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Procedure documentationChanging the Layout of an App Locate this document in the navigation structure

 

In the Dashboard Framework, SAP delivers a large number of dashboards and apps, to give you a quick overview of the status and performance of your managed systems and their applications (see Configuring Dashboards).. You can configure these dashboards and apps according to your requirements. If you also want to create your own apps, you can do so with the program Dashboard and Presentation Design (Xcelsius), an SAP BusinessObjects product. For information about how you can create your own apps and register them in the dashboard framework, see:

Note Note

To create and register your own apps, or to change the layout of existing apps, you need to know how to use Xcelsius; for information about using Xcelsius is available in the SAP Help Portal (http://help.sap.com) under   SAP BusinessObjects   All Products   Xcelsius 2008 User Guide  .

End of the note.

You can also use Xcelsius to adjust the layout of existing apps to your requirements. In this case, the data retrieval, the displayed data, and the Xcelsius connections through which the data transfer is performed, are left unchanged. You can also change the display of the data to your requirements using the normal configuration, for example, by changing the graphics, the colors used, or by inserting your company logo. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. If you want to change the layout of an app delivered by SAP, you first need to copy it, since these are protected against changes.

  2. Download the Xcelsius file from the MIME repository of your SAP Solution Manager system.

  3. Make the desired changes to the Xcelsius file and generate the associated Flash file from this changed file. This Flash file is display when you display an app in a dashboard.

  4. Use the registration tool to upload the adjusted version of the Xcelsius and Flash files back into the MIME repository.

Procedure

Perform the following steps:

  1. Start the registration tool (see Enhancing the Dashboard Framework with User Apps).

  2. If you want to change the layout of an app delivered by SAP, copy the app. Follow the procedure described in Copying and Deleting Apps. You can identify apps that are protected against changes by the key next to the checkbox for the app.

  3. To download the Xcelsius file from the MIME repository, proceed as follows:

    1. Select the app for which you want to change the layout from the list of available apps, by checking the corresponding checkbox above the app's icon.

    2. Choose Details.

    3. The Display Details screen shows, among other things, the Icon File (JPG) and Xcelsius File (XLF) for the app. Download the Xcelsius file, and (if you also want to change the icon for the app), download the corresponding file for this, too, by choosing the button to the right of the file name.

  4. Make the desired changes to the Xcelsius file and, if necessary, to the image file for the relevant icon, and save the changed files locally.

  5. Once you have made the changes to the Xcelsius file, generate a Flash file from the Xcelsius file (file name extension swf), by choosing   File   Export   Flash (SWF)  .

    You now have adjusted versions of the Xcelsius file, the associated Flash file, and the image file.

  6. To upload these adjusted files to the MIME repository, proceed as follows:

    1. In the list of available apps, select the app again by checking the corresponding checkbox above the app's icon.

    2. Choose the Edit App button.

    3. The General Settings screen shows, among other things, the Icon File (JPG), the App Flash File (SWF), and the Xcelsius File (XLF). Upload the adjusted files.

    4. Exit the wizard by performing the remaining steps without making any further changes. To do this, keep choosing Next until you can close the wizard by choosing Finish.

  7. To ensure that the new version of the app is displayed in dashboards, you need to delete the temporary Internet files in your browser. In Internet Explorer, you can do this by choosing   Tools   Internet Options  . In the Browsing History section, choose the Delete... button, and delete the temporary Internet files.