PeopleCode OverviewPeopleCode is the proprietary language used by PeopleSoft applications. This chapter provides an overview of PeopleCode and discusses how to create PeopleCode programs.
This chapter provides information to consider before you begin to use PeopleCode. In addition to the considerations presented in this section, you should take advantage of all PeopleSoft sources of information, including the installation guides, release notes, and PeopleBooks.
PeopleCode OverviewThis section provides an overview of the conceptual information available about the PeopleCode language. The reference material, that is, the actual descriptions of the functions, methods and properties can be found in the following:
Enterprise 8.49 PeopleBook: PeopleCode Language Reference
This book contains information about PeopleCode built-in functions, meta-SQL, system variables, and meta-HTML.
Enterprise 8.49 PeopleBook: PeopleCode API Reference
This book contains information about all the classes delivered with PeopleTools, as well as specifics about each class's methods and properties.
PeopleCode resembles other programming languages. However, many aspects are unique to the language and the PeopleTools environment. To learn more about the language, see Understanding the PeopleCode Language.
See Understanding the PeopleCode Language.
PeopleCode is an object-oriented language. To learn about objects and how they're used in PeopleCode, see Understanding Objects and Classes in PeopleCode.
See Understanding Objects and Classes in PeopleCode.
The component buffer is the area in memory that stores data for the currently active component. Which fields are loaded into the component buffer, as well as how to access them, is covered in Referencing Data in the Component Buffer.
See Referencing Data in the Component Buffer.
The system uses a data buffer as well as the component buffer. The data buffer is used to store data added from sources other than the component, such as from a PeopleSoft Application Engine program, an application message, and so on. For information about this buffer, see Accessing the Data Buffer.
See Accessing the Data Buffer.
All PeopleCode is associated with a definition and an event. The events run in a particular order from the Component Processor. To learn more about the Component Processor and the standard event set, see PeopleCode and the Component Processor.
See PeopleCode and the Component Processor.
There are considerations you should take into account when creating applications to be used in the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture. These include how to make your code more efficient when running on the internet, as well as considerations when using specific definition. For more information, see PeopleCode and the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture.
See PeopleCode and PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture.
There are restrictions on using some of the functions and methods in the PeopleCode language, as well as considerations for others, like using standalone rowsets and the OLE functions. These are covered in the Using Methods and Built-in Functions chapter.
See Using Methods and Built-In Functions.
PeopleCode has a tremendous amount of specialized functionality, such as:
using the GenerateTree function to create a tree in your application.
viewing, adding or deleting files.
creating applications that run on mobile devices, such as PDAs or laptops.
See Understanding HTML Trees and the GenerateHTML Function.
See Understanding File Attachments and PeopleCode.
See Understanding Mobile Pages and Classes.
Creating PeopleCode ProgramsAll PeopleCode programs are associated with a definition as well as an event. To learn more about where you can place your PeopleCode, and have it executed as part of the Component Processor event flow, see Accessing PeopleCode and Events.
See Accessing PeopleCode and Events.
Use the PeopleCode editor to create your PeopleCode programs. All the functionality of the PeopleCode editor is described in Using the PeopleCode Editor.
See Using the PeopleCode Editor.
Every PeopleCode program is associated with a definition. The following definitions have additional functionality associated with the PeopleCode editor:
SQL definitions
Application Package definitions
See Using the SQL Editor.
See Creating Application Packages and Classes.
After you've created your program, you must run it, and often, that also involves fixing any errors that you find. The PeopleCode debugger is an integrated part of PeopleSoft Application Designer, and has many useful tools for determining where code errors are occurring. All the functionality is described in Debugging your Application.
See Debugging Your Application.
After your PeopleCode program is running, you may want to either improve its performance or the user experience. Techniques for doing this are discussed in Improving your PeopleCode.
See Improving Your PeopleCode.