People Tools 8.

4: PeopleSoft Application Designer

PeopleBooks Standard Field Definitions

Throughout our product documentation, you will encounter fields and buttons that are used
on many application pages or panels. This section lists the most common fields and buttons
and provides standard definitions.

Field Definition

Effective Date Date on which a table row becomes effective; the date that an
action begins. For example, if you want to close out a ledger on
June 30, the effective date for the ledger closing would be July
1. This date also determines when you can view and change the
information. Pages or panels and batch processes that use the
information use the current row.

Chapter 1
Using PeopleSoft Application Designer

This chapter provides an overview of PeopleSoft Application Designer and discusses how to:

• Use PeopleSoft Application Designer components.

• View PeopleCode.

• View internet options.

• Work with definitions.

• Build and maintaining data.

Understanding PeopleSoft Application Designer

PeopleSoft Internet Architecture
Change Tracking and Change Control

Understanding PeopleSoft Application Designer

Every PeopleSoft Internet Architecture (PIA) application contains a collection of related
definitions that work together for a specific purpose. PeopleSoft Application Designer is an
integrated development environment that enables you to work with the numerous
definitions of a business application in a single work area.

PeopleSoft Internet Architecture

 PIA uses an internet browser for interacting with online PeopleSoft applications. You design
applications using PeopleSoft Application Designer, and for the browser, the PeopleTools
dynamically generates HTML pages based on page and component definitions.

PIA features include:

• Ability to easily create robust and high-performance internet applications of PeopleSoft

transactions that look and function like web pages.

• Support for as many existing page controls and concepts as possible.

Controls include push buttons, radio buttons, and drop-down list boxes; concepts include
upgrading and multilingual support.

• Ability for the application to operate independently or in a menu system.

Change Tracking and Change Control

PeopleSoft Application Designer includes change tracking and change control features so that you
can manage your adaptations and upgrades as an integrated part of your development process. You
can enable change tracking, change control, or both.

Change Tracking Change tracking automatically audits changes to

PeopleTools definitions that you make using PeopleSoft
Application Designer. This enables you to identify the
definitions that you have changed. This automatic audit
helps to document and simplify the upgrade process.
Change Control Change control adds an additional level of control over
who can make changes and how much information is
captured about each change. Definition locking controls
access to definitions. Locking a definition (such as a
page) gives you exclusive control of that definition to
make changes; however, other users can view it.

You control these features using options in the Tools menu, Change Control Administrator
dialog.

Using PeopleSoft Application Designer Components

This section discusses how to:

• Start PeopleSoft Application Designer.

• Use the Application Designer window components.

Starting PeopleSoft Application Designer

Open your PeopleTools application.

Go  PeopleTools Application Designer from the Tools menu.

Using the PeopleSoft Application Designer Window Components

The PeopleSoft Application Designer window includes the following six main components.

Component Description

Title bar Displays the name of the open project and active definition.
Menu Provides access to PeopleSoft Application Designer commands and features.
Toolbar Displays buttons useful in editing the active definition.
Project workspace Provides a graphical representation of the components contained in a project.
The project workspace has two folder tabs:
• Development View

• Upgrade View
Definition workspace Displays individual definitions that you open.
Output window Contains the output text from PeopleSoft Application Designer operations,
such as Build (SQL Create and Alter), Find Definition References, Upgrade,
Results, Validate, and PeopleCode Log.

Application Designer Window Menus

This section reviews the general PeopleSoft Application Designer menus. Specific menus
appear for each individual definition when it is open and active. Those menus are covered in
the sections about each definition.

File Menu Commands Usage

New Create and open a new definition.

Open Open a selected, existing definition.
Close Close the active definition in the definition workspace.
Save Save the active definition in the definition workspace.
Save As Save the active definition. This enables you to change the
name as you save it.
Save All Save all open definitions.
Save Project Save the project.
Save Project As Save the active project definition. This enables you to
change the name of the project as you save it.
Print Project Print an Upgrade Project Report for all the elements in the
open project.
Merge Projects Create a new project from selected definitions of two
existing projects.
Project Properties Edit properties for the open project.
Definition Properties Provide general comments and change attributes for the
active definition. You can change attributes for Use, Type,
and Internet properties depending on the definition type.
Rename Rename selected definitions.
Delete Delete selected definitions from the database.
Page Setup Select the type of data to print, and set up borders and
margins.
Print Preview View an onscreen preview of the printout.
Print Print the active definition in the definition workspace.
View Report View a report of the definition in an open window in
workspace.
Report from File, View a print preview of a selected report file that is saved
Print Preview to a disk.
Report from File, Print a selected report file from a disk.
Print
File Menu Commands Usage

Report from File, View a report from a selected report file that is saved to a
View Report disk.
Last Opened Definitions View and open one of the last five opened definitions.
Exit Close and exit from PeopleSoft Application Designer.

Note. Following are the general menu commands in the Edit menu. Other menu commands
appear when a definition is active in the definition workspace. Those menu items are
described in each specific definition section.

Edit Menu Commands Usage

Undo Reverse last action.

Redo Repeat last action.
Cut Remove the selected area and hold it in memory for later
use.
Copy Duplicate a selected area and hold it in memory.
Paste Insert information from a Cut or Copy command.
Delete Delete a selected area.
Find Definition References Search for all related definitions and references (fields,
records, pages, PeopleCode, and so on) to the current open
definition. The results appear on the Display window: Find
Definition References tab.
Find in… Search through all PeopleCode or SQL programs for a text
string that you describe in a dialog box. You can also
specify which type of PeopleCode and SQL programs to
search.

View Menu Commands Usage

View Definition View a definition that is referenced in the active

View PeopleCode
View Internet Options
definition.
View PeopleCode characteristics of the active definition.
Activate and deactivate PIA options for pages and page
controls in PeopleSoft Application Designer. The default
is activated.
 View Menu Commands Usage

Filtering Select a filter option for your view of Upgrade:

• No Filtering.

• Selected for Upgrade Action.

• Not Selected for Upgrade Action.

• Custom Filtering.
Toolbar Activate and deactivate the toolbar.
Status Bar Activate and deactivate the status bar.
Project Workspace Activate and deactivate the project workspace display.
Output Window Activate and deactivate the output window display.

Insert Menu Commands Usage

Current Definition into Insert the active definition into the project.
Project
Definitions into Project Display a dialog box to insert definitions into the project.

Build Menu Commands Usage

Current Definition Display a dialog box to build or alter the record definition
that is currently active in the definition workspace.
Project Display a dialog box to build (SQL Create and SQL Alter)
all records in the project.
Compile All PeopleCode
Settings Validate all of theaPeopleCode
Display in which
dialog box in the current database.
you set parameters that
Compile Project PeopleCode apply
Validate the to build operations.
PeopleCode in the current project.
Compare and Report Compares two projects and reports on the differences.
Copy Project Copies the current project to a database, to a file, or
Debug Menu Commands Usage from a file to your database.
exports a project
PeopleCode DebuggerOpen
Data Administration Modedialog
Start the PeopleCode
boxes that describeDebugger, invoking
space allocation a debugging
in the
database. session and causing a full Debug menu to appear. Once
in Debugger mode, a Local Variables watch window
Change Control Open dialog boxesintothe
appears view history or
definition set system-wide
workspace. See PeopleTools
change control options as the
8.4 PeopleBook: administrator.
PeopleSoft PeopleCode Developer’s
Guide, Debugging Your Application.
Upgrade Use functions for upgrading an application project.
Translate Use options for translating base and operator language
databases.
Tools Menu Commands Usage
Miscellaneous Definitions Use options for setting custom field formats, toolbars,
Validate Project colors, Validate attributes
styles, and of the active project.
access profiles.
Bulk Operations Enables you to insert, modify, or delete certain definition
types across your entire database in one operation.
Options Select commands specifying insertion commands,
definition language preference, validating options,
PeopleCode fonts, definition ownerID, and more.
Window Menu Commands Usage

Cascade Cascade all of the definitions that are not minimized in

the definition workspace into overlapping layers of
definitions with the definition names visible.
Tile Reorganize and resize all of the definitions that are not
minimized in the definition workspace so that they are all
visible and do not overlap.
Arrange Icons Neatly group together all of the minimized definitions in
the definition workspace.
Close All Close all of the definitions in the definition workspace.

Help Menu Commands Usage

Current Window Provides context-sensitive help related to the active

window by opening the appropriate PeopleBook in the
appropriate location.

Help Menu Commands Usage

PeopleBooks Library Takes you to the PeopleSoft Online Library (the online
documentation for PeopleTools and the PeopleSoft
applications that you have licensed).
About PeopleTools Displays the PeopleTools release level, application release,
user ID, database name, database type, and application
server name.
 Application Designer Window Toolbar
Following are the toolbar buttons for frequently used commands. The
command name appears in parentheses following the description).

Create a new definition and open it in the definition

workspace
(File, New).
Open an existing definition in the definition workspace
(F
ile
,
O
pe
n).
Save the active definition (File, Save).

Save all open definitions (File, Save All).

Open the Print Records dialog box for printing records

and other definitions (File, Print).
Remove the selected area and hold it in
memory for later use (Edit, Cut).
Duplicate a selected area and hold it in
memory (Edit, Copy).
Insert information from a Cut or Copy
command (Edit, Paste).
Open the Definition Properties dialog box (File,
Definition Properties).
Open the Build dialog box (Build, Current Definition).

Toggle the display of the project workspace (View,

Project
Workspace).

Project Workspace
View projects and their associated definitions in the project workspace.

A project organizes and presents the definitions of a business application in logical

groups for easier development, adaptation, maintenance, and upgrade.

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 Project workspace shown with a project open

Definition Workspace
Use the definition workspace to create and modify definitions, which can be
maximized, minimized, cascaded, or tiled in the workspace.

Output Window
The output window displays status messages of various PeopleSoft Application
Designer operations. The output is organized into different categories using tabs at
the bottom of the window.

The text displayed in the output window is context-sensitive, enabling you to select it to
perform related operations. For example, if you have a field definition open, select Edit,
Find
Definition References to list the definitions that reference the active field
definition. The list appears in the output window. Then, double-click any of the
related definitions listed to open them.

The output window contains several tabs that relate to numerous functions that
you can perform with PeopleSoft Application Designer.
Tab Usage

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 Build Create tables, indexes, and views, and alter tables. If you specify the Log to
Output Window option in the Build settings, then errors, warnings, and
informational messages appear here. You can control the level of detail
that appears.
Find Definition View definitions that are used or referenced by other definitions. Double-
References click a definition to open it.

Upgrade View upgrade actions that are initiated from PeopleSoft Application
Designer.
Results View messages related to project operations, like opening a project or
inserting definitions into the project.
Validate Validate projects and components, and view the results.
Find in... View the Find in... dialog box output. Double-click a definition to open it.
The Find In… search can also be limited to a specific project, rather than
the entire database.
PeopleCode Log View errors that you receive when you're in the debugger stepping through
code.

Working With Definitions

This section provides an overview of definitions and discusses how to:

• Open definitions.

• View definitions.

• View and edit definition properties.

• Create definitions.

• Rename definitions.

• Delete definitions.

• Insert definitions into a project.

• Remove definitions from a project.

• Find definitions.

• Save definitions.

• Close definitions.

Understanding Definitions

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 You can create or modify many types of definitions in PeopleSoft Application Designer.

Development Definitions
The following table lists development definitions.

Definition Description

Activity
Application Engine
Application Package
Approval Rule Set
Business Interlink
Workflow map showing the individual steps, events, and routings that
comprise a complete activity in a business process.
Program comprising SQL statements and PeopleCode programs to run in batch
mode as an alternative to using COBOL or SQR programs.
Used to create Application Classes, which could be used to either extend the
functionality of existing PeopleTools classes (Rowset, Array, and so on) or to
create your own classes.
Workflow maps that provide a visual representation of approval rules. Virtual
Approver and GetApprovers both read approval rule sets to determine who
must approve transactions.
Provides a gateway between PeopleSoft applications and the services of an
external system.

Business Process Workflow maps that provide a visual overview of the activities involved in a
procedure.
Component Represents a logical business transaction or a set of logically related pages that
are processed together.
Definition Description

Component Externalizes access to a component so that it can be used by a third party or an

Interface application message.
Field Individual pieces of data—such as an employee ID—that can be entered by the
user and stored in the database, in a column on a table, or in a view.
File Layout Definition (or mapping) of a file to be processed. It identifies where data fields are
located in a file.
HTML Indicates where HTML code can be inserted on a page.

Image Stores and displays images, such as employee photos, product pictures, and so on.

Menu Enables access to the components that you build and the pages contained in the
components.
Message Based on a multilevel structure, similar to components, that defines the data to
insert into the application message at runtime.
Message Channel These correspond to groups of message definitions and help order messages
properly, enhance scalability, and provide a simple way to define processing
characteristics of many similar messages as a single group.

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 Mobile Page A PIA page based on a synchronizable component interface for display on
disconnected mobile devices, such as laptops or PDAs.
Page Pages provide a way to enter, view, and edit data online. The system validates user
input, writes it to the database, and retrieves and displays it upon request.
Project User-defined collection of related definitions created for developing, adapting, or
upgrading a PeopleSoft application.
Problem Type Used in optimization to tie the optimization application records, the optimization
transactions, and the optimization plug-in together as one entity.
Record All of the data that resides in PeopleSoft applications is stored in tables, or records,
as part of a relational database system. Each record definition describes the
properties of an underlying SQL table.
SQL Can be entire SQL programs or fragments of SQL statements that you want to
reuse.
Style Sheet Collection of styles that can be used by PIA application pages.

Viewing and Editing Definition Properties

Each definition type has properties associated with it. To view or edit definition
properties,
1. select File, Definition Properties.
2. You can also click the toolbar button or
3. press ALT+ENTER.

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 Properties dialog box

The Definition Properties dialog box always includes a General tab that provides a
place to display and enter descriptions and comments regarding the definition.

An optional Owner ID drop-down list box is provided to designate the owner of an

individual definition. This helps identify which application team last made a change
to a definition. Set the default Owner ID for new definitions in the Options dialog
box, Owner Id tab.

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 Renaming Definitions

You can rename existing definitions in a database at any time.

Rename Definition dialog box

Deleting Definitions

Deleting a definition is different than removing a definition from a project. When you
remove a definition from a project, the reference to the definition is removed from the
project, but the definition still exists in the database and thus may be a part of any other
project. Deleting a definition, however, permanently removes the definition from the
database. Any projects or other definitions that contains the deleted definition are
affected.

Before deleting a definition you should find all references to that definition by running
Find Definition References. For example, a field definition you want to delete may be
referenced by both record and page definitions.

Note. If you delete a component definition, you must delete all component interfaces
based on that definition.

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 Delete Definition dialog box

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 Inserting Definitions Into a Project

You can:
• Insert definitions individually. (Insert Current Definition into Project)

• Select a number of definitions to insert as a group.( Insert  Definitions into

Project.)

Insert into Project dialog box

Note. There is a distinction between related definitions and referenced definitions. A

related definition is one that is used by the current definition. A definition reference is
one that uses the current definition. For example, in the case of a component, pages in
the component are related definitions. The menus that use the component are its
definition references

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 Extra Information:

1. PeopleSoft, the PeopleSoft logo, PeopleTools, PS/nVision, PeopleCode, PeopleBooks,

PeopleTalk, and Vantive are registered trademarks, and "People power the internet." and Pure
Internet Architecture are trademarks of PeopleSoft, Inc
2.

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