Component documentationObject Navigator

 

The object navigator is a flexible display tool, which provides navigation help for complex object relations on an integrated user interface. You can navigate through structures of certain objects and view the relations between objects in a uniform screen layout.

The objects involved can be related to each other across system boundaries. For individual roles, you can control access to objects and the composition of the relations involved.

Implementation Considerations

  • In Customizing for the object navigator, you define object types, relationships between the object types, as well as object-type-dependent settings.

  • You define which relations are displayed in each view of an object type in the object navigator.

  • You define whether certain attributes are displayed in heterogeneous views (that is, views that contain different object types).

  • You can also define new object types (both SAP and non-SAP object types) and relations in Customizing.

Integration

The object navigator is implemented on the Web user interface (Web UI) of SAP Product Lifecycle Management (SAP PLM) for navigating between master data objects and their corresponding relations, for example. For more information, see PLM-Specific Functions of the Object Navigator.

Features

The starting point of the object navigator is the central object that you load in the object navigator. The object navigator shows you basic information about this central object and enables you to view relations with related objects.

Furthermore, you can load a related object as a central object.

The object relations for a central object are displayed in views that are relevant to the type of central object you are viewing.

In the object navigator, you can do the following:

  • Display specific object data (attributes) for the central object and the related objects

  • Display relations between objects

  • Navigate along the breadcrumb trail

    • To related objects

    • To the central object

  • Navigate from the central object to related objects via Structure as structure links

  • Navigate to the object-type-specific applications, such as the display or change modes

    Note Note

    When you navigate to the object-type-specific applications, you leave the object navigator and are taken to the corresponding object area.

    End of the note.

In the Navigator Settings, you can influence the number of displayed objects by defining criteria for what is loaded. (See Settings for the Object Navigator.)

In the object navigator, you can use cross-system access settings for already-defined object types to also navigate cross-system between objects, for example, between portfolio element and material.

To do this, you make settings in Customizing for the object navigator, under

  • Start of the navigation path Cross-Application Components Next navigation step Processes and Tools for Enterprise Applications Next navigation step Settings for the Object Navigator Next navigation step Define Cross-System Access Settings for the Object Navigator End of the navigation path

  • Start of the navigation path Logistics - General Next navigation step Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Next navigation step PLM Web UI Next navigation step Settings for the Object Navigator Next navigation step Define Cross-System Access Settings for the Object Navigator End of the navigation path

Constraints

In the object navigator, you can only display data. You cannot change data.