Tuesday, February 5, 2008

APPLETS AND VIEWS(11 to 17)

11.What is a thread bar?
The thread bar is a navigational tool. It provides the means to navigate from view to view among the views previously visited in the current screen. The entries in the thread bar identify a view. The name of the view is given in a box.


12.How do you configure thread behavior?
The following properties are set.
--Thread applet property – Specifies which of the applets appearing in the view supplies the data value for the thread field.

--Thread field property – The name of the field whose data value is included in the arrow box, following the thread title. This is a field in the business component, associated with the applet identified in the thread applet property.
--Thread title property – The text used in the thread to identify the view.



13.What is a pick applet?
Pick applets allow users to select values from a list, and have the selection entered into controls or list columns. They are invoked by clicking the ‘Select’ button that appears next to a certain field. Pick applets contain a scrolling list table of available selection in one list column. The pick applet selection can populate more than one field in the original applet. Pick applets maintain the foreign keys that facilitate join relationships.


14.What is an association applet?
An association applet provides users with the ability to associate a parent record with one or more children, through an intersection table. An association applet is a dialog box. Multi selection is available only in the association applet. Fields in the association applet cannot be updated.

Association applets are used only with pairs of business components that have a many to many relationship, which is implemented, by an intersection table and a pair of links. An association applet cannot be constrained through properties like a pick applet. You have to use eScript or VB Script.


15. What are the steps for creating view, screen, and application definitions?
--Create a view,
--Create a screen,
--Add view(s) to the screen,
--Create an application (or use an existing one),
--Associate screens to page tabs,
--Associate screens to screen menu items


16.Why might your changes to a list applet not be seen within a test of the application? And how can you force them to be seen?
The changes that are made to a list applet will be overridden by the users preferences (local file). To ensure your changes are seen reset the columns displayed.


17.What are the main differences in an Entry applet and a form applet?
An Entry applet has buttons (New, Delete, Copy, Cancel). It is used to editing the data in a list. A form applet has no buttons and is used to display the master record.

APPLETS AND VIEWS(1 to 10)

1.What is Siebel Application?
Siebel standard applications include a defined set of screens, views, lists, forms, and their associated templates.


2.What main three types of object can be put onto an applet?
Labels, buttons and text box.


3.What is a view and what does it consist of?
A view consists of one or more applets, it maps to a single business component, they are grouped into screens and finally they form the basis for responsibilities.


4 Once you have created a view what do you have to do in order for a user to see the view?
Register the view and then assign the view to the users responsibilities.


5.Explain what an applet is?
It is a means of displaying to the user, the data in fields of one business component. It occupies one or more adjacent sectors in a view. It can be configures as - list, form, and pick MVG or Associated.



6.What are screens?
These are a collection of related views. All views in a screen mapping to the same business object (except administration screens).


7.List the different modes of Applet?
An applet can be displayed in 5 modes (1) Base – read only (2) Edit – for updating values (3) New – for creating a new record (4) Query – where query is different from edit (5) Edit list – for editing records.


8.What are the various types of applets?
The various types of applets are:
--Form applet
--List applet
--Pick applet
--Multi value group applet(MVG)
--Chart applet
--Association applet
--Explorer or tree applet
--File attachment applets


9.Can you include controls inside a list applet?
Yes. Controls like check box, picklist, label, combo box can be placed inside a list applet.


10.What is the field control?
This is a custom control, stored in the Siebsrvr/webtempl/CCHTMLType, dCCHTML.swf and cfgHTMLType.swf. The SWE framework looks up the controls in these files for information on how to display them.

TOOLS(31 to 41)

31.What are the three compile options?
All, Locked and Selected


32.What is Copying Projects?
Object definitions in one or more projects can be copied:
--From the server to the local developer repository (Get, Check Out)
--From the local developer repository to the server (Check In)


33.What is Project Differences?
Project Differences to view details of changes made to checked-out projects prior to checking them in.


34. What are the three windowpanes associated with project ‘Diff’?
--Project differences,
--Object differences,
--Attribute differences


35. What does the Changed Flag indicate?
A Checkmark in this column indicates that changes have been made to the contents of the corresponding record since particular date and time (You set this date and time using the General tab in Tools -> Options menu).


36. What is the No Delete, No Insert, No Update BC property?
If set to TRUE, no data manipulation can be performed. Default is FALSE.


37. What are the two means for editing object definitions?
--Object List Editor,
--Properties window


38.What is validating Object Definitions?
Determines correctness of selected object definitions in the repository


39.What does setting the Runtime property to TRUE indicate?
If TRUE, then a runtime check will be made to see what special processing needs to occur for the field. TRUE indicates that more must be done than just showing the data from the database.


40.How can you check you configuration work inside Siebel? And what does it do?
You can validate your changes using the Validation screen (right click and select Validation). This allows you to use a set of pre-defined Siebel rules to check your work for correctness.


41.What is configuration?
Configuring is the process of modifying a standard Siebel application using Siebel Tools to meet business needs. Object definitions are edited and created.

TOOLS(21 to 30)

21.Describe the 3 Object Explorer (OE) tabs?
--Types: Higher-level object types displayed,
--Details:expanded top-level object type displays object definitions ,
--Flat: displays all definitions of that type


22.What are the different types of windows available in tools?
--Controls window
--Properties window
--Web templates window
--Bookmarks window
--Applets window.


23.What are the different types of editors available in tools?
--Browser Script editor
--Server script editor
--Web applet editor


24.What is a project?
--Are named sets of object definitions in a repository.
--Only one version of a project exists in a repository at a time.
--Are mechanisms to organize object definitions so that a single developer can exclusively work on them as a group.


25.What is Checking Out a Project?
Copies all object definitions in project on server to local database

26.What is Checking Out a Project?
Copies object definitions from local repository to server repository. Replaces versions of checked out object definitions with new versions and unlocks projects


27.What is the difference between GET and CHECK OUT?
Get: Just gets a read only copy of a project.
Check out: takes a read/write copy from the server and locks it both on the server and locally so that only you can work on it.


28.How do you cancel Check out?
Simply check out the project again, this will take the current copy from the server and over-write your version on the local machine. Then you can check it back in.


29.What is the difference between Check In/Check Out and locking?
Check In/Check Out allows changes to returned to the server, locking only allows you to make changes, this cannot be returned to the server.


30.How do you export a project?
Repository -> Add to Archive

TOOLS(11 to 20)

11.What is Virtual BC?
Business components based on external data are called virtual business components. Virtual business components are used when the business component has to obtain data from a location other than a database table in the Siebel database, but the information has to be presented in the standard Siebel user interface (applets and views).


12.What does Fields mean in BC?
Fields are child objects of business components. They are the source of data for controls and list columns displayed on applets in the user interface.


13.Explain about Calculated Fields in BC?
Calculated fields have a Calculated property of TRUE and a non-null value for the Calculated Value property. Calculated fields obtain their values from other fields in the same business component, or from the master business component in an active link in which the current business component is the detail.


14.What is a BO?
A major area of business functionality. A collection of BC’s which are logically related. One BC in the collection serves as the master BC (the master BC has the same name as the BO itself). Same BC can be used in different sets of relationships.


15.What are the steps for creating a BO and BC?
Create a project and/or checkout,
Create a BC and add to project,
Add fields to BC,
Create BO and add to project,
Associate BC to BO.


16.What is the User Interface Objects layer?
Is the visual representation of the underlying BOs and BCs. Provides means to customize the screen display. Defines the application, screens, views, applets and reports (including UI layout and navigation, all UI controls)


17.What are the child object types of an application, we have looked at so far?
--Screen Menu Items,
--Page Tabs


18.What is involved in creating a bitmap?
Add a bitmap category;
Create a bitmap (name must be “Logo”);
Import bitmap;
Preview


19. What are the two means for editing object definitions?
--Object List Editor
--Properties window


20.What is the difference between an object type and an object definition?
An object type is a named structure from which object definitions of a given type can be created. (Ex.: ‘Applet’ is an abject type and ‘Opportunity List Applet’ is an object definition.) An object definition has a predefined set of properties.

TOOLS(1 to 10)

1.What are horizontals and verticals in Siebel?
Siebel Horizontals application is general to every industry where as Vertical is specific to a industry. Such as eAutomobile, eInsurance, eBanking etc.


2.What is Tools?
Siebel Tools is used to modify standard Siebel objects and create new objects to meet your organizations business requirements. It is an integrated environment to customize the application. For example you use Siebel Tools to extend the data model, modify business logic, and define the user interface.


3. What is the repository file?
The Siebel repository refers to the set of tables in which Siebel objects and server scripts are stored. The set of objects and server scripts stored in the repository define a Siebel application (such as Siebel Service or Siebel Sales) and are compiled into a compressed file called a Siebel repository file (SRF file).


4. What is the .srf file?
A file that contains object definitions in a compressed, binary format, Stored in the \Objects folder, Read at runtime, Siebel reads the file on demand as different parts of the application are executed, once read from the file, it is kept in memory.


5. What kinds of information is contained in the .cfg file?
--Siebel application to run,
--Data sources available to application,
--Repository file to use,
--Application title to display in splash screen,
--Application title to display in application window


6.What are the three compile options?
All, Locked and Selected


7. What are the three layers to the Siebel Architecture?
--User Interface Layer
--Business Object Layer
--Data Object Layer


8.What is the Data Object Layer?
A layer of abstraction over the RDBMS, insulating the application and developer from database administration and restructuring. Contains Data Object Definitions such as ‘Table’, ‘Column’, and ‘Index’, which directly map to the RDBMS structure.


9.What is the Business Object Layer?
Business Object Definitions built on Data Object Definitions and/or other Business Object Definitions. Provides the interface to retrieve and manipulate data from the underlying SQL tables. Major object types: Business Component and Business Object.



10.What is a BC?
Associates columns from one/more tables in the Data Object layer into a single entity. Maps to a main table. Has Fields, most of which map to a Column in a Table. Enables relationships with other BCs using PK/FK relationships built-in to the Data Model.

DATA MODEL and PARTY(5 to 6)

5. Explain about User Key.
A user key specifies columns that must contain unique sets of values. It is used to determine the uniqueness of records during data import operations in EIM. The purpose of user keys is to prevent users from entering duplicate records. A user key is designated by the name of its parent table with an _Un suffix.


6. What is S_PARTY?
The party model organizes entities such as Person, Organization, Position, and Household. A party always represents a single person or a group that can be translated into a set of people such as a company or a household. The base table for all such access is S_PARTY.



Accounts(S_ORG_EXT)
Business Units(S_BU) }- Organization
Households(S_ORG_GROUP)

Contacts(S_CONTACT)
Employees(S_EMP_PER) }- Person
Users(S_USER)


Positions(S_POSTN) }- Position

DATA MODEL and PARTY(1 to 4)

1. Explain briefly about Table.
Table object definitions are logical representations in the Siebel repository of the physical tables in the underlying database management system.


2. Explain in brief about the prefixes and suffixes used for tables in Siebel.
Table Prefixes
EIM_ Interface tables for Enterprise Integration Manager.
S_ Siebel base table. (Exception: Tables with names of the form
S__IF are Obsolete interface tables.)
W_ Siebel eBusiness Data Warehouse table.

Base Table Suffixes
_ATT File attachment table.
_REL A table that supports a many-to-many relationship from an entity back to itself.
_SS A table that stores Siebel-to-Siebel integration information.
_X One-to-one extension table, available for customers to add attributes to the Siebel database.
_XA A table that stores extended attributes associated with an object class.
_XM One-to-many extension table, available for customers to add attributes to the Siebel database.



3. What are Columns in Siebel?
Column object definitions are representations of the physical columns in the underlying database management system. The name, data type, length, primary key and foreign key status, alias, and other properties of the database column are recorded as properties in the corresponding column object definition.


4. Explain about indexes in Database Management System?
An index object definition is a logical representation of physical index in the underlying database management system. Indexes are used for faster searching of records thereby increasing the performance. Siebel applications include a set of standard indexes and are named with a prefix of S_.

Monday, February 4, 2008

ACCESS CONTROL(14 to 15)

14. What determines allowable visibility for a business component?
The following fields in the business component view modes applet in Siebel tools determine allowable visibility for a business component.

Owner type – This is the party type. The allowable owner types are,
Person – Access control can be based on the user’s ‘person’ record.
Position – Access control can be based on the position of the user.

Organization – Access control can be based on the organization of the user, determined by which organization, the underlying current position belongs to.
Group – Access control can be based on membership in access groups, that have access to particular catalogs, and categories.

Catalog category – This is not a party type. Access can be restricted to all of the data, in all of the categories across catalogs, to which the user has access. The user sees a flat list of data.

Private field – This flag determines whether the record is private or public. If it is not private, then the record is shown, independent of its view mode. If it is set as private, then the access control is applied as specified by the business components visibility field or visibility MV field. This is applicable to all view modes.

Visibility field – A value in one of either visibility field or visibility MV field is required. The value in this field is compared with the corresponding value for the user, as specified in the owner type, to determine whether the user is associated with a record. If they are associated the user gets the record.
A value in this field indicates, that there is only one property associated with the business component, when using this view mode.

Visibility MV field – This field has the same purpose as visibility field, except a value in this field indicates that there can be more than one party associated with this business component, when using this view mode.

Visibility MV link – An entry in this field is required if there is a value in the visibility MV field.
This field specifies which of the business components multi value links should be used, to determine the value in the MV field for this record. Links establish a parent/child relationship between business components, often by specifying an intersection table (in the case of M:M relationship). The MV link destination field property indicates which link ultimately defines this relationship.

Name – The name typically suggests the view mode. However, view mode records for a business component must have unique names.
Personal – owner type person
Sales rep – owner type position
Organization – owner type organization
Group – owner type group
Catalog – owner type catalog

15. Which properties drive the access control for a view?
The following fields in the views list applet help determine data visibility.

Title – The title should suggest the level of access control of the views data.
Visibility applet – Typically this is the master in the master detail applet. This applet defines the business component on which the view is based, and how the fields of the business component are displayed.
A view has an entry in this field if the view is not derived from another view.
Multiple views can have the same visibility applet.

Visibility applet type – This field determines the access control mechanism that is applied to that view. It specifies which of the business component’s view modes are applied. The following choices are available in the picklist.
All – The user can access all records, except those with a missing or invalid owner.
Personal – Applies ‘Personal’ access control. User can access records with which the users ‘Person’ record is associated, as determined by the business components’ visibility field. To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with Owner type ‘Person’.

Sales rep – This view applies ‘Single position’ or ‘sales team’ access control. The user can access records owned by the user’s position or whose sales team contains the user’s position, as determined by the business components visibility field or visibility MV field. To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with owner type ‘Position’.

Manager – This view applies Manager access control. The user can access records associated with the user’s own position, and, positions that report directly to the user’s position, and, positions subordinate to those direct reports.
--If the business component on which the view is based uses ‘Single position’ access control, the user sees data associated with the user’s active position, or, with subordinate positions.
--If the business component on which the view is based uses ‘Sale team’ access control then, the user sees data for which the user’s active position is the primary position on the team, or a subordinate position is the primary member on the team.

To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with owner type ‘Position’.

Organization – Applies ‘Single’ or ‘Multiple’ organization access control, as determined by the visibility field or visibility MV field in the business component. To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with owner type ‘Organization’.

Sub_organization – Applies sub-organization access control.
--For single organization – the user sees data associated directly with the users active organization, or with a descendant organization.
--For multiple organization – the user sees data for which the user’s active organization or descendant organization is the primary organization.
To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with owner type ‘Organization’

Group – The view applies ‘Group’ access control, if the user is associated with an ‘Access group’. The user can access categories of master data, that are associated with any of the access groups with which the user is associated.

Catalog – This view applies Catalog access control, which is one mechanism of the access group access control. If the user is associated with an access group, the user sees a flat list of all the data in all of the categories across catalogs. To use this visibility applet type, the business component must have a view mode with an owner type of ‘Catalog’ category.

ACCESS CONTROL(9 to 13)

9. What is ‘All’ access control?
‘All’ access control provides access to all records that have a valid owner, as defined in any of the business components view modes. ‘All’ visibility essentially provides a view of data access all organizations. There are no business component view modes specific to ‘All’ access control. ‘All’ access control is set at the view level


10. What is access group access control?
This is meant to control access by groups of diverse party types to categorized master data. An access group is a collection of any combination of positions, organizations, divisions, accounts, households and user lists. Its members cannot be individual people.


A user is associated with an access group if during the current session, the user is associated with a position, organization, division, account, households and user list that is a member of the access group.

You can create hierarchies of access groups. An access group can belong to only one access group hierarchy. You can grant access groups, access to catalogs and categories of master data.

You can only control access to catalogs and categories of master data. You cannot control access to individual master data, using access group access control.

When access groups are associated with a catalog or with categories, in a catalog, you can apply access group access control. Control can be done in the following ways,

Group – While in a given category, the user sees either a list of categories sub-categories, to which the user has access, or, all the data records in the current category, depending on the applet being used.
Catalog – The user sees a flat list, of all the data, in categories, across all catalogs to which the user has access.


11. What components determine, the data within a view to which a user has access?

The following components determine what data a user sees, within a view:

Business component view mode – A view can have several applets – lists, forms, or trees. Each applet is based on a business component. The business components view mode determines the allowable properties, on which access control can be based for the business component.
Applet visibility properties – A view can specify one of it’s applets as the visibility applet. The visibility applet connects the business component to the view. The visibility applet specifies which business component to use, and the display names for the business components fields.
View visibility properties – A view’s visibility properties determines the access control mechanism that is applied to the business component, on which the view is based. The business component may have personal or position based access control available. The view specifies which of these to use.

The application and a users’ responsibility, restrict the views presented to the user. Within a view, view visibility properties determine the applet that drives the visibility in the view, and, specifies the access control mechanism to apply to the business component.

The views visibility applet specifies the business component being used in the view. The business component specifies how a user can be associated with data to provide access.


12. What is local access?
Each view has a ‘Local access’ flag. If set to True, all users with the view, in their responsibility, can access the view from, either the local or server database. When set to false, users can access the view when they are connected to the server database.

The ‘Local access’ column is primarily a mechanism for controlling, which views mobile users can work in offline mode.


13. How do you override the visibility property set in the ‘business component popup visibility type’ property?
The developer can override the visibility property set in the business component popup visibility type by,
--Setting the visibility of picklist object.
--Use the visibility ‘Auto all’ property.
--Use the special Frame class and user property.

ACCESS CONTROL(1 to 8)

1. What is basic access control?
Basic access control consists of the following:
--View level access control – Restriction of what views a user can see.
--Record(data) level access control – Restriction of what data records a user can see.


2. What are the mechanisms for record level access control?
The mechanisms are;
--Personal access control
--Position based access control
--Organization based access control
--‘All’ access control.
--Access group access control.


3. What is personal access control?
If individual data can be associated with a user’s Person record in the database, then you can restrict access to the data, to that person. E.g. My activities, My service requests. Some ‘My’ views apply Position or organization based access control. E.g. ‘My opportunities’ applies position based access control.


4. What is position based access control?
--A position is a job title in a company. A position represents reporting hierarchy. Positions provide an appropriate basis for access control because a position is more stable than the individual’s assignment to that position. Customer data and some types of referential data can be associated with one or more positions.

--If individual data can be associated with a position, then you can apply position based access control to the data by one or more of the following means:

Single position – Associate single position to individual data.
Sales Team – associate multiple positions to individual data.
Manager – Grant access concurrently to data associated with subordinate positions in a reporting hierarchy.


-- All position based access control for an employee or partner user is determined by an active position. One of the user’s position is designated as the primary position. When a user logs in, the primary position is the active position.


5. Describe single position access control?
You can associate a single position to individual data. A business components’ view modes determine whether single position access control, can be applied in a view that is based on the business component. To have a single position access control available, a business component must have a view mode of owner type ‘Position’, with an entry in the visibility field column.


6. Describe sales team access control?
You can associate multiple positions, in the form of a team, to individual data e.g. In My opportunities view, an internal employee or partner with a particular active position can see all the opportunities for which that position is included in the opportunities sales team.


A business components’ view modes, determine whether a Sales Team access control can be applied in a view that is based on a business component. The business component must have a view mode of owner type ‘Position’, with entries in the ‘Visibility MV Field’ and ‘Visibility MV Link’ columns.


7. Describe manager access control?
You can indirectly associate a position with data associated with subordinate positions in a reporting hierarchy.

Manager – subordinate relationships are determined from a position hierarchy. You can specify one present [position for a position, which represents that, the position is a direct report to the parent. The parent of an internal position may be in the same division or in a different division.
In a view using manager access control, the employee or partner has access to the following data.


--If the business component on which the view is based uses a single position access control, the user sees data associated directly with the users’ active position or with subordinate positions.
--If the business component on which the view is based uses sales team access control, the user sees data for which the users active position is the primary position on the team or, a subordinate position is the primary member on the team.

Manager access control is set at view level. It requires that the business component on which the view is based on a view mode with owner type position. (i.e. the visibility applet & visibility applet type ).


8. Describe organization based access control?
When individual data can be associated with an organization, you can apply organization based access control to the data by one or more of the following.


Single organization – Single organization with individual data.
Multiple organizations – Multiple organization with individual data.
Sub-organizations – Grant access concurrently to the data associated with subordinate organizations in the organization hierarchy.


A user is associated with one organization at any given time, the organization to which the user’s active position belongs.

ARCHITECTURE(1 to 13)

1. What are the 5 types of Siebel client?
--Dedicated
--Mobile
--Web
--Wireless
--Handheld.


2. What are the three object layers for a configured application?
--UI layer
--Business layer
--Data layer


3. State 5 of the components of the logical server architecture
--Gateway
--Enterprise
--Siebel Server
--File server
--Database server


4. What are the four server component states - describe each of them.
--Online
--Running
--Offline
--Shutdown


5. Describe briefly the following: gateway server, file server enterprise server
--Gateway Server - Provides access to and availability of Siebel Servers (name server and Connection Broker)
--File System - Shared directory that stores compressed files used by Siebel applications
--Enterprise Server - Group of Siebel Servers that access the same database server


6. Explain about Siebel Web Engine.
Generates the user interface in Siebel applications as HTML pages on the server and passes them to a Web browser through HTTP. SWE allows users to view and modify data. SWE retrieves and updates data by interfacing with the object manager.


7. What is Siebel Web Client?
Displays the interactive Siebel application used to manage the Siebel data.


8. Explain about the different types of client.
Handheld and Mobile Web Clients :
Access local .cfg and .srf files
Directly access a local database and Siebel File System
Directly connect to their designated Siebel Server for synchronization


Mobile Web Client:
Siebel.exe is launched from program group or startup icon
Startup switch identifies .cfg
.cfg identifies .srf, application, local database, and Siebel Server
Mobile and Handheld are not zero-footprint applications

Dedicated Web Client :
Uses a locally installed executable (siebel.exe) to support dedicated access to the database
No requirement for Web Server or SWSE
Not a zero-footprint application


9. What is Web Server?
--Identifies and passes Siebel requests from Web clients to the Siebel servers
--Passes completed HTML application pages back to Web clients


10. What is Siebel Server?
--Is a Windows service or Unix daemon process
--Is the platform that supports interactive, batch, and background processing for all Siebel clients
--Controls server components running on a machine


11. Explain about Server Load Balancing.
--Evenly distributes the workload across available servers
--Web Server load balancing supported by third-party HTTP load balancer
--Siebel Server load balancing supports two mechanisms
-Siebel SISNAPI/SSL load balancer built in to the SWSE
-Third-party HTTP load balancer


12. Explain about File System.
--Is a shared directory that stores compressed files used by Siebel applications
Examples: Product literature, sales tools, presentations
--Read/write access is controlled by the File System Manager server component


13. What is Object Definition?

Siebel object definitions are the metadata that define Siebel applications. Siebel object definitions implement the user interface, business entities, and database organization. Object definitions are stored in a set of database tables called the Siebel Repository.

WEB TEMPLATES(1 to 10)

1. Explain about Template Files.
A Siebel template is a special kind of HTML file that defines the layout and formatting of elements of the user interface (such as views, applets, and controls). It provides this layout information to the Siebel Web Engine when rendering Siebel objects in the repository to HTML files.


2. What is the template called that you use to create an actual object definition?
Object Type


3. What is an applet web template?
The applet web template establishes an association between a parent applet and a web template. There are 5 modes(Edit, Edit List, Base,New and Query), and each of these modes are mapped to a template. Applets may have several edit and new applet web templates, but will have at most one base and query applet web template. Applet web template item is the child object and has list items, applet controls and web controls that belong to the applet web templates.


4. What does the web applet editor do?
This helps ensure visually accurate and correctly translated configuration, by providing design time preview of the applet in various modes and with various language settings. It allows you to map controls and list columns to web templates. You can also add controls by dragging and dropping them from the toolbar including custom controls such as minibutton and position on row.


5. How many types of templates are there in Siebel?
There are four types,
--View template
--Applet template
--Web page template
--Formatting templates


6. What are the various page templates?
--Acknowledgement web page
--Container web page
--Error web page
--Login web page
--Log off acknowledgement web page
--Sort web page


7. What is the use of the acknowledgement web page?
If in an application this property is not set the user is taken to this page after a successful login.



8. What is the use of the container web page?
--This page defines the structure of the application, and contains the common UI components. All views and pages are shown within the context of the container page. The container page is the outermost template; it references the view templates, which in turn references the applet templates.


The container page consists of,
--The top, contains the corporate banner, and tags for predefined queries.
--The screen bar is generated beneath these.
--The view bar is loaded into the left portion of the page.

Once the container page is loaded with screen and view names displayed, they (screen names and view names) function as hyperlinks.
1)When a screen name is clicked the template for the default view for that screen is obtained and the view is generated and displayed.

2)When a view name is clicked in the view bar, the view template that is referenced in the views object definition is loaded.
The Siebel web engine processes the set of tags in the view template to incorporate applets into the page.


9. What are Siebel tags?
Siebel tags are special tags used in template files. They specify how Siebel objects defined in the repository should be laid out and formatted in the HTML page rendered in the user’s Web browser


10. What are Cascading Style Sheets?

Cascading Style Sheets are style sheet documents (of type text/CSS) that define how HTML or XML elements and their contents should appear in a Web document.

INSTALLATION and SERVER MANAGER(21 to 29)

21. What is the cfg file and what does it contain?
It contains initialization settings for the application engine such as - Gateway Server, Enterprise Server, Application info, server parameters, srf file, database sources, etc.


22. What is eappps.cfg?
Is the single configuration file for all the Siebel applications.
Contains configuration information, including: connectivity information, login, and security settings
Allows the SWSE to communicate with the Siebel Server
Contains a connect string for each Siebel application


23. What are the steps to install the database server
--Invoke dbsrvr installation program
--Run grantusr SQL script
--Edit & run install.ksh script
--Edit & run imprep.ksh


24. What does the grantusr.sql, install.ksh and imprep.ksh do?
--Grantusr SQL script = create dbase users and allows access
--Install.ksh script= create the dbase schemas & populates seed data
--Imprep.ksh = populate repository data


25. How do you set up an organization?
--Define organization hierarchy
--Define divisions
--Define positions
--Define responsibilities
--Set up employees


26. State 3 of the task modes - give examples
--Background mode - transaction Router,
--Batch - EIM
--Interactive - Synchronization Manager


27. What three methods can you use to track and debug a task, in Server Manger?
--Set Trace flags for the full trace,
--Set SQL flags to get a run down of the SQL generated
--Set error flags to get more error information.


28. Describe the steps for creating a developer in Siebel
--Create user as an employee in Siebel,
--Create a login to the database,
--Create them as a mobile user,
--Generate a database template,
--Generate a database extract for the user,
--Initialize the local Db,
--GET a copy of the repository.


29. What must you do before the Installation of any Siebel products?
--Validate the versions that are to be used and ensure that they are supported (hardware and OS)

--Create the File server and share it.
--Install all third-party software. (Fulcrum, Adobe, Resonate, etc)
--Install the RDBMS and create the empty DB.

INSTALLATION and SERVER MANAGER(11 to 20)

11. What is the local database file and what does it contain?
The local database file is stored as siebel7.7\local\sse_data.dbf and contains:
--Files available to the mobile client when disconnected
--Files added to local file system are synchronized up to Siebel File System


12. List the Siebel Server (Remote) Components.
--Server directory structure
--Generate new database
--Database extract
--Transaction processor
--Transaction router
--Synchronization manager
--Transaction merger


13. What happens during database extract?
--Extract Enterprise data (entrpse.dat), Get Enterprise literature (entrpse.toc)
--Extract data for USERA (database.dat), Get literature owned by USERA (000001.toc)
--Entrpse.dat & database.dat = (000001.uaf)
--Entrpse.toc & 000001.toc = (000002.toc)


14. What does transaction processor do?
Copies transactions from the Master Transaction log to the Siebel servers, in sequentially numbered .dx files. Purges the Master Transaction log once transactions are routed to all Siebel servers. Run only one transaction processor per Siebel server


15. What does transaction router do?
Get transactions (Txnproc\) for each mobile users, lock \Docking directory for the user it is processing. Use visibility rules to rebundle/route transactions to mobile clients outboxes. Multiple router tasks can be started on a Siebel Remote Server


16. What are the following files - dobjinst.dbf and visdata.dbf?
--dobjinst.dbf - a list of all accounts, opportunities, etc.
--Visdata.dbf - visibility data needed when data changes are made that affect visibility, obtained from the database server. Cached on the server for routing to other mobile users


17. What is Transaction Merger and what does it do?
Transaction merger is an asynchronous process. It applies uploaded transactions from Mobile client inboxes onto the database. Inboxes processed in order mobile clients Synchronize. Run at least one transaction merger for each Siebel Server


18. What are the steps for enabling Siebel Remote on the server?
--Verify server specifications
--Enable encryption
--Set Siebel Remote system preferences
--Review routing rules
--Generate database template
--Register mobile clients
--Database extract
--Configure remote server components



19. What are the steps involved in enabling Siebel Remote for Clients?
--Verify client specifications
--Update CFG file
--Initialize mobile client database
--Synchronize
--Set synchronization preferences
--View results



20. What happens during initialization?
--Prompts for mobile client connection information.
--Connects
--Validates Mobile Client
--Checks for database extract
--Downloads snapshot, template, and file attachments
--Disconnects
--Creates and loads database
--Again prompts for connection information.

INSTALLATION and SERVER MANAGER(1 to 10)

1. Name the four levels of control we have over the Server.
--Enterprise,
--Server,
--Component,
--Task.


2. Name the four states that a component can be in.
--Running,
--Enabled,
--Disables,
--Shutdown.


3. Name 5 third party software packages that are shipped with Siebel.
--Actuate
--Resonate
--Adobe Acrobat
--Fulcrum Search Builder
--Sybase SQL Anywhere


4. Explain the 5 main functions of the Server Manger
--Controls your Enterprise,
--Manages Siebel Servers,
--Allows the configuration of the components,
--Allow you to run tasks,
--Collect statistics.


5. Name and explain the three modes of Component operation
--Server Mode : run background operations for the server and runs forever, once started.
--Task Mode : run specific task and exits upon completion,
--Session Mode : created dynamically for client request. Runs as long as session is maintained then exits.


6. What are the major functions of Siebel Remote?
--Transaction routing
--Synchronization of database server and mobile client database
--Obtaining and updating literature, correspondence, and attachments from the Siebel File System


7. What are the benefits/features of Siebel Remote?
--Brief connection time for mobile users
--Easy to use
--Resistant to failure
--Detailed reporting of synchronization events and statistics
--Consistent client and server
--Scaleable architecture
--Security and authentication
--Visibility



8. What are the major functions of Siebel Anywhere?
--Create an upgrade kit
--Distribute the upgrade kit contents
--Apply the upgrade kit contents


9. What is the Master Transaction log, what is stored in it and what happens to it?
Master Transaction log is stored in S_DOCK_TXN_LOG. All transactions are recorded that occur via stationary & thin clients, EIM, AM, WF and Siebel Remote. Only the net-changes are stored. Once copied to the server the log is purged.


10. What are the functions of Synchronization Manager?

--Validates the mobile client
--Validates and decompresses transaction files
--Handles transfer of literature, correspondence, and attachments

Siebel Basics and FAQs