To open the task editor
Locate the task UI you must modify.
For more information, see Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List.
In the Tasks list, right-click the task UI that you located in the first step, and then choose Edit Task Flow.
Siebel Tools opens the task UI in the Task Editor. It opens the Task Palette, Properties window, and Multi Value Properties Window:
If the palette is not visible, then choose the View menu, Windows, and then the Palette menu item.
If the Properties window is not visible, then choose the View menu, Windows, and then the Properties Window menu item.
If the status of the task UI you chose is Completed, then Siebel Tools creates a new version of that task with a status of In Progress.
If a limited amount of space exists on your monitor, then you can stack the Object Explorer, Palette window, and Properties window on top of each other. You can then access each window through tabs. For more information, see Using Siebel Tools.
Adding a Step to a Task UI
You can use the Task Editor to add a step to a task UI. You add a step, and then use the Properties window to define properties for this step. In some situations, you can use the Task Steps list to define properties for a step. You save the task UI, and then Siebel Tools displays a record for the new step in the Task Steps list, where you can modify properties.
To add a step to a task UI
Locate the task UI you must modify.
For more information, see Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List.
If the value in the Status property of the task UI is Completed or Not In Use, then click Revise in the WF/Task Editor Toolbar.
For more information, see Using the WF/Task Editor Toolbar.
Open the Task Editor.
For more information, see Opening the Task Editor.
Select the step type you must add from the Task Palette and without releasing the selection, move the step type on to the canvas.
For more information, see Overview of Step Types.
In the Properties window, enter or modify the Name property.
If you step out of the property, then Siebel Tools updates the step name in the canvas.
Optional. Enter a description of the purpose of the step.
Define other properties for the step, as necessary.
About the Task Property
This topic describes the task property. It includes the following topics:
Task Property and the Property Set
A task property is an object that stores a value that the task UI gets from the Siebel database or gets before or during processing. The following examples describe some of the ways that Siebel CRM can use a task property:
Pass information between objects. For example, between two steps in a task UI, between a task and a subtask, or between a task and a business service. You define the task property as an input argument or output argument for the step.
Design a decision branch that uses the value in a task property.
Use the value in a task property in an expression.
The final value of each task property is available as a separate output argument when a task UI finishes. You can configure Siebel CRM to pass this value to other objects.
For more information about:
Defining metrics for a task property, see About Task Metrics.
The process property, which is similar to the task property, see Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide.
A detailed description of properties, see Siebel Object Types Reference.
How a Task Property Works
A property set is a hierarchical structure that includes task properties, which are multiple sets of name and value pairs. A property set can include these task properties at each level in the hierarchy. Siebel CRM uses the property set to pass data between steps in a task UI.
The following image illustrates how Siebel CRM uses a task property.
Explanation of Callouts
The following steps describe an example of how Siebel CRM uses a task property:
Siebel CRM uses a task property to send data to Task Step 1 as an input argument.
Task Step 1 uses the data according to the internal configuration for the step.
An output argument on Task Step 1 sends data from the step to the task property.
An input argument on Task Step 2 brings the data that Task Step 1 uses into Task Step 2, where Siebel CRM can use it according to the internal configuration that is defined for Task Step 2.
The following table describes how a task property manages property sets in two different ways.
Table How a Task Property Manages Property Sets
| Object | Description | Work You Perform |
|---|---|---|
Task Property |
Store values that apply to the entire task UI. |
Click the Task Editor canvas, and then use the Multi Value Property Window. |
Step Argument |
Communicates information between a task property and an individual step in a task UI. |
Click a task step, and then use the Multi Value Property Window. |
Arguments of a Task Step
You can define an argument in the Multi Value Property Window to pass information in and out of task steps. For example:
To pass the Object ID from a parent task UI to a subtask, you define input arguments and output arguments in the Multi Value Property Window.
If a subtask includes a return code of SUCCESS or FAILED, then you can configure Siebel CRM to send the return code to the parent task UI through an output argument.
The Task Step IO Argument is a child object of the task step object. It allows you to use an input or output argument on some types of task UI steps. The following table describes input arguments and output arguments that you can define for a task step.
Table Input Arguments and Output Arguments of a Task Step
| Input Argument | Output Argument |
|---|---|
You can define an input argument on the following step types:
|
You can define an output argument on the following step types:
|
Some operations include predefined outputs. For example:
NumAffRows. Used with a Query operation. Returns the number of rows returned in the query. For more information, see Optional View Technique.
NoMoreRecords. Used with a NextRecord operation. Returns TRUE or FALSE. If no more records are available to process, then it returns TRUE.
For more information about:
Creating arguments, see Creating the Arguments of a Task Step.
The task property, see About the Task Property.
Similarities between how a task UI uses a task property and how a workflow process uses a process property, see Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide.
A description of the Task Step IO Argument object, see Siebel Object Types Reference.
How the Type Field Affects Other Fields in the Multi Value Property Window
The value you choose in the Type field in the Multi Value Property Window determines how you define other fields in the Multi Value Property Window. The following table describes the fields you can define.
Table How the Type Field Affects Other Fields in the Multi Value Property Window
| Type You Chose | Work You Perform |
|---|---|
Business Component |
Do the following:
For more information, see Business Component Fields That a Task UI Can Modify. |
Expression |
Do the following:
|
Literal |
Do the following:
|
Task Property |
Do the following:
|
Output Argument |
Define the Output Argument field. You can choose a task property in the Output Argument field. The list allows you to choose a task property that is of type In/Out or Out. Output Argument is available only for an output argument. |
System and Custom Task Properties
A task property can be a system task property or a custom task property.
System Task Property
A system task property is a type of task property that Siebel Tools automatically creates when you create a new task UI, such as when you create a new record in the Tasks list. It is similar to the system process property in a workflow process. Every object definition for a task UI includes a set of system task properties. If you create a new task UI, then Siebel Tools adds the following system task properties:
Context BC Id
Context BO Name
Context BC Name
If a task uses a standard view through a context-sensitive task group, then Siebel CRM enters data into these properties. For more information, see Task Group.
The following table describes system task properties. For more information, see Viewing System Task Properties of a Task UI.
Table System Task Properties
| Task Property | Description |
|---|---|
Context BC Id |
The ID of the current record in the business component that the Context BC Name task property identifies when Siebel CRM starts this task instance. If the Context BC Id property is:
|
Context BC Name |
The name of the business component that includes the record that the Context BC Id task property identifies. |
Context BO Name |
The name of the business object that the standard view references. Siebel CRM starts the task instance from this view. |
Error Code |
An error symbol for the task instance. Siebel CRM enters it if a step returns an error. The error code is SBL-BPR-00515. |
Error Message |
The text that describes the error. Siebel CRM enters data in this property if a step returns an error. For example, the following text is the error message for error code SBL-BPR-00515: Error Executing Searchspecs at Task View Step Task View1 |
Instance Identifier |
The object identifier of the task instance. Siebel CRM enters data in this object when it runs the task UI. |
Object Id |
The Siebel Row Id of the work item that Siebel CRM is processing, which is the active row of the primary business component. |
Siebel Operation Object Id |
The object identifier of an object that Siebel CRM updates, creates, or queries during a Siebel operation step. It enters data in this system property when a Siebel operation runs. If a query returns multiple values, then Siebel CRM sets the Object Id property to an asterisk (*). |
Custom Task Property
A custom task property is a property that you explicitly define to meet your design requirements. A custom task property can be of the following types:
String
Number
Binary
Date
Hierarchy
Integration Object
Strongly Typed Integration Object
You can use the Multi Value Property Window to define a custom task property. For more information, see Creating a Task Property.
How a Subtask Uses a Task Property
Similar to the subprocess step of a workflow process, you can configure Siebel CRM to pass information in and out of a subtask through a task property in an input argument or output argument according to the following logic:
An input argument allows Siebel CRM to enter data in a task property in the subtask with information from the parent task UI. If Siebel CRM starts a subtask, then it initializes the task property of the subtask with the value of the input argument of the subtask step.
An output argument allows Siebel CRM to enter information from a subtask in the parent task UI. If the subtask returns data to the parent, then the parent can read the task properties of a subtask through the output argument of the subtask step.
You can use an input argument to pass a system task property, such as the object ID, from a parent task UI to a subtask. If the subtask references a different business component, then you must configure Siebel CRM to pass the row ID of the target object as the subtask Object ID task property. For a subtask step, the receiving end of an input argument is one of the task properties of the subtask. To choose this value, you can use the list in the Task Input field. Siebel Tools displays the the task properties of the subtask that are of type In/Out or In in this list.
If the subtask creates a child object, then the Object ID that Siebel CRM passes to a subtask must be null, and it must not be the Object ID of the parent.
For more information, see Creating a Subtask Step.
Why Siebel CRM Passes Hierarchical Data by Reference
A parent task UI and a subtask include separate local task properties, so passing arguments causes Siebel CRM to copy the data between the parent task and the subtask. Copying hierarchical data for a hierarchical task property can consume resources. For this reason, Siebel CRM passes hierarchical data by reference between the parent task and a subtask.
Viewing System Task Properties of a Task UI
You can use the Task Properties list or the Multi Value Property Window to view system task properties of a task UI.
To view system task properties of a task UI
Locate the task UI you must modify.
For more information, see Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List.
Optional. To view task properties in the list:
In the Object Explorer, expand the Task tree, and then click Task Property.
The Task Properties list displays object definitions for the task properties of a task.
Optional. To view task properties in the Multi Value Property Window, open the Task Editor.
The Task Editor displays the Multi Value Property Window and the system task properties. For more information, Opening the Task Editor.
Using the Tasks List
You can use the Tasks list in Siebel Tools to create a task UI. You can right-click the task in the Tasks list to display a menu that allows you to work on this task. The following table describes some of the items that this menu contains.
Table Some Menu Items That the Right-Click Menu Displays in the Tasks List
| Menu Item | Description |
|---|---|
New Record |
Creates a new object definition for a task UI. For more information, see Using the Tasks List to Create a Custom UI. |
Delete Record |
Deletes a task UI. If the status for a task UI is Completed, then you cannot delete it. You can do the following work to delete a completed task:
|
Copy Record |
Copies a task UI. Does a cascade copy of an existing task UI. A cascade copy copies the object definition for the task UI and the object definitions of the child objects of this task UI. You must rename the new copy immediately after the cascade copy finishes to make sure the new copy is unique. |
Add to Archive |
Archives a task UI in a SIF file. For more information, see the topics about working with archive files in Using Siebel Tools. |
Validate |
Validates a task UI. For more information, see Validating a Task UI. |
Edit Task Flow |
Opens the Task Editor for a task UI. For more information, see Using the Task Editor. |
Reset Version |
Resets the version number of a task UI to 0. You can reset the version only if the original version 0 of the task UI no longer exists in the SRF (Siebel Repository File). |
Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List
This topic describes how to locate the object definition for a task UI in the Tasks list.
To locate a task UI in the Tasks list
Open Siebel Tools.
If necessary, display the Task object hierarchy.
For more information, see Preparing Siebel Tools to Create a Custom Task UI.
In the Object Explorer, click Task.
In the Tasks list, query the Task Name property for the task UI you must modify.
If the task UI exists, then Siebel Tools displays the object definition for it. Querying for the task UI in this way results in Siebel Tools displaying a single, isolated record. This technique helps to make sure you choose the correct task UI in the Tasks list when you modify child objects of the task UI or when you do other work, such as publishing or revising.
Using the WF/Task Editor Toolbar
The WF/Task Editor toolbar is a toolbar in Siebel Tools that you use to deploy a task UI. It allows you to do the following work on a task UI:
Publish and activate
Publish
Revise
Expire
You must use the WF/Task Editor toolbar to publish and activate a task UI, or to expire a task UI. For more information about the work that these buttons perform, see Process of Deploying a Task UI.
The following image includes the WF/Task Editor toolbar.
The following table describes the buttons that the WF/Task Editor Toolbar contains.
Table Buttons That the WF/Task Editor Toolbar Contains
| Button Name | Description |
|---|---|
Publish |
Moves the object definition of a task UI from the repository tables that reside in your development environment to the run-time tables that reside on the Siebel client. You can then use the administrative screens in the Siebel client to activate this task UI. If you click Publish, then Siebel Tools modifies the status of the task UI from In Progress to Completed. You can choose more than one task before you click the Publish button or the Publish/Activate button to publish and activate multiple tasks. |
Publish/Activate |
Publishes and activates a task UI with a single button click in Siebel Tools while in local mode. You must do the following work to use the Publish/Activate button:
If you run or test a task UI in a server environment, then do not use the Publish/Activate button. Instead, use the Publish button to publish the task, and then use the Activate button in the task deployment view in the Siebel client. For more information, see Publishing and Activating a Task UI in Siebel Tools. |
Revise |
Creates a new version of the task UI for editing. Siebel Tools increments the version property by 1, and then displays this new version in the Tasks list. |
Expire |
Sets the status of the task UI to expired. |
Displaying the WF/Task Editor Toolbar
You must display the WF/Task Editor toolbar the first time you use it.
To display the WF/Task Editor toolbar
In Siebel Tools, choose the View menu, Toolbars, and then the WF/Task Editor Toolbar menu item.
To identify a button in the toolbar after you display the toolbar, position your mouse over an icon in the toolbar, and then note the name of the button that Siebel Tools displays in a small pop-up message.
Revising a Task UI
You can use the WF/Task Editor toolbar to revise a task UI.
To revise a task UI
In Siebel Tools, in the Object Explorer, click Project.
In the Projects list, query the Name property of the project that includes the task UI you must modify.
To lock the project, click the Locked property.
The Locked property must include a check mark.
Locate the task UI you must modify.
For more information, see Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List.
To create a new version of the task UI that you can edit, click the Revise button in the WF/Task Editor toolbar.
Starting with Siebel CRM version 8.1.1.9, you can compare different versions of a task UI. For more information, see the topic about Comparing Different Versions of a Workflow Process or Task UI in Using Siebel Tools.
Make your modifications in the new version of the task UI.
Deploy the task UI.
For more information, see Process of Deploying a Task UI.
Unlock the project you locked previously.
Expiring a Task UI
You can use the WF/Task Editor toolbar to expire a task UI.
To expire a task UI
Locate the task UI you must modify.
For more information, see Locating a Task UI in the Tasks List.
Click the Expire button in the WF/Task Editor toolbar.
For more information, see Revising a Task UI.
Publishing in Local Mode
If you work in local mode and you must use the Publish/Activate button rather than the Publish button, then it is not necessary to activate the task UI separately in the run-time client.
Wizards You Use to Create a Task UI
You can use the following wizards to help create a task UI:
Task Wizard. Helps you create an object definition for a task UI, including the first steps that you must include to run a task.
Task Applet Wizard. Helps you create a task applet.
Task View Wizard. Helps you create task UI views, and makes sure you include and display the objects that each task UI requires.
Transient Business Component Wizard. Helps you create a transient business component and fields for the transient business component, making sure you use the correct classes, table, and class set. For more information, see Overview of Transient Data.