Maximizing Performance

Page definitions permit controlled access to application data. The system can validate the data, write it to the database, and then retrieve and display it upon request. Behind the scenes, the component processor—the PeopleTools runtime processor—builds SQL statements that are based on the actions that you perform on pages. The component processor:

  • Manages the flow of data processing as users enter information on pages.

  • Issues INSERT, DELETE, and UPDATE statements to maintain data in the database and SELECT statements to retrieve data.

As you design your pages, some features can adversely affect page performance. There's always a trade-off between eliminating a useful feature and speeding up page processing. Guidelines for improving page performance include:

  • Be judicious about references to record definitions other than the primary record definition under each scroll area.

    References to other record definitions can include:

    • Related display controls.

    • PeopleCode references (such as edits and defaults) to other records.

    • Defaults to fields on other record definitions.

    • Field controls on derived or work records.

  • Put the field control on the appropriate derived or work record, rather than on a regular data record definition to derive its value.

    For example, FTE (full-time equivalent) on the JOB record definition would be moved to the DERIVED_HR derived or work record because its value is derived by the system.

  • Use as few record definitions as possible in a component.

    When you open a page in a component, the system loads all record buffers from the entire component into buffers.

  • Do not remove table edits to improve performance, even though an edit against another table causes a short pause.

    Eliminating them may compromise data integrity.

  • Frames, scroll areas, scroll bars, grids, and group boxes all create HTML tables, which, in some browsers, might slightly degrade the performance of your system.

    Be judicious about the number of these types of controls that you use on a page.

  • Apply deferred processing when possible to fields, pages, and components.