by PT 8.62
Randall Groncki
PeopleTools Search Objects, specifically Search Definitions, connect and control the data extracted from PeopleSoft with how OpenSearch uses that data.
- Number of fields in a Data Set
- Field Names and Types
- Indexed Data key (Drilling URL)
- Last Updated data/time field
- Data Security
- How to remove stale data
- Pre & Post Processing logic
PeopleBooks 8.62: Search Definitions
This tutorial explores a Search Definition with a PSQuery data source.
Requirements before we start:
- OpenSearch & Insights servers running and configured to work with your PeopleSoft environment
- A PSQuery with the minimum search definition requirements.
- Data
- Drilling URL
- Date/Time field
- Prompt on the Date/Time field
- Review the “Insights 02: Data & Query” post for details.
Creating a Search Definition
We are going to create a simple, basic Search Definition. Advanced topics are left to later blog posts.
Navigate: Home > PeopleTools > Search Framework > Designer >Define Search Definitions
Add a new value
General Tab
Source Type: Query
Add a Search Definition Name. I generally like to have my Query and Search Objects to have all the same names where possible. This helps with design and maintenance.
Enter your Search Query name
Depending on your data requirements, you may have more than one Datetime field and Drilling URLs in your Query Output.
In the Search Result Field Mapping Groupbox, choose the correct Datetime field for the “Last Modified Data Time” field. In more advanced datasets using incremental updates, this field is how PeopleSoft knows which documents are new since last indexing.
For the “URL Link” field, specify the Drilling URL you created to represent a unique document in the dataset. It’s not uncommon to have more than one Drilling URL in your dataset. Choose the one built as the Key.
Click the Title and Summary boxes and populate a minimum of Title and Summary. If this Search Definition were going to be used for Global Search, you would want these to represent a unique row in your dataset. Insights does not use these boxes, so the minimum will do.
Map Search Attributes Tab
The Attributes tab defines which Query fields will be sent to OpenSearch and the OpenSearch Fieldnames. You may not want all the query fields sent to OpenSearch for use in a Visualization. Only fields selected here will appear in OpenSearch
The “Attribute Display Name” column defines the Insights Field Name for use in a Visualization. These values default from the PeopleSoft Field’s default label. If you ever need to know the source of an Insights field, then this page contains the mapping between PeopleSoft Fieldnames and Insights.
Choose the fields to send to OpenSearch. Ensure the “Attribute Field Name” column values are unique for each field in the list.
Attachment Properties
Attachments are not in the scope of this tutorial. This may be addressed in a later blog post.
Security
The security tab is where PeopleSoft defines the data security in OpenSearch.
Choose “No Security” for our demonstration.
Other security options include “Source” and “Document Level Security”
- Source Security allows us to allow access to this data by User ID or User Role
- Document Level Security allows us to define row level security for our data.
Advanced Properties
For our demonstration, we do not populate any fields on this tab.
The Advanced Properties Tab allows us to designate
- Deletion Queries for maintaining data during incremental updates
- Preprocessing Application Engine Libraries
- Postprocessing Application Engine Libraries
- Search Attribute customization
- Indexing data time limits
Component Mapping
Leave this tab blank. This is not used for Insights Visualizations.
This is for mapping our search definition to a specific component for Global Search.
Save your Search Definition
Creating a Search Category
Just for proper form, we need a Search Category for our Search Definition. This new category needs to have the exact same name as our Search Definition.
Navigate: Home > PeopleTools > Search Framework > Designer >Define Search Categories
Add a new Value
Use the same name used as your Search Definition.
General Tab
Description: A meaningful, short description of the dataset
Duplicates: Use API (Leave this default setting)
Object Owner ID: Choose an appropriate values
Search Definition Grid
Add your Search Definition name
Advanced Search Fields Tab
Leave “Auto detect common fields” checkbox selected
Save page
Your Search fields from the Search Definition should populate
Facets Tab
Leave this page blank
We will not be using facets in Insights Visualizations
Custom Search Page Tab
Leave this page blank
Display Fields Tab
Leave this page blank
Save your Search Category Again.
Deploy the Search Definition
… the search definitions need to be deployed to the search engine so that the search engine can create the structure of the search index based on the search definition, crawl the defined search criteria, and populate the index with the results of the search definition query. When your search definitions are deployed on the search engine, they become a source.
Navigate: Home > PeopleTools > Search Framework > Administration >Deploy Search Definition
If you created your Search Definition correctly, It should already appear in this list ready to deploy. During deployment, PeopleSoft tells OpenSearch everything about this Search Definition.
In the “Filter by Name” edit box, type your Search definition name. Tab out and the list should filter down to only your search definitions.
The “Deployment Status” column should show “Undeployed”
Select that row’s checkbox in the far-left column.
Click on the “Deploy” button at the bottom of the page.
OpenSearch now understands all about this dataset.
Should you need to make any changes to the dataset, such as adding additional fields, you must first come to this page and “Undeploy” the Search Definition before making changes.
Then “Deploy” the search Definition again after all changes are completed.
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