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Object Connections

Object Connections is a functionality by which objects can be connected to other objects, this translates into English as connecting a set of services to the client forms where you work with your objects. The services are the second object that you connect to, there are a limited set of services available and a list of the most commonly used are listed below. You can enable the object connection for any object in IFS Cloud. You will access these connections through the attachments panel in IFS Enterprise Explorer.

The services can connect your objects to:

  • Document Management,
  • to allow Approval Routings,
  • to be able to enter Characteristics,
  • to access Engineering Requests and Change Order Actions.

The ability to enable these connections is configured in IFS Solution Manager and must be done by the administrator.

Adding services is done programmatically in the windows client source code.

Locating the Configuration Forms

Updated graphics and navigator entry information.

The Object Connections form shows all business objects connected to certain services in the client environment. It is available in the Configuration folder in Solution Manager.

Window Description

In the form Object Connections you manage the connections. You define the combination of an LU Name, and a View Name, to map to a list of services added in the Service List column. The Method Name is a function that will be invoked on the keys in the package to provide a lead text in the connection dialog. The connection will be live in all forms in the window client where the View for the specified LU is the base for the form.

Column Description
LU Name The name of the logical unit where the view is defined.
View Name The name of the view that describes the object to be connected to the services.
Package Name The name of PL/SQL package that handles the data in the LU.
Method Name The name of the method in the package to return a nice description to be used in the connection dialog.
Service List A list of services you enter separated by the caret character ^. The list of available services is described below.

If the LU for the object that you want to connect is not show in the list, you will have to add a new connection line.

Simply add a new line in this form and use the LU ‘combo box’ (arrow) to view all possible Logical Units... Select the one required and continue as above.  Selection is made easier by keying in the initial letters f the LU required and the system will ‘jump’ to the appropriate entries.

Select the LU (logical unit) that you wish to enable and add the appropriate ‘service/connection’ to the service list details.

Available Services

Below you'll find a sample list of standard services available in IFS Applications. The aim is to keep this list updated in order to always reflect the most current IFS Cloud version. Each product/solution in IFS Cloud providing these type of services also contains information/documentation about supported/available services. Please refer to the product specific documentation for more details about these services.

For the Object Name You enter the Service List Comment/Description
all services * Only those available in specific executables will be displayed. (Obsolete in UPD8)
Approval Routing ApprovalRouting^ Electronic sign off (‘flexible workflow’) however an in-completed approval from this tab does not stop the object from being used or the order progressed etc.
Characteristics TechnicalObjectReference^ Engineering technical attribute definition based on a technical class - used in the Best Fit Search Wizard feature (not to be confused with the ‘normal’ characteristics tab of information that is available within some forms as a tab on the main form.
Document DocReferenceObject^ Drag/drop or add new documents into this tab, RMB has full access to document management features.
Document Requirement DocRequirementObject^ By document class what documents are required, more typically used in Project Management.
Engineering Requests EcrObjectConn^ RMB can create new and change existing change request information (no Zoom facility defined).
Engineering Change Orders EcoActionObjectConn^ Can add (by using Zoom) or link to an existing Change Order which must have action and order lines defined already, no RMB options defined from the connected object view but a custom menu could be set up.
Linear Asset Element LinastElementObjectConn^ Possibility to connect any LU to Linear Asset Elements.
Nato Commercial Government Reference Object NatoCommGovRefObj^ IFS Aviation & Defence extension related. Similar to Dunn&Bradstreet NATO assigns a unique code to all the enterprises involved in supplying and managing its assets. NCAGE code is the NATO Commercial and Government Entity and can be specified by using this connected object. Connection is only relevant against the following objects: Company, Customer, Supplier, Manufacturer, Owner, Forwarder and Site.
Call Center Case CcCaseObjectConnection^ Use the Case Wizard from an Object and raise a new Case. Many Cases can be raised against the same object. The “connected” box is ticked on the Case heading in Call Centre to indicate this. In addition to the activation in Solution Manager there is specific set up in Call Centre as well. The user/assignee must be linked to a Work Group and this same Work group must be assigned to the Case Issue that has the ‘connected object’ option activated. If this is not done although the Case tab will be displayed the Wizard to open a new case will not be active. It is the exact LUName that needs to be used in the Case Issue set up.
Risk RiskReferenceObject^ Existing Risk analysis Headers can be attached or detached. Object details can be seen through RMB.
Risk Assessment RiskObjectConnection^ This service allows data from the logical unit to be used in the Risk Assessment window. It enables contents of the LU (e.g., incident cases, work orders, company sites) to be linked directly to relevant risk assessments. The connection is then performed on the Connect To tab.
GIS Integration Connections GisintConnections^ Possibility to show any LU on a GIS map.
Map Positions
 
MapPosition^ Enables the map positioning service for an object in which business objects can be placed at positions on a map. Define the longitude and latitude of the business object in the data grid view or navigate to a location in the map view and add a position for the business object on the map.
Map Positions Free  MapPositionFree^  Enables a free attachment map, based on Esri's ArcGIS platform. 
Media Library MediaLibrary^ Create a media library, which is a collection of media items, for the specific object.
Incident Reporting IncidentObjectConnection^ Related with Health & Safety functionality. Enabling “Incident Reporting” would facilitate to attach any of the created incidents to an object or by invoking the Incident Report Assistant, an incident can be reported while working on another object. Incident object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections window. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Incident window Connected To tab and the Object Connections window Attachments panel.
Audit Management AuditObjectConnection^ Enables connecting existing quality audits and adding new quality audits through the New Audit assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Audit page. Audit object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Audit page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
Corrective and Preventive Action CapaObjectConnection^ Enables connecting existing corrective and preventive actions and adding new corrective and preventive actions through the New Corrective and Preventive Action assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Corrective and Preventive Action page. Corrective and Preventive Action object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Corrective and Preventive Action page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
Non Conformance Report NcrObjectConnection^ Enables connecting existing non conformance reports and adding new non conformance reports through the New Non Conformance Report assistant, for the specific object. It is possible to view the object connections directly from the Connected To tab in the Non Conformance Report page. Non Conformance Report object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page. When connected, it can be viewed from both the Non Conformance Report page Connected To tab and the Object Connections page Attachments panel.
IoT IotObrOprLog^ This is to identify the records created from IoT Observations. (To create records from an IoT Observation, first you need to enable the particular entity to fetch data from IoT.)
Feedback FeedbackObjectConnection^ Enables connecting existing Feedback, stored in Feedback Hubs and sending feedback through the Send Feedback Assistant, for the specific object. Feedback object can be connected to a specific IFS business object via the Object Connections page.

The entry must be typed exactly as displayed. The items in the service list are logical units that can act as connectors to specific objects. The framework does not support the addition of a service to another service. For example, you should not add any services to the DocReferenceObject LU as it is a service itself.

How to add new Object Connections to a form

Entering an Object Connection in IFS Solution Manager.

A form connected to the specified LU, View and Package will get the services according to the service list. These services are shown in the attachment panel.

The available attachments is controlled by the object connection service list.

Technical Notes

The list of services are implicit. Services are programmatically entered in the source code of the windows clients. There is no central list for finding out what services that are defined by the different IFS Application components, you can however look through the list of already defined connections to find the services that are currently in use.

By using a public interface in Object_Connection_SYS, it is possible to add business objects, to be able to have dedicated connections to services registered in the client side when installing the application.

  • Read more about Using object connections in the development guide.