Tools Releasr 9.1

We are several iterations back on our TR upgrade (8.98.1.2)
We know 8.98.4.X is solid (if such is possible) and are wondering if anyone has upgraded to TR 9.1 or has it in their sand box?

What has the user experience been like?
Are there may issues (Few show up on the Oracle site)?
Are OMW and other developemnt tools stable?

Any feed back will be appreciated.

We've been on 9.1.0.2 since March or April, and it's been pretty solid for us. The E1 Pages are fairly easy to create, using the E1 Page Generator utility. The grid query controls are great, and the overall ease of use improvements to hiding and freezing grid columns is very well-received, as well. Being able to organize favorites and having easier access to submitted jobs is a plus, as is right-click access to row and form exits. The only downside is that the new Navigator is a pain to work with, although Oracle has addressed some of its deficiencies with TR 9.1.0.4 (with the introduction of "bread crumbs"). One other thing to keep in mind is that OAS is no longer supported as a web server with TR 9.1. All that being said, I'd definitely recommend it for your consideration!

There were some problems with OMW on 9.1.0.1, but 9.1.0.4 has been pleasant to work with, OMW-wise.

We are on 9.1.0.1.A on a sandbox environment - which we also saw issues with the OMW - and we are on 9.1.0.3 in our development environment - which has a bug with BSSV servers (requiring a POC) - but aside from that bug, 9.1.0.3 seems ok. I haven't put 9.1.0.4 down yet because I haven't had confirmation that our BSSV bug has been resolved.

As you might already know the big change in User Experience in moving from 8.98.4.x to a 9.1 tools release is the menu navigation , where the old tree structure has been replaced with the drop down , pop out , what ever you want to call it , new style of navigation.

A big pain point for users was that in the new 9.1 menu structure , if you navigate thru a complex 5 level menu structure and open an app , and then want to open something one level up , you have to start all over again , unlike the tree structure where your nodes were already expanded.

To over come this in 9.1 they introduced what they call "bread crumbs" , where it keeps track of your menu navigation , so you could easily go back one level up if you wanted to. This bread crumb feature is only available starting with 9.1.0.4.

So that is one thing you could keep in mind while deciding on making the jump to 9.1 tools

Re: Tools Release 9.1

Mike

I have been working with the various iterations of tools 9.1 since October. I have helped to install it for three different clients now, and it has been well received.

The breadcrumbs feature in 9.1.0.4 is very handy. One thing to keep in mind. If you navigate down four or levels, it generates a nice bread crumb trail. If you close the app, the breadcrumb trail disapears. That is as designed, but it does make you climb down the tree again. In this case, I wanted to test out two apps ajoining each other in a menu four levels deep to compare them. The second time down the tree, I kept the app open, then clicked one level up on the bread crumbs to get the second app for comparision. No bug, just a learning curve.

The favorites feature is nice. You can get at favorties from the drop down menu and you have favorites in the "carosel", a Mac-OS like icon strip at the bottom of your browser. In the favorites, you can add in apps (obviously), but also entire sub menus. I added in the System admin menus to my favorites so save me a bit of navigating time. In the favorites tab of the carosel, it displays the individual apps that I have added and it allows me to shuffle them around to fit my work habits. One thing Oracle hasn't figured out yet is how to display a menu structure in the favorites tab of the carosel. If you use that feature, you need to get at it from the drop down menu. No real hardship.

Also in the carosel is a tab for your open apps and a tab that takes you to WSJ and your ten most recently viewed reports. The "carosel" can be easily hidden to give you a bit more room when you need it.

Besides the user interface change, the other major shift for this tools release is the installer. Tools 9.1.x uses the Oracle Universal Installer rather than the old installer. That takes a bit of getting used to for us old hands. When you make the jump, and you start to upgrade your fat clients, be sure to fully unistall JDE on those fat clients first. Do a thourough delete, right down to the registry. Then do your clean install of JDE using OUI. If there are old remnants of JDE under the old installer, then the new installation can get a bit messy. If you start the install on a fresh fat client, or one totally clean, the install goes in nicely.

- Gregg

Re: Tools Release 9.1

Well, here's my take on 9.1 changes:

- E1 Pages: These are definitely a version 1.0 effort. They're static in nature (still display even if user doesn't have access). Defining / creating is pretty primitive, ... Despite all that they are a cool idea and we should expect lots of improvements to this area. I give this 9.1 feature a B- grade.

- Recent Reports: Great feature - the intent behind this enhancement has been requested multiple times over the years. Basically you have links to the last 20 reports run by you from the JDE Home Page either from the carousel or pull-down menu. Just click on report link to display. This feature gets an A.

- Manage Favorites: Been missing this ability, now you can re-arrange order of favorites (requested enhancement), create folders / build your own menu structure. Another A.

- Navigator: This is not so good as described by others. The addition of the "bread crumbs" feature in 9.1.4 helps - but in my opinion the clumsiness of the navigator will force users towards favorites and "E1" Pages. Navigator gets a C-.

- Applications - Right Click for Form/Row Exits Pop-up Menus: These are good features made great by giving user's the ability to copy most frequently used "exits" to the top as "Favorites". If you've ever had to navigate a application with 20+ row exits with sub-menus you'll appreciate this. An A+.

- Grid - Hide Column(s): Nice feature that allows users to easily hide/unhide grid columns from grid format. I give it an A.

- Grid - Freeze Column: Awesome - works pretty much like excel feature which prevents columns to the left of the "Freeze" line from being horiziontally scrolled off the screen. Everyone likes this. Another A.

- Grid - Query Feature: Again something that has been requested a long time and finally delivered. I applaud Oracle's ability to insert a universal feature like this. I do wish we could have the ability to mix ANDs and ORs in a query (e.g. Parens). Query gets a B+.

There are more features / changes in 9.1 - such as improvements to View Submitted Jobs. Overall though I think the Oracle Team gets an 'A' for this effort.

Re: Tools Release 9.1

Great feed back form the experts!
I appreciate your time responding to the query.

I've looked through a demo setup and some things are more attractive than others. The ability to manage the grid similar to the 'Fat Client' days will make a lot of users happy here.

Navigator won't be a big issue as most users only have 10 or so favorites they routinely use. The form/row customization sounds great and will solve multiple user complaints (why display something I don't have access to?)

It sounds like we'll have to re-image our development clients so the installer runs properly. That will be a challenge given the amount of development both past and planned.

Again I express my thanks to you and for your insights.

Re: Tools Release 9.1

Gregg,

I am trying to decide whether to go 9.1.0.2 (already installed) or 9.1.0.4. I can't find any docs on what's new in 9.1.0.4 over 9.1.0.2?

Can you elaborate on the difference (if significant) of 9.1.0.4 to 9.1.02?

Re: Tools Release 9.1

In my opinion the breadcrumb trail for navigation is worth applying 4.

Dave

Re: Tools Release 9.1

Do you have much experience creating the E1 Pages? Did you have to use a separate HTML editor to edit a template page (such as the Budgeting and Shop Floor templates that come loaded) and then modify for a new process flow?

Any feedback you may have on how to take a template and modify for a new process flow would be appreciated. What type of HTML editor do you use? Are these templates 'reusable' to modify for a new process flow, or is it best to start from scratch?

Re: Tools Release 9.1

I agree - go with 9.1.0.4 for the breadcrumbs - your users will be much appreciative.

Great write-up Larry - I agree with all your points.

Has anyone found a way to move a Task View out from under Navigator and have it on the same row as Home Navigator Open Applications, etc? We have a custom Task View set up, and that is all our users have access to, so I would like to move the Task View to that line so the users don't need to search under Navigator, or put it under Favorites (if even possible).

going to 9.1, 9.1.0.4, Windows x64 2008 R2, SQL 2008 SP1, WebLogic

Thanks - Dave

Re: Tools Release 9.1

[ QUOTE ]
Well, here's my take on 9.1 changes:

...
- Grid - Query Feature: Again something that has been requested a long time and finally delivered. I applaud Oracle's ability to insert a universal feature like this. I do wish we could have the ability to mix ANDs and ORs in a query (e.g. Parens). Query gets a B+.


[/ QUOTE ]

I have been wanting this feature for ages! I hope that Oracle delivers on this soon.

Re: Tools Release 9.1

R,

I've asked for a simple 'SQL Injector' for years, too. Instead of making us define our select statements from that UGLY and Nearly Unusable Grid Format - just allow us to define the Data Selection in layman SQL Where Syntax? It's going to be converted to SQL Syntax, anyway.

(db)