Server Confirm dialog (Scriptless)

[Background]

Every Siebel professional knows that its impossible to get input from the user using Server script. The rationale is that server script runs on the server, and theres no way that it can pop something up on the client. Whats more ludicrous is to do it without any script.

Google for "Siebel Confirm" and you'll get a bunch of results stating that this is only possible using Browser Script.

Search in support web and you'll probably end up with these documents

1. How Should You Implement Message and Input Boxes in Siebel 7 and Siebel 8? [ID 476612.1]

2. How Can You Display a Message from a Server Script on the Browser? [ID 477323.1]

The conclusion is the same:

"Interactive dialog boxes are features that belong to the JavaScript language and can only be launched from browser script"

That sounds like solid advice, so would you believe me, if i told you that its possible to invoke a Confirm dialog from the server, using out of the box functionality?

Did i hear someone say "NO"!? Okay, that might have been my sub conscious.

If you are not convinced, let me introduce you to an undocumented business service that does just this.

[Confirm Dialog Business Service]

Business Service: LS Pharma Signature UI Service
Method Name: ShowConfirmDialog

Open up Siebel and goto your business service simulator, and load up the following values

Inputs:
Cancel Method Name:MyCustomMethod1
Confirm Text:Winona, will you marry me?
OK Method Name:MyCustomMethod2

Your view should look like this.



Click run, and VOILA.



This produces an Ok,Cancel dialog that can be used across the application, but best of all, it is scriptless.

Now click either button, and you should get an error.


This happens because we havnt configured the application to handle these custom events, but lets try to invoke methods that we do know exist, and we'll perform some real configuration instead of basing our results off the simulator.

[Configuration]

Find your favourite BC and add the following user property, this will enable a custom method, and call the business service to display our Confirm Dialog.

Named Method

"InvokeAction", "INVOKESVC", "WS Transaction Settings", "LS Pharma Signature UI Service", "ShowConfirmDialog", "'Cancel Method Name'", "'NewRecord'", "'Confirm Text'", "'Hello'", "'OK Method Name'", "'DeleteRecord'"

Next find your favourite applet, and add a new button and set the following property:

Method Invoked: InvokeAction

The Ok and Cancel method definitions, will fire the respective events from the Applet to the BC, and from Browser to the Server, just like normal events, which you can subsequently trap and perform the intended action, based on the user response.

[Results]

NewRecord This creates a new record in the applet

NewQuery This toggles the applet into Query mode

DeleteRecord
Interestingly, this brings up another confirm dialog. Infact, it looks damn similiar my own confirm dialog, except for the question text.

[Conclusion]

If you look hard enough, you'll find examples of this all over the application, heres another business service that does the same thing, except the message, and return codes are hard coded

Business Service: LS SubjectVisits Service
Method Name: ShowConfirmationDlg

This raises a few questions in my mind

1. Why isnt this documented?
2. Can we have control over how the dialogs are presented?
3. Can we display a message or prompt dialog in the same manner?

Maybe someone from Oracle engineering can answer this, but suffice to say, this is a great little nugget for Impossible Siebel readers.

On a closing note, if you would like more pizazz in your popups, change the buttons or add an icon, have a read of Alex's UMF Series, on Siebel Essentials. It should cover my requirements above.

Siebel Unified Messaging Framework - Part 1

Siebel Unified Messaging Framework - Part 2

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