Enabling Dynamic Pricing/Advanced Pricing Capabilities in Siebel 8.x/7.8.x

Hi All,

This article would discuss about enabling Dynamic Pricing/Advanced Pricing Capabilities in Siebel.
By default, Siebel uses Basic Pricing as its base pricing procedure followed.

In order to enable & use advanced pricing procedure, quite a few configuration changes are required as listed below:

1) First & foremost requirement is, you need to have Siebel Dynamic Pricer License.

2) You need to activate all the workflows related to your Pricing Configuration Requirement.
A complete technical reference is available in the Siebel Pricing Administration Guide
Siebel 8: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B40099_02/books/PriceAdm/PriceAdmTOC.html

Siebel 7.8:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B31104_02/books/PriceAdm/PriceAdmTOC.html

3) Apart from this, you may need to activate other workflows available in the Order Management Infrastructure Guide

Siebel 8:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B40099_02/books/OrderMgtInfra/OrderMgtInfraTOC.html

Siebel 7.8:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B31104_02/books/OrderMgtInfra/OrderMgtInfraTOC.html

4) Need to modify various signals which point to Basic Pricing Procedure, to enable Dynamic Pricing.
For this, follow the detailed guidelines of Tech Note 643 or Document Id: 473914.1 on Oracle Metalink 3.

When you complete the above 4 steps, your environment would be successfully configured for Dynamic Pricing or Advanced Pricing Capabilities.

UPDATE 

For Siebel 8.1.1.x & above version, you can enable dynamic pricing at a single click...read more!

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Siebel 8.0 Simplified Installation Tasks/Guide for Windows

Hi Friends,

One of the most frequently asked question regarding Siebel is an shortcut summarized document for its installation, to test it out faster.
Well, on other environments, it may not be easy to write a shortcut document, but for Windows Oracle has definitely written one.

You can access this simplified installation document on Oracle Siebel SupportWeb or Metalink 3 by searching for Document ID: 475438.1 or TechNote 688

Enjoy installing Siebel!

Enabling HighInteractivity for PRM Portal (eChannel) in Siebel v7.8 & Siebel v8.0

Enabling HighInteractivity for Partner Portal (PRM Portal, eChannel) is a simple job!
HighInteractivity provides the same functionality as you find in your Sales or Marketing Application with ActiveX Loaded & minimum page refreshes.
By default, Partner Portal runs in StandardInteractivity Mode.

For Siebel CRM v7.8, following are the steps:
1)Browse to your Siebel_Server_Root\bin\enu\
2)Open the scw.cfg
3)Find the section [SWE]
4)Add the following two lines:

HighInteractivity = TRUE
ShowWriteRecord = TRUE

5) Save the file & restart the server to have HighInteractivity on your PRM Portal

Similarly for Siebel CRM v8.0, following are the steps:
1)Browse to your Siebel_Server_Root\bin\enu\
2)Open the scw.cfg
3)Find the section [InfraUIFramework]
4)Add the following two lines:

HighInteractivity = TRUE
ShowWriteRecord = TRUE

5) Save the file & restart the server to have HighInteractivity on your PRM Portal

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Error loading dictionary file diccache.dat.(SBL-DAT-60237)

This error is caused due to problem in schema synchronization. The proposed resolution is to run the Database Utilities & perform Schema Synchronization.

After schema synchronization has been done, stop the Siebel Server Service, search & delete the file diccache.dat from the Siebel Installation directory, if present.

Now restart the Siebel Server Service for generation of fresh diccache.dat file.

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Oracle Apps - Java Concurrent Program

Writing a Java Concurrent Program

Concurrent Processing provides an interface JavaConcurrentProgram with abstract method runProgram() which passes the concurrent processing context CpContext. The concurrent program developer will implement all of their business logic for a concurrent program in runProgram().
CpContext will have the request specific log and output file input methods. The class name with the runProgram() method will be registered as the java executable file name in the register executable form.

Follow the following generic format to write a Java Concurrent Program…

package oracle.apps.yourpackage.subpackage;

import oracle.apps.fnd.common.Context;
import oracle.apps.fnd.common.VersionInfo;
import oracle.apps.fnd.cp.request.*;
import oracle.apps.fnd.util.*;

public class HelloWorldApp
implements JavaConcurrentProgram{

public void runProgram(CpContext ctx){

//Obtain the reference to the Output file for Concurrent Prog
OutFile out = ctx.getOutFile();

//Obtain the reference to the Log file for Concurrent Prog
LogFile log = ctx.getLogFile();

try{

//To read parameters passed via Concurrent Program
String myName = null;
ParameterList lPara = ctx.getParameterList();
while (lPara.hasMoreElements())
{
NameValueType aNVT = lPara.nextParameter();
if ( aNVT.getName().equalsIgnoreCase("My Name") )
myName = aNVT.getValue(););
}

//Write your logic here

out.writeln("This will be printed to the Output File");

log.writeln("This will be printed to the Log File", 0);

//Request the completion of this Concurrent Prog
//This step will signal the end of execution of your Concurrent Prog
ctx.getReqCompletion().setCompletion(ReqCompletion.NORMAL,  "Completed.");
}
//Handle any exceptional conditions
catch(Exception e){
StackTraceElement ste[] = e.getStackTrace();
for(int i=0; i<ste.length; i++){
log.writeln(ste[i].toString(), 0);
}
}
}
}

Best Practice

As a best practice, use Oracle JDeveloper patched with the following patch number: 6012619. You can download it from Metalink. This patched release of JDeveloper includes all the FND packages and other requisite packages commonly used while writing Java Concurrent Programs. You may use Eclipse, but you will have to manually copy all the packages from Oracle Apps Server to your local machine and give its reference to the project.

Porting Third-Party Libraries

Ask the DBA to place all the requisite third-party libraries under $JAVA_TOP. To make the third-party libraries available to your JCP, follow the steps outlined below to create your Concurrent Program Executable and to create the actual Concurrent Program.

Create Concurrent Program Executable

Path: Concurrent -> Program -> Executable

Create the concurrent program executable, details of which are as follows:

Executable   : HelloWorld
Short Name   : HelloWorld
Application   : Custom Applications
Execution Method  : Java Concurrent Program
Execution File Name         : HelloWorldApp This is your main class file
Execution File Path  : oracle.apps.yourpackage.subpackage

Create the Concurrent Program

Path: Concurrent -> Program -> Define

We are having one concurrent program.

Program  : HelloWorld Java Concurrent Program
Short Name : HELLOWORLDJCP
Application : Custom Applications
Description : Hello World Program
Executable Name : HelloWorld
Executable Method : Java Concurrent Program
Options  : -classpath  /dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java:/dv00/oracle/apps/DEV1110/11.5/au/11.5.0/java/appsborg.zip:/dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java/thirdParty1.jar:/dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java/thirdParty2.jar

Note:- If your JCP does not make use of any Third-Party libraries, then please DO NOT put any entry in the Options.
The Options to be specified must be fully qualified. Use of environment variables will fail the execution of the Java Concurrent Program.

/dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java - This is the path to my $JAVA_TOP
/dv00/oracle/apps/DEV1110/11.5/au/11.5.0/java/appsborg.zip - This is the path to my $AU_TOP/java/appsborg.zip
/dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java/thirdParty1.jar - This is the JAR reference to my first Third Party Library dependency.
/dv00/oracle/product/DEV1110/java/thirdParty2.jar - This is the JAR reference to my second Third Party Library dependency.

The paths must be set for appropriate environment as specified above and must be separated using a colon “:” without any new-line characters.

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Enabling Auto Order Functionality in Siebel v8.0 CRM /Error Code:SBL-APS-00802

Hi Friends,

If you just installed Siebel CRM v8.0 & are facing issues with AUTO ORDER Functionality while using Quotes (Error: SBL-APS-00802), then you need to do some configuration changes before proceeding.

1) Firstly check whether you have all the workflow components enabled on the server
If not, enable the workflow component group.



2)Go to Sitemap>Administration-Server Configuration>Component Definitions>
Query for the component for which you want to enable the Auto Order functionality. Say for e.g. Sales
Now, in the Component Parameters Applet, Query for: 'Order Management - Enable Asse' & set its Value to: 'True'


3)Go Siebel_Server_Installation_Root\siebsrvr\bin\enu
Open the .cfg file for the application which you just enabled the Auto Order Functionality.
Under the '[InfraObjMgr]' add following line:
'AssetBasedOrderingEnabled = TRUE'
Save the file & close.
You need to do similar changes in your Dedicated or Mobile Client cfg's to enable the functionality.



4)Now restart your Siebel Services!
Order of Siebel Service Restart:
1)Stop the Webserver Service
2)Stop the Siebel Server Service
3)Restart Gateway Server Service
4)Start Siebel Server Service
5)Start the Webserver Service

5)Now go to Sitemap>Administration - Business Process>Workflow Deployment
Select All Workflows & click ACTIVATE


6)Now log out of the application & relogin to test your AUTO ORDER Functionality! It should be working now!

Enjoy!

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Siebel Thin Client Connectivity Fails/SWSE Configuration/Siebel Web Server Extentions Problem

Hello Friends,

I was playing around Siebel CRM 8.0 Installation (Business Applications/Enterprise Applications)!
One of the most amusing aspect of the setup is the configuration & installation of Siebel Web Server Extensions (SWSE)!

I would like to point here one very common & specific reason why thin client connectivity fails almost always while configuring the first time!
While creating the SWSE Logical Profile, we are asked to give High Interactivity User & Standard Interactivity User




As you can see, i used GUEST & GUESTCTS as the High & Standard Interactivity Users respectively!
Well logically this should be true as its mentioned in the Siebel Installation Guide!
But the biggest problem is, your Database does not have GUEST or GUESTCTS users being created by Siebel.
These users should be created when we fire the grantusr.sql file before running Database Configuration Wizard!
But since they are not mentioned in the SQL Script, they are not created.

Due to this, after SWSE Installation, when we try to access the Siebel Application, we get following error:
"The server you are trying to access is either busy or experiencing difficulties. Please close the Web browser, open a new browser window, and try logging in again.[14:58:04]"

While the SWSE Log file shows:
"ObjMgrSessionLog Error 1 0000000847670820:0 2007-12-18 12:47:44 Login failed for Login name : GUESTCTS
ProcessPluginState ProcessPluginStateError 1 0000000847670820:0 2007-12-18 12:47:44 2112: [SWSE] Open Session failed (0x75eb4d) after 1.0381 seconds.
SisnapiLayerLog Error 1 0000000947670820:0 2007-12-18 12:47:44 480: [SISNAPI] Async Thread: connection (0x1a097e8), error (1180682) while reading message"

Resolutions / Workarounds:
We have two resolutions or workarounds for this problem:

1. Manually create users GUEST & GUESTCTS in your database and assign them SSE_ROLE
2. Use SADMIN as High & Standard Interactivity User in the SWSE Logical Profile

So thats the basic reason, why generally the Thin Client Connectivity fails most of the time!
Hope, if you are installing for the first time & having this problem, then by now your thin client must be up & running! ;-)

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Create Hidden Command Prompt/CMD/COMMAND Process

Hi friends,

Being a Java programmer, i always have a wish that while distributing my programs, instead of creating some setup, i could just distribute it in a JAR file & launch it via a batch file!
But a batch file, means a command prompt window keeps running side ways!
There began my search for a way to create a hidden command prompt process!

I came across two good solutions:

• Create Hidden Process (http://www.commandline.co.uk/chp/)
• NirCmd (http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html)

Create Hidden Process is an excellent freeware which allows you to launch almost anything from command prompt & that too completely hidden!
For example, i participate in BOINC Projects (SETI@Home & Climateprediction)
Running the BOINC GUI Module consumes lots of RAM & CPU...so i always prefer to launch it via Console!
But launching via console means, i have to keep a command prompt window open!
Using CHP, i can easily create a hidden command prompt process as follows:
###########################
bhide.bat - Example to launch boinc console using CHP (Create Hidden Process)

CHP cmd.exe /c ""d:\User Profiles\skatdare\boinc.bat""
exit
###########################

###########################
boinc.bat - Example to launch boinc console (sub-batch file call)

cd\
cd pro*
cd boinc
boinc

##############################

So download Create Hidden Process from here!

NirCmd is an advanced command line tool which allows us to do lots of things without showing any user interface.
More detailed documentation for NirCmd is available here..
Download NirCmd from here!

So enjoy Hiding command prompts :-)

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