Since a while, the biggest change in Siebel has come
up with Siebel IP 2017. Along with its Unique Architecture, it’s brought in a
major change in the traditional Development approach till date. Yes the change is big, for Siebel Developers,
well being used to Developing in local, testing changes in Local Client (SRF –
Dedicated Client) and then pushing it to Server, it’s a big change but the best
part is that the change is for good !!!
I can only think of pros with the new Development Approach in IP17, the only Con is the “Resistance to ones nature of Work”
I can only think of pros with the new Development Approach in IP17, the only Con is the “Resistance to ones nature of Work”
Let’s
dig deep into the Concepts of Composer & Workspaces Development Concepts
in IP 2017
What’s New!!!
Composer : Siebel Web Tools + Added Features
Siebel Web Tools : Came
out in IP15, matured with IP17
Added Features : Workspace Management & Change Validation
Workspaces : An instance of Siebel Repository (like a Branch in
GIT)
Terminologies to get acquainted
to
Web Tools: Siebel Web Tools is
essentially the same Siebel Tools over Web. The entity runs on Siebel WebTool
Component (Alias: SWToolsObjMgr_<lang>). To enable the Component
you will have to enable its Comp Group: SiebelWebTools (Alias). Once you have
the Component enabled, all you have to do is add the Application within your AI
Profile (in SMC). Say, if you have added the Application in your AI Profile
with name – "webtools" & lang as "enu". Here’s how the URL will look like:
Now, important
to note that if you are logging in with your Developer Account, it needs to
have Workspace Admin Responsibility to be able to view the Web Tools Content.
What’s
not included in Composer: Workflow designer, Task UI editor or drag and drop
composition of applets.Schema, Dock objects, EIM mapping, scripts, and any
wizards are still part of Siebel Tools and will be transitioned to Composer in
the near future.
Ref: Oracle Blog
Workspaces: Magic Beans!!! Yes that’s
correct. With the concept of Workspaces, there is no more a need to carry out
steps like Generate DB + DB Extract + Full Get (Consuming around 1 – 2 days of
Development Life Cycle). Instead, you just have to create a Workspace. Book
Definition would be an “Instance of Repository”. Logically it’s a Copy of
Repository where you make your changes, validate and merge into MAIN (consider MAIN
as your actual “Siebel Repository”).
Basically
by default, the Component Parameter “WorkspaceBranchName” points to MAIN.
Now how is it Useful and how will Siebel Data Model acknowledge this?
Workspace
brings in a set of RR Tables (consider these as a replacement to the
Physical SRF file) + S_LST_OF_VAL where records are tagged with a
Column WS_ID.
Simple
example as below:
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM
S_LST_OF_VAL;
V/s
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM S_LST_OF_VAL
WHERE WS_ID=(SELECT ROW_ID FROM S_WORKSPACE WHERE NAME='MAIN' AND
REPOSITORY_ID=(SELECT ROW_ID FROM S_REPOSITORY WHERE NAME='Siebel
Repository'));
{Same Count}
By
default Workspaces are available in both Siebel Tools & Siebel Web Tools (or
I can say for the DB as both are just the UI pointing to same DB Instance)
Working
with Composer & Workspaces
1. Login to https://myserver.mycompany.domain.com:<AIPort>/siebel/app/webtools/enu
You’ll see something like below:
 |
| figure 1 |
2. Captured in Red is the Navigation to Workspaces. Once you click on it you will get a
view like below:
 |
| figure 2 |
So If I start developing, I will create a New Workspace for me by Clicking on Create.
Suppose I have created a Workspace named dev_sadmin_varun1, then on the top
right hand corner, I will see dev_sadmin_varun1 instead of MAIN.
3. Now to start off making changes in the Workspace, I will have to click on the Close
Button (top-right corner) and I will be taken back to the view mentioned in figure,
with the only difference that this time I will be seeing the contents of
dev_sadmin_varun1 instead of MAIN (Siebel Repository). Important to note that,
so far Oracle has not released any feature in figure 1 stage that can help to
determine the current Workspace (in case you are unsure). The only way is to Click
on "Workspace" icon in figure 1, and check the version in figure 2, and then if you
wish to make any changes you have to click on Close {X} Icon again.
4. Once you have made the changes, your changes will reflect in "Changes Over
here" section in figure 2.
5. Now here comes, the Best part, testing your changes. To Test your changes you do
not need to start client push srf and all. Instead with your Workspace as Active, you
just need to click on Inspect (E) in figure 2, it will automatically Launch Web Client
for you to validate your changes ? now that’s quick & convenient.
Once you are sure on your changes you can click on Version (A), which will put a
Checkpoint on the Workspace, no further changes after this.
6. Next step is to Submit (B) your changes, now in case by the time you have made
changes; in case someone had delivered the same objects with some changes, then
you will be given a choice to Rebase (C) the Object.
7. Finally Deliver (F) your changes. This will deliver your changes to the
Parent Branch – MAIN. All it does is an Incremental Publish to the RR Tables,
much like the Incremental SRF deployment in previous Releases.
You can
perform all the Activities in the Traditional Siebel Tools (Workspace
Explorer under Worskspace Tab) as well, however, the only missing feature
over there is Inspect <the True Magic>
There You Go !!! That’s Developing
without SRF(Downtime) in Siebel IP 2017
