Manifest File Customization (Siebel Open UI Training – Part 5)

In this fifth module of Siebel Open UI training series, we will discuss about Manifest File customization. Once your Presentation Model and Physical Render JS files are ready, next step is to embed these JS files with Siebel objects like applets, views or screens. In our last couple of modules, we have discussed about customization of Presentation Model and Physical Render.

After you complete this module, you will know

– What is Manifest File

– It’s role in Siebel Open UI application configuration

– Manifest File Customization steps

So lets start our discussion with Manifest File definition.

What is Manifest file in Siebel Open UI?

In Siebel Open UI, Manifest file identifies the JavaScript files that must be downloaded from Siebel server to client machine to render user interface like screens, views or applets.

Here we will discuss how to configure manifest file on Siebel Open UI 8.1.1.11. There is a difference in manifest file customization between 8.1.1.11 and prior version of 8.1.1.11. Before 8.1.1.11, there were two manifest files located under ../siebsrvr/OBJECTS.

– core_manifest.xml  contains the rendering keys for vanilla application

– custom_manifest.xml contains custom rendering keys

For any addition or deletion of PM or PR files, you had to update custom_manifest.xml file.

But from Siebel Open UI  8.1.1.11 and 8.2.2.4 onward, you don’t modify these two manifest files any more. You will configure manifest file from client itself without scripting. This is a major improvement that Oracle has introduced from Siebel Open UI IP 2013 onward.

Steps for Manifest File Customization:

1) Verify Presentation Model and Physical Renderer JS files include Define method

2) Register all custom JS files

3) Configure Manifest Administration

4) Verify customization

Note: All these steps are applicable from Siebel Open UI 8.1.1.11 onward.

Step 1: Verify Presentation Model and Physical Renderer JS files include Define method

– You can use any JavaScript editor to open custom PM and PR JS files and verify ‘Define’ method is declared or not.

– Define method should include the file name with relative file path and without .js extension. You will use the same file path to register the JS file in next step.

Step 2: Register all custom JS files

– Log in to Siebel Open UI application and navigate to Administration – Application > Manifest Files

– Query for the custom JS files on ‘Manifest Files’ view

If not available, create a new record to register the JS file. File name must be same as ‘Define’ method but with .js extension.

Step 3: Configure Manifest Administration

– Associate the JS files with Siebel Open UI objects like Applet, View, Screen

• Navigate to Administration – Application > Manifest Administration and create new UI object. It will tell Siebel Open UI engine to download all JS files when that particular object is loading on UI.
• Every UI object has three parameters – Type, Usage Type and Name.
• By default all UI objects are active. To inactivate any particular object, mark ‘Inactive Flag’ as ‘Y’.

– Configure the group under ‘Object Expression’ tab

• It decides how to download JS files and in what sequence
• You can write simple or complex expression using AND/OR operators

– Specify the files

• If you have added more than one expression under ‘Object Expression’ tab, then make sure you have selected the correct expression.
• Click on ‘Add’ button on the ‘File’ tab to get the file list
• Query the file name and click OK to add it with Siebel object

Step 4: Verify Customization

– Do ‘Clear Cache’ and reload the browser to verify all changes

– You can use browser tool ‘Inspect Element’ to see all files have been downloaded properly or not.

You may face errors on the Step 4 – Verify Customization.
But don’t worry!! we will discuss about debugging techniques in our last module – Debugging in Siebel Open UI.

This ends our Manifest File Customization module.

However we would like to share an interesting question that one of our readers faced in Siebel Open UI interview. Question was ‘how does Siebel Open UI behave when custom manifest record matches with vanilla manifest record?’

If the custom manifest record and vanilla manifest record have same values for Type, Usage Type and Name fields on UI object applet, Siebel Open UI gives priority to custom manifest. If you want to download all files from both vanilla manifest and custom manifest, then either add all custom files with vanilla manifest record and delete custom manifest or add all files with custom manifest record.

There are few exceptional cases as well, we will discuss those in later module.

To know more about Siebel Open UI interview question, read our article: Siebel Open UI Interview Questions

Also you can take our Siebel Open UI quiz – Siebel Open UI Quiz 

If you have any question about Manifest File Customization, Please feel free to comment below.

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<< Module 4: Physical Renderer Customization                      Module 6: Siebel Open UI Theme >>

Watch our YouTube Video on Manifest File Customization: