Business Object - User Defined Name

tazzmaxx · Post by **tazzmaxx** » Thu May 07, 2009 2:38 pm

I have a situation where technical specifications were delivered with all BO names defined by the IT group. The app was built and displayed to the business and in a typical failing of communication between the 2 parties the IT naming conventions do not comply with the business requirements.

While this is something that IT and the business side will need to work out my question is the following:

Can a BO be created with one name and then have a user defined name associated with the object that displays to users in the application?

That way if a BO was called CONTACT_ASC01 (which is what the IT group wants to see because it complies with their database design practices) a configurator could call the BO CONTACTS (which is what the business wants to see). I know that you can do this at an attribute level by changing the label in the presentation but I'm not sure about the BO level.

If this can be done at a BO level then the business related CONTACT would be visible in the Import/Export lists and if a BO is used in a BOG and the user has to select from the BOs in the BOG.

If there is a way to do it (without changing the actual BO name of course) then I cannot seem to figure out how to do it. If not, does anyone else experience this problem or am I alone on this one?

Thanks

ACDC · Post by **ACDC** » Thu May 07, 2009 7:53 pm

I think the ability to provide an "Alias" to an Object and also to its attributes would be a good solution for this. I have a similar problem where the object name and attribute name don't make sense to the user when setting up user defined queries and reports

Dallas · Post by **Dallas** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:23 pm

I have a similar situation. I am trying to put an application together for some of my clients that will replace an old MS access solution that they have. Basically I would like to give them a nice web solution (still up in the air but trying to sell it to upper management).

Anyway I am guessing that there is not a way to get the Tables to not show up all smushed together and ITish. For example when I try to search for objects I get things like ProductType and ClientSpecificItems. Is there a way to get these to seperate or change them?

tford · Post by **tford** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:38 pm

Dallas,

Are you asking about user defined queries, etc or ones that you as the configurator would design?

Dallas · Post by **Dallas** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:43 pm

I think I know what you mean. I am talking about when I run a Search for na Object. In the list of values in the drop down is not in a user friendly format.

Does that make sense?

aware_support · Post by **aware_support** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:05 am

When you display references as a drop down, the drop down will show those attributes that you indicate when defining the presentation for the attribute. It will separate the values with spaces. Usually it makes sense to show just one attribute, so that it looks nice. You need to indicate which attribute of the referred object you want to show. If you do not indicate any attributes at all Aware IM will show a number of arbitrary attributes

tazzmaxx · Post by **tazzmaxx** » Fri May 08, 2009 12:52 pm

I think Dallas is talking about exactly what I am talking about. When you enter BO names sometimes the names are not what the end user wants to see. like the following:

BusinessAddress (the user may want to see 'Business Address' instead)
ProductType (Product Type)

I wasn't originally referring to referenced objects as we have no problem changing the name. I am talking about if a user selects Export or Import that the BO names are listed (not a user friendly name) or if you are selecting a BO from a BOG the drop down will list the BO names.

daxhamlin · Post by **daxhamlin** » Fri May 08, 2009 1:33 pm

I am a new user (verion 1197). and I have been struggling with the same issue except I just figured that I was doing something wrong.

When I look at Recent objects or do a search or create a new record using the default search and new object forms in the system menu all I see are the BO names and some of them are not user friendly. As well, the import and export forms are the same way.

Please tell me there is an easy way to change the BO names. I love the ease in creating a new application and I like using the default new object, search, recent objects and import/export forms.

Thanks,

Dax

Dallas · Post by **Dallas** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:03 pm

I think I described my issue incorrectly. Tazzmaxx hit exactly what I wanted to communicate.

Example:
I am looking at the sample application CRM. If I want to look for objects in the database I go to: System => Search Objects. Once the 'Search Business Objects' screen is loaded I goto the first dropdown for a list of available business objects. I get items like 'CommunicationAlert', 'StaffMember' and 'RegularUser'. Is it possible to add spaces or even change what is displayed to the user? For example in the access application I am trying to replace all of the tables are displayed to the users with names that differ from what it is actually called in the DB.

Just one less thing to say 'yes I am changing the way you work and O by the way the names of things have also changed'. I just want to have as little to explain to the clients and managers as possible.

tford · Post by **tford** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:11 pm

Dallas,

I do a lot of Access work as well as AwareIM.

I want to make sure you know that BO names can be customized on Queries & Forms like shown on CRM live app at http://208.109.48.98/AwareIM/crm_startup.jsp

The user defined search capability that you are talking about having with AwareIM isn't something your Access users have today is it?

Dallas · Post by **Dallas** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:32 pm

Tom,
Thanks for the advice. The old Access app clients are using currently has functionality that is very similar to the Search for Object Functionality. I would just like to give them the same thing they have now or better.

Also, I see that there is export functionality (haven't had a chance to try yet). Is that effected by the object names.

Thanks for the help the query stuff you mentioned I will look at for sure.

tford · Post by **tford** » Fri May 08, 2009 2:45 pm

Dallas,

Export has the same BO name limitation right now.

One difference between Access and AwareIM is the ability to deploy new releases of your program. With an Access program it's obviously a major chore to update the program for any significant number of users.

With AwareIM however, you simply log in as admin & click Standard | Upload Version & you are done. All users will immediately be using the application you just changed.

In our case, I find that users really do not want to be doing custom queries. They would rather give me a call & let me know what they need. With the ability to make quick changes in AwareIM, the new capability can usually available to them very quickly.

I also find that things that are though of as ad-hoc queries or reports, usually should be made available for future use. With a little bit of Q&A with users, that's what I usually find out.

So, in my case AwareIM offers a new / expanded paradigm from Access with a quicker development --> deployment cycle.

Dallas · Post by **Dallas** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:00 pm

Tom,
Thanks for quick responses. I definately see the huge advantage I will gain if I can sell this to upper management. Also, you hit the nail on the head with why I am doing research now. It seems there are multiple changes that need to be made to the old access app and I would like to use this as an opportunity to change the platform.

Do you know if this limitation is going to be addressed or is it possible to addressed.I understand that it may not be high priority but it would be nice to have this or tell those above me it will be changed in a future version.

Thanks so much for taking care of me with this. I was beating my head on the wall reading the documentation trying to figure out how to change it.

tford · Post by **tford** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:06 pm

Dallas,

Do you know if this limitation is going to be addressed or is it possible to addressed.

That's a question for support.

daxhamlin · Post by **daxhamlin** » Fri May 08, 2009 3:29 pm

Hi Tom,

You are very knowledgable about everything Aware related.

How do we get something like this on the wish list. I don't see where I can add a poll for a new wish. I can only post to existing polls on the forum.

Is there an area for downloading examples?

Thanks,

Dax