Thursday, November 22, 2012

CMRFly - a new CRM system on Windows


I was just browsing my HackerNews RSS feed when I cam across a post with screenshots of CRMFly, a small CRM tool developed for the Windows platform. It looks like a very watered down version of the most common CRM functions in a small executable package. Some of the screenshots of the application show it's similarity to Microsoft Outlook. And for more, head up to CRMFly website.

Interestingly, the customer support site of the tool looks like it is built on Desk.com. Desk.com is a new offering from Salesforce.com for small and medium businesses.

Tasks


Track your projects and tasks in the same location as you track your leads and opportunities.   A project can have many tasks and Each Project is tied to a customer.

Configuration


With Configurable lists, you can control your workflow. Configure your own Task Statuses, Project Statuses, Task Contexts, Project Types, Product Types, Goal Types, Opportunity Statuses, Goal Types, and more.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Browser Scripts–‘this’ is a problem

 

One issue I have faced numerous times with Siebel’s browser scripts is that the ‘this’ reference is not recognized when invoked in a separate function.

This code works fine when written directly in the PreInvoke section of the applet:

function Applet_PreInvokeMethod(name, inputPropSet)
{
    if (name == "CustomMethod")
    {
        alert(this.Name());
        return ("CancelOperation");
    }
    return ("ContinueOperation");
}

 

But if you decide to move the code into a separate function of its own:

function Demo()
{
    alert(this.Name());
}

function Applet_PreInvokeMethod(name, inputPropSet)
{
    if (name == "CustomMethod")
    {
        Demo();
        return ("CancelOperation");
    }
    return ("ContinueOperation");
}

..the system will start giving errors saying method not defined.  This really gets in the way when there is not of field access and manipulation required in the function. One way out is to pass the this reference directly as an argument into the function.

function Demo(applet)
{
    alert(applet.Name());
}

function Applet_PreInvokeMethod(name, inputPropSet)
{
    if (name == "CustomMethod")
    {
        Demo(this);
        return ("CancelOperation");
    }
    return ("ContinueOperation");
}

 

Another way I have seen recently is to use a global variable for the applet and use that instead of the this. The variable has to be initialized in Applet_Load event

declarations()
{
    var g_oApplet;
}
function Applet_Load()
{
    g_oApplet = this;
}
function Demo()
{
    alert(g_oApplet.Name());
}
function Applet_PreInvokeMethod(name, inputPropSet)
{
    if (name == "CustomMethod")
    {
        Demo();
        return ("CancelOperation");
    }
    return ("ContinueOperation");
}

Sunday, September 23, 2012

FINS CAP Buscomp Handler’s empty query problem

 

Currently I am working on a Siebel Financial Applications project using a lot of Business Rules Processor (BRPs) . The BRP way of working with Business Components is by using the various methods available under the  FINS CAP Buscomp Handler Business Service.

FINS CAP Buscomp Handler Business Service provides the following five methods:

  • Query
  • NextRecord
  • GetFieldValue
  • SetFieldValue
  • InsertRecord

The BS works without a Business Object context, ie while specifying the Business Component on which to operate, the Business Object name is not provided. It is the only BS I know in Siebel which operates directly on business components without taking the BO context. But as we realized, this is not always the best way of operating. As the amount of data grew, we found the BRPs going slower and performance degradation.

On spooling out the SQL when the BRPs were running, we found that null queries being run in the tables, without a search criteria. When the InsertRecord method of the BS is used to insert a record into say..Opportunity BC which is based on S_OPTY table, the BS was running this query first.

SELECT
      T1.CONFLICT_ID,
      T1.LAST_UPD,
      T1.CREATED,
      T1.LAST_UPD_BY,
      T1.CREATED_BY,
      T1.MODIFICATION_NUM,
      T1.ROW_ID,
      T14.USAGE,
      T8.TRDIN_EXPIRE_DAYS,
      T7.NAME,
      T1.PR_DEPT_OU_ID,
      T7.INTEGRATION_ID,
      T7.LOC,
      T7.OU_NUM,
      T10.NAME,
      T7.CURR_PRI_LST_ID,
      T7.PR_BL_ADDR_ID,
      T7.PR_BL_PER_ID,
      T7.PR_SHIP_ADDR_ID,
      T7.PR_SHIP_PER_ID,
      T1.CONSUMER_OPTY_FLG,
      T13.BL_ACCNT_ID,
      T13.BL_CON_ID,
      T1.CHANNEL_TYPE_CD,
      T1.CURCY_CD,
      T1.CUST_ACCNT_ID,
      T14.PROJ_STAT_CD,
      T1.CLOSED_FLG,
      T13.GROUP_TYPE_CD,
      T13.DEPARTURE_DT,
      T13.ARRIVAL_DT,
      T4.STATUS_INBND_CD,
      T7.ROW_ID,
      T1.PR_CON_ID,
      T1.NAME,
      T1.NEW_LOAN_FLG,
      T13.OPTY_MARKET_CD,
      T12.STAGE_STATUS_CD,
      T13.OPTY_SEGMENT_CD,
      T4.STATUS_CD,
      T1.APPL_OWNER_TYPE_CD,
      T1.PAR_OPTY_ID,
      T5.NAME,
      T9.PAR_POSTN_ID,
      T5.PROJ_PRPTY_ID,
      T1.ALIAS_NAME,
      T1.PR_OU_INDUST_ID,
      T1.PR_OU_ADDR_ID,
      T1.PR_REP_DNRM_FLG,
      T1.PR_REP_MANL_FLG,
      T1.PR_REP_SYS_FLG,
      T1.PR_CMPT_OU_ID,
      T6.COUNTRY,
      T9.PR_EMP_ID,
      T1.PR_OPTYORG_ID,
      T1.PR_OPTYPRD_ID,
      T1.BU_ID,
      T1.PR_PRTNR_ID,
      T1.PR_POSTN_ID,
      T1.SUM_REVN_AMT,
      T1.SUM_CLASS_CD,
      T1.SUM_EFFECTIVE_DT,
      T1.SUM_COMMIT_FLG,
      T1.SUM_COST_AMT,
      T1.SUM_DOWNSIDE_AMT,
      T1.SUM_REVN_ITEM_ID,
      T1.SUM_MARGIN_AMT,
      T1.SUM_TYPE_CD,
      T1.SUM_UPSIDE_AMT,
      T1.SUM_WIN_PROB,
      T11.LOGIN,
      T1.PR_SRC_ID,
      T6.STATE,
      T1.PR_TERR_ID,
      T1.PROG_NAME,
      T1.PROJ_PRPTY_ID,
      T13.REL_TYPE_CD,
      T1.SALES_METHOD_ID,
      T12.NAME,
      T1.STG_START_DT,
      T1.CURR_STG_ID,
      T12.STG_ORDER,
      T1.SECURE_FLG,
      T1.OPTY_CD,
      T1.PGROUP_PUBLIC_FLG,
      T1.BU_ID,
      T2.FCST_CLS_DT,
      T2.FCST_REVN_CURCY_CD,
      T16.LOGIN,
      T17.EFFECTIVE_DT,
      T17.COST_AMT,
      T17.DOWNSIDE_AMT,
      T17.MARGIN_AMT,
      T17.WIN_PROB,
      T17.REVN_AMT,
      T17.ACCNT_ID,
      T17.CLASS_CD,
      T17.REVN_AMT_CURCY_CD,
      T17.QTY,
      T17.CRDT_POSTN_ID,
      T17.TYPE_CD,
      T17.UPSIDE_AMT,
      T19.FST_NAME,
      T19.LAST_NAME,
      T20.SRC_CD,
      T13.ROW_ID,
      T13.PAR_ROW_ID,
      T13.MODIFICATION_NUM,
      T13.CREATED_BY,
      T13.LAST_UPD_BY,
      T13.CREATED,
      T13.LAST_UPD,
      T13.CONFLICT_ID,
      T13.PAR_ROW_ID,
      T14.ROW_ID,
      T14.PAR_ROW_ID,
      T14.MODIFICATION_NUM,
      T14.CREATED_BY,
      T14.LAST_UPD_BY,
      T14.CREATED,
      T14.LAST_UPD,
      T14.CONFLICT_ID,
      T14.PAR_ROW_ID,
      T2.ROW_ID,
      T3.ROW_ID,
      T17.ROW_ID,
      T18.ROW_ID,
      T20.ROW_ID
   FROM
       SIEBEL.S_OPTY T1
          INNER JOIN SIEBEL.S_OPTY_POSTN T2 ON T1.PR_POSTN_ID = T2.POSITION_ID AND T1.ROW_ID = T2.OPTY_ID
          INNER JOIN SIEBEL.S_PARTY T3 ON T2.POSITION_ID = T3.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_SYS_KEYMAP T4 ON T1.ROW_ID = T4.SIEBEL_SYS_KEY
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_OPTY T5 ON T1.PAR_OPTY_ID = T5.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_ADDR_PER T6 ON T1.PR_OU_ADDR_ID = T6.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_ORG_EXT T7 ON T1.PR_DEPT_OU_ID = T7.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_ORG_EXT_ATX T8 ON T1.BU_ID = T8.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_POSTN T9 ON T1.PR_POSTN_ID = T9.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_PRI_LST T10 ON T7.CURR_PRI_LST_ID = T10.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_USER T11 ON T9.PR_EMP_ID = T11.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_STG T12 ON T1.CURR_STG_ID = T12.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_OPTY_TNTX T13 ON T1.ROW_ID = T13.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_OPTY_DSGN_REG T14 ON T1.ROW_ID = T14.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_POSTN T15 ON T2.POSITION_ID = T15.PAR_ROW_ID
         LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_USER T16 ON T15.PR_EMP_ID = T16.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_REVN T17 ON T1.SUM_REVN_ITEM_ID = T17.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_PARTY T18 ON T1.PR_CON_ID = T18.ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_CONTACT T19 ON T1.PR_CON_ID = T19.PAR_ROW_ID
          LEFT OUTER JOIN SIEBEL.S_SRC T20 ON T1.PR_SRC_ID = T20.ROW_ID
   ORDER BY
      T17.EFFECTIVE_DT DESC.

If you analyze the last part of the SQL, there is no “WHERE” clause with a search specification , nor are there and bind variables. This query will simply return all records present in the Opportunity Business Component. That’s right, its an empty query on the S_OPTY table and all other tables left joined. And this is fired every time the InsertRecord method is fired. I think Siebel tries to see if the record going to be inserted is not a duplicate of an existing record in the system, and it does this by first firing and empty query and then comparing the result with what we are trying to insert. But as the number of records in the tables grow, the performance degrades. And this is a vanilla/OOTB business service.

Anyway, we had to do away with “FINS CAP Buscomp Handler:InsertRecord” and replaced it with another vanilla BS: “Inbound E-mail Database Operations” Business Service and its “InsertRecord” method. The syntax is not exactly same, some modifications are required. But after using this BS, we found a tremendous improvement in speed in the system.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Reddit's database has only two tables

Steve Huffman talks about Reddit’s approach to data storage in a High Scalability post from 2010. I was surprised to learn that they only have two tables in their database.
Lesson: Don’t worry about the schema.
[Reddit] used to spend a lot of time worrying about the database, keeping everthing nice and normalized. You shouldn’t have to worry about the database. Schema updates are very slow when you get bigger. Adding a column to 10 million rows takes locks and doesn’t work. They used replication for backup and for scaling. Schema updates and maintaining replication is a pain. They would have to restart replication and could go a day without backups. Deployments are a pain because you have to orchestrate how new software and new database upgrades happen together.
Instead, they keep a Thing Table and a Data Table. Everything in Reddit is a Thing: users, links, comments, subreddits, awards, etc. Things keep common attribute like up/down votes, a type, and creation date. The Data table has three columns: thing id, key, value. There’s a row for every attribute. There’s a row for title, url, author, spam votes, etc. When they add new features they didn’t have to worry about the database anymore. They didn’t have to add new tables for new things or worry about upgrades. Easier for development, deployment, maintenance.
The price is you can’t use cool relational features. There are no joins in the database and you must manually enforce consistency. No joins means it’s really easy to distribute data to different machines. You don’t have to worry about foreign keys are doing joins or how to split the data up. Worked out really well. Worries of using a relational database are a thing of the past.
This fits with a piece I read the other day about how MongoDB has high adoption for small projects because it lets you just start storing things, without worrying about what the schema or indexes need to be. Reddit’s approach lets them easily add more data to existing objects, without the pain of schema updates or database pivots.
.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

What is sfsutl, How Should SFSUTL.EXE be Used?


sfsutl.exe can be found in Siebsrvr\bin directory, in siebel versions 6 and older SFSUTL.EXE used to delte the orphan and old versions of attachments.

in Siebel 7 and Siebel 8 a new utility called SFSCLEANUP has been introduced.
sfsutl can be used to verify the integrity between database records and files in the Siebel File System, or to remove files from the Siebel File System that no longer have a corresponding database record.
SFSUTL works in two modes:

1. verify or report

2.move or delete.
1.Verify or Report Mode:
To use the utility in verify or report mode, enter a command string similar to the following:
sfsutl /u sadmin /p sadmin /c siebsrvr_siebel /d dbo /f e:\siebfile /x c:\sfsutl_output.txt
The output from this command could be easily imported into Microsoft utilities like Excel or Access for sorting and manipulation. See below for sample output from this command. There are three key statuses to note:
•Keeping - The file corresponds to a database record.
•Discard - The file does not correspond to a database record, and would be moved or deleted if sfsutl were run in that mode.
•Missing - An expected file does not exist for a database record.
2.Move or Delete Mode:
To use the utility in move or delete mode:
1.Create a separate or new folder (this will be used by sfsutl when moving the discarded files). It is recommended that users do not create this new folder as a subfolder of the existing Siebel File System. For example, if the Siebel File System is in e:\siebfile then create the new folder as e:\siebfilediscards.
2.Enter a command string similar to the following:
sfsutl /u sadmin /p sadmin /c siebsrvr_siebel /d dbo /f e:\siebfile /m e:\siebfilediscards /x c:\sfsutl_output.txt

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Tools of the trade


Five years of Siebel EAI development, and I am still learning every day. One thing I quickly realized was that the Siebel Tools and Application system is not like the contemporary Integrated Development Environment (IDE) used in Java and .NET development. Sure, Tools can solve most of your problems, but every Siebel developer will eventually face a problem which has to be solved using some other tool/utility/script which may have to be written from scratch. Today, I thought I’d share what’s in my arsenal of tools.

Siebel Development

  1. A good text editor is essential for any development need. For years I have been relying on window’s default notepad utility, which is good enough. But it is seriously lacking in features, and hangs when you try to open huge files. I use Notepad2 , Notepad++ and EditPlus. Each has first class CR/LF support, ANSI to Unicode switching, whitespace and line ending graphics and Mouse Wheel Zooming. EditPlus even has ability search and replace special characters (\n,\t) and works nicely with huuge files.
  2. If you work deals with XMLs/XSLs, you will need a good XML/XSLT/WSDL editor. XmlSpy  has been my number one choice, followed by Oxygen. Though I have noticed that there are some minor differences in the XMLSpy XPATH engine between older and newer versions. The XPATH engine in Spy version 6 is similar to Siebel’s own EAI XSLT service. Some of the fine working XSLTs were throwing validation errors in the newer version of Spy, but they worked perfect in Siebel.
  3. SOAP UI. This one deserves a special mention. Not only is it free, it has support for secure webservices , proxies and many other protocols. Its so easy to set up a stub/mockservices, and these have saved my life more than once.
  4. Fiddler. I first used this way back in college, when I wanted to intercept and see the http messages being sent from my system for a project. It’s a free utility from Microsoft, and comes in handy in diagnosing web service related issues. Its got a scripting system, and can be used as mockservice too.
  5. Network tools like PuTTy, WinSCP and FileZilla come here. I also use PuTTY to setup ssh tunnels when I want to route a request via another server.
  6. UnixUtils. A unix developer swears by the huge number of commands at his disposal. Sadly, windows does not provide that many commands, and I thank the geeks for porting these awesome Unix commands over to Win32. These allow me to build bat files and scripts to solve recurring issues.
  7. Although UnixUtils has windows port of grep and tail commands, the UI of BareGrep and BareTail and much more developer friendly.
  8. Oracle SQLDeveloper, TOra and my old favorite, TOAD. You can’t be a Siebel developer without knowing SQL !
  9. I’m sure all you Siebel developers have been in this situation: You have list of data you need to query in Siebel :
val1
val2
val3

The searchspec you need to build is : “val OR val2 OR val3” . Well, that’s all that Orit does. Frankly, I don’t know who developed this utility, but it is something developed by a Siebel developer. All it does is simply concatenate column wise data with ‘OR’ in between.

Other Siebel Things I found on the net

Its sad that Siebel does not provide an Out-of-box documentation feature, which can be used during and development. This is just one of the many problems I have faced.Nice thing is others have faced the same problem, and developed their own solutions for the problem.
  1. The good folks at the Only Siebel blog have released Excel Macro tools which can pull config data for documentation.
  2. Oli has graciously released a lot of his tools for free download. There are script analysers, data loaders and Tracer Tools.
  3. Some useful utilities at the website of Sea Marvel Tech Solutions
  4. Wait…one more utility for Siebel Documentation here.
  5. Here is my own attempt at making an SQL Tracer.
  6. Siebel provides dbisqlc to connect and run SQL statements on your localdb. But I find it painful when there are too many columns in the output, I have to scroll to see the data, and export. Sel2XL is a nice excel macro which does the same thing, and it allows excel formatting.
  7. Sometimes, the easiest way out is direct SQL into the the database. There are SQLs for siebel issues, EIM Mappings, for UI mappings, and so many other issues.

General Use

  1. Window’s default search feature can get irritatingly slow, specially if you need to search across drives and have to run complex search patters. Everything is an awesome ,high speed ,instant search utility for the NTFS file system. You have to try it to see the magic. And did I mention it is free ?
  2. Teracopy is the default copy utility on my systems. Sure, the latest multicopy feature on Windows 7 & 8 are cool, but I still feel Teracopy’s interface is better.
  3. Free Download Manager. For all those loong downloads.
  4. Microsft’s Virtual PC. I use this to setup virtual machines for my Siebel POCs. Its free and no fuss to setup and use. This new version of Windows Virtual PC lets you run Windows XP applications next to your Windows 7 apps for the ultimate in backward-compatibility.
  5. I have been using Liberkey suite since they came out some years ago. They have a free utility for all your day to day needs. NirSoft Utilities Collection is also a good choice.
  6. Autohotkey, DoItAgain. Ultimate Windows Automation.