Application Designer Interview Questions - 2

Difference between standard, secondary and subpage?

Standard page: It is the graphical interface between users and database. The important data is displayed in the standard page. We can place secondary as well as a subpage in standard page.

Secondary Page:  Page that will open on users request but remains as a secondary to the primary page display. We can open it through standard page only. The data within secondary page is at the same level or below the level of the page control that launches the secondary page.

Subpage: subpage controls are used to provide standard look for the commonly used fields.  A sub page is referenced as a page control on multiple standard pages.

Difference between subpage and sub record

All the fields in a subpage must be associated with fields of a sub record in the specified record definition.  Subrecord contains all related fields, whereas subpage contains fields from sub record.

What is occur level and occur count?

Occurs Level: Occurs level determines the level of the object that we inserted. By using this we can set levels for example after inserting a level based control in level 2 if you want to change the level based control to level 1 you can change the occurs level.

Occur Count: Occur Count determines how many rows should be displayed.  For ex if you want the scroll to display only 5 rows then we will give occurs count to 5.

Difference between Search Record and Add Search Record

Search Record: The search record controls access of rows of data in a table, and its keys and alternate search keys appear on the search page as criteria. The search record might also contain logic to filter the search to secure rows of data—row-level security is implemented in this way

Add search record: Add search record is specifically used for add actions. If we are using a search view as a search record for performance in this situation we will put the main record as a add search record so that we can enter new values in this main record. The system default is the standard search record if we don't specify an add search record

What are the options available, while building a table?

The Build process uses Data Definition Language (DDL) to construct a physical database component that is based on the associated record and field definitions that you created. With the Build feature, you can create the following.

Create Tables: Creates structure in database.

Create Index:  When you build a table, it also creates index for that table

Create View: It will create a sql view.

Alter Tables: When you don’t want to lose the existing data we build that record with this Create Trigger after the Build process begins, there are no runtime prompts until the process is complete. All events are written to the Build log.

What are the three build options available when building a table from a record?

Build script file: which generates a sql script that can be run against the desired database to build the table.

Execute SQL: which builds the table in the database.

Execute and build script: which both build the table and generates a sql script.

Can you write People Code in Secondary as well in Sub Page?

People Code can be used on the secondary page just like any other page.  We cannot write People Code for Subpage.

Can we have 2 Scroll areas at Level 1?

Yes, we can have 2 scroll areas at level 1.

What are multi level pages where should the field at level 0 be getting their data from?

Level 0 fields must be associated with record fields of search record.

Can we keep 2 records at level 0?

Yes we can have 2 records at level 0 provided should match the key fields.

Record Level Audit: for creating a record for record level audit we need to have 3 fields Audit_operid, Audit_stamp, and Audit_action. We can create our own audit records by prefixing Audit_

Field level Audit: By using delivered PS_AUDIT table we can set field level audit.

What are the key disadvantages of auditing?

Auditing adds overhead to transactions that will slow database performance. Audit tables can grow to be quit large, again draining resources.

Differed and Interactive Processing

In Interactive mode for every cursor action there will be a trip to the server. In deferred processing mode, trips to the server are reduced. In Interactive whenever a user exits a field there will be a trip to the server.

In Differed processing until a user performs an action, which requires a trip to the server there wont be any trips to the application server.

In how many places we can set Differed processing?

Field

Record

Page

Component

What is the design Considerations while designing a page?

Put the field control on the appropriate derived or work record, rather than on a regular data record definition to derive its value. Use as few record definitions as possible in a component.

Do not remove table edits to improve performance, even though an edit against another table causes a short pause. Eliminating them might compromise data integrity. Apply deferred processing when possible to fields, pages, and components

What is registering a Component?

We will add the component to a Menu and give permissions and security.

What are the considerations that you take while altering a table?

Any time one intends to change an existing object we should always attempt to find out if the changes are effecting on other system objects. Edit> find definition reference: If a definition reference any other definitions we must research the connection and determine with the referenced object will have any effects – then we need more follow-up.

Can we use the same Component in 2 Menus?

Yes , we can use same component in any no of menus

Can we have a subpage at 0 Level?

Yes, we can have a sub page at 0 level.

Can we have a Secondary page at 0 Level?

We cannot have a secondary page in 0 Level.

Can we have a Grid in Level 2 and scroll area in level 3?

Yes we can. But performance issues say that a grid should always reside in the last level

Can we have Nested Grids?

No we cannot have Nested Grids.

What is Parent Child Relationship?

To maintain parent child relationship if the parent table contains one key field the child table should contain the same key field and one additional key.

In parent child relationship we should have a relation between two tables ex: if “A” is the parent table with “x” as a key and “B” is another table then “B” should have “x” as a key with another key “y”, then “B” is the child table of for table “A”.

What is the difference between primary record and the search record?

Each scroll area and grid is associated with a single primary record.  This represents the application data table the page fields are associated with.  All fields in a scroll area or grid must be associated with one (and only one) record, which is the primary record for that level.

The search record builds the search page for a component and populates all fields at level 0.  The search record is determined at the component level.

What is PIA Architecture?

In PIA end users do not have any peoplesoft specific software installed on their machines, they use Internet browser to connect web server, which interacts with application server.

What are components of PIA?

1.     Web browser

2.     Web server

3.     Application server

4.     Batch server

5.     Database server

What are major tasks that the application server performs in PIA?

The application server maintains a persistent connection to the database, and converts peopletools and application table data into HTML.  The server then provides the HTML to the web server for delivery to the browser.

The application server also plays a role in connecting development workstations to the database for three-tier connections.

What are the major tasks performed by the web server in PIA?

Web server acts as the front end of the PIA.

The Web server includes Web services software that displays the HTML to the browser.  It also includes java servlets that manage each session’s connection to the application server.

What is Tuxedo/Jolt? 

Tuxedo manages the multiple connections to the database.  Jolt is a java based communication protocol.  The assembled HTML is sent to the web server.

What is a metadata?

Software that resides on a web server and displays HTML for a Browser.

When you select a row of data from a search page where you are taken to?

The search page takes you to a component the component is made up of one or more pages with each page containing several fields that hold the data.

What is the difference between adding a row of data and inserting a row of data?

When you use the add action a new high level key is created at level 0, when you insert a row of data you are adding information that has a one to many relationship with the key at level 0.  Generally you insert rows within scroll areas are grids.

How do you recognize levels on a page other than level 0?

Levels are bound by either a scroll area or a grid.

When exporting a project to a file in what format is the definition data stored?

Projects are stored in XML files.

Can projects be used to transport application data?

No, Peoplesoft offers a different tool data mover to transport application data.  Projects only hold people tools data.

What 2 methods are available for transporting definitions in a project between the databases?

Projects can be exported directly to another database or they can be exported to a file.  When you export to a file you must take the extra step of importing the file from the target database. By using import and export commands we can transfer.

What is Business Unit? What are the major functions?

A business unit is a way of tracking specific business information for reporting and other roll-up data collection. It performs 2major functions

1) It allows you to maintain a tree structure to facilitate customer-specific roll-up reporting.

2) It allows you to distribute and administer certain control tables like the department table.  This is extremely important for large or multinational companies.

What is Setid?

Setid's are key to linking business units to record control groups. It is the key on all control tables in tableset sharing Every row in a control table includes a setid as its key.  Setids partition the data into groups or sets of data that are appropriate for each business unit.

What is Table Sharing?

Tableset Sharing is a method of filtering prompt data so that only appropriate values are available for data entry. With tableset sharing, a single table can offer different values based on underlying business rules.

Table set Sharing is organized around these basic elements:

Business Units and transaction tables

SetIDs and control tables

Business rules.