You can access Business Object Designer Express functions in either of the
following ways:
- From the menu bar
- Using toolbar icons.
The following sections provide an overview of Business Object Designer
Express menus and menu options.
The File menu displays the following options:
- New BO -- Creates a business object definition manually. For
more information, see "Creating a business object definition".
- New Using ODA -- Presents the Business Object Wizard, which allows
you to create a business object definition from an Object Discovery
Agent. For more information, see "Using an Object Discovery Agent to create a business object definition".
- Open -- Opens a business object definition located in the
project. If Business Object Designer Express is running from System
Manager, the project is an ICL-based project. Otherwise, the project is
a local project. See Working with projects for more information about projects.
- Open From File -- Imports and optionally opens a business object
definition from a local directory.
- Save -- Saves the business object definition as
follows to the project.
If you modified an existing business object definition:
- If the project is ICL-based, the business object definition is saved in
the project where it originated.
- If the project is local, the business object definition is saved to its
existing file.
If you created a new business object definition:
- If Business Object Designer Express is running from System Manager, the
business object definition is saved to its ICL-based project.
- Otherwise, you are prompted to specify the local destination directory and
file name for the business object definition. If the business object
definition is successfully saved, any subsequent Save actions automatically
save the business object to the local destination directory and file you
specified the first time you saved the file.
The business object definition can be saved as a file of type:
- .xsd
- XML Schema Definition. This is the default file type.
- .in or .txt
- InterChange Server Express
- .xls
- Spreadsheet
- Save As -- Saves the business object definition with a new
name. The name of the file containing the business object definition
must be unique within the destination project.
If you modified an existing business object definition:
- If Business Object Designer Express is running from System Manager, the
business object definition is saved to the ICL-based project.
- If the business object definition was opened from a file, the modified
business object definition is saved to that file.
If you created a new business object definition:
- If Business Object Designer Express is running from System Manager, you
are prompted to select the ICL where the business object definition is to be
saved.
- Otherwise, you are prompted to specify a local destination directory and
file name for the business object definition.
The business object definition can be saved as a file of type:
- .xsd
- XML Schema Definition. This is the default file type.
- .in or .txt
- InterChange Server Express
- .xls
- Spreadsheet
- Save All--Saves all open business object definitions as described
under the Save menu item (OVERVI11005738).
- Save Copy to File--Exports a copy of the business object definition
to a separate file.
- Copy All to One File--Exports all business object definitions in a
project as a single file in repos-copy format.
- Close--Closes the active definition. This menu item is
disabled if no definitions are open.
- Close All--Closes all open definitions. This menu item is
disabled if no definitions are open.
- Delete -- Allows you to delete a business object definition from a
project.
- Note:
- Business Object Designer Express only lets you delete business object
definitions from the project. If your project is ICL-based, the
business object definitions you delete are removed from the specified
ICL. If your project is local, the business object definitions you
delete are removed from the local project but the files that contain business
object definitions in local directories are not affected. To delete
local files, use the tools provided by Windows.
- Print Setup -- Allows you to specify the printer and printing
properties.
- Print Preview -- Displays a preview of the definition to be
printed. This menu item is disabled if no definitions are open.
- Print -- Allows you to print the selected definition. This
menu item is disabled if no definitions are open.
- Exit -- Allows you to exit Business Object Designer Express.
All options of the Edit menu are disabled if no definitions are
open. The Edit menu displays the following options:
- Cut -- Deletes an attribute from the definition or text from a
column. This menu item is disabled if no text has been selected in a
column or no attribute has been selected (by clicking in the left-most
column). See Figure 26 for an illustration of the window for editing
attributes.
- Copy -- Copies an attribute in the definition or text in a
column. This menu item is disabled if no text has been selected in a
column or no attribute has been selected (by clicking in the left-most
column). See Figure 26 for an illustration of the window for editing
attributes.
- Paste -- Pastes a cut or copied attribute into the definition, or cut
or copied text into the selected column. By default, the tool pastes a
buffered attribute at the bottom of the definition. However, if you
insert an empty row at a specific location, you can paste the buffered
attribute into the empty row.
- Delete Row -- Deletes an attribute from the definition. This
menu item is disabled if no attribute has been selected (by clicking in the
left-most column). See Figure 26 for an illustration of the screen for editing attributes.
- Select All -- Selects all attributes in the definition.
- Insert Above -- Inserts an empty row above the selected
attribute.
- Insert Below -- Inserts an empty row below the selected
attribute.
- Move Up -- Moves the selected attribute up one row. This menu
item is disabled if no attribute has been selected.
- Move Down -- Moves the selected attribute down one row. This
menu item is disabled if no attribute has been selected.
- Note:
- You can access the Insert Above, Insert Below, Cut, Copy, Paste, and Delete
options from a context menu opened by right-clicking in the left-most column
of an attribute.
The View menu operations are valid when Business Object Designer Express
first opens and when the Working Area display pertains to the visual
appearance of activity diagrams. Many of these operations can be
toggled on or off.
The View menu displays the following options:
- Expand All -- Displays all attributes in all child business
objects. This menu item is disabled if no definitions are open.
- Collapse All -- Closes display of all attributes in all child
business objects. This menu item is disabled if no definitions are
open.
- Preferences -- Displays the Business Object
Preferences dialog, which allows you to turn off confirmation of business
object deletion.
- Toolbars -- Contains a submenu whose options control display of the
two toolbars of the
Business Object Designer Express. Menu options include:
- Standard -- When you click this menu item, Business Object Designer
Express displays the buttons for the
Standard toolbar.
- Programs -- When you click this menu item, Business Object Designer
Express displays the buttons for accessing other WebSphere Business
Integration Toolset Express programs.
-
Status Bar -- When you click this menu item, Business Object Designer
Express displays a single-line status message at the bottom of its main
window.
- Note:
- You can access the Expand, Collapse, and Open In Window options from a
context menu opened by right-clicking in the left-most column of an attribute
that represents a child business object or an array of child business
objects.
The Tools menu contains the following options:
- Log Viewer -- Launches Log Viewer.
- Connector Configurator Express -- Launches Connector Configurator
Express.
The Window menu operates as it does in a standard environment. Use
the menu options to control display features such as tiling, cascading, and
activating open windows.
