Defining custom icons for a class instance

As an administrator, create or modify custom icons to represent class instances in Class Manager and CMDB Explorer for easier understanding of the configuration item (CI) relationships and to suit various other requirements of an organization. The icon is defined for a specific class, and you can add and modify those icons in CMDB. The changes you make are retained during upgrades and are visible to all users who access the database. 

The BMC_UIComponent form for each Configuration Item (CI) class in the Common Data Model (CDM) defines an icon to represent that class or the CIs of that class, in places such as CMDB Explorer or Class Manager. You can modify these icons, create new icons to represent classes outside of the CDM, or create multiple icons for the same class. If there is no BMC_UIComponent icon instance for a class, that class is represented in the CMDB Explorer by the same icon as its superclass.

The process of customizing the CI icons is as follows:

Before you begin

• You must be logged in to the CMDB Portal. 
  See User-interface-overview.
• You must be logged in to the AR System server in a separate browser tab or window.
  See User-interface-overview

• You must also have a good working knowledge of class IDs to be able to search for them in the BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_UIComponent form. 
  See the common data model (CDM) diagram in the PDFs-and-videos page.

To customize class icons

1. Use the following direct access URL to open the BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_UIComponent form: 
   http://<midTierServer>:<port>/arsys/forms/<ARServer>/BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_UIComponent
   
2. To add a new icon to a class, click New Request.

3. Enter the values for the following mandatory fields:

   • ComponentType
   • ComponentRelatedClassId

   Enter information in the BMC_UIComponent form by using the information in the following table:

   Parameter	Description
   ClassId	The class ID for the UI component. In this case, type BMC_UICOMPONENT.
   ComponentLocale	The name of the locale specific to the component. If no locale is specified, the default locale is used.
   ComponentName(optional)	Type a name for the icon.
   ComponentQual(optional)	Type a qualification that specifies which instances of the class in ComponentRelatedClassId are represented by this icon. If you do not specify a value for ComponentQual, this icon represents all instances of the class, subject to the values of ComponentLocale and ComponentTag4. BMC Atrium Explorer supports only qualifications that use string or integer values. In addition, you can use the AND or = operators when constructing a qualification, and you can include multiple AND statements with the qualification. For example:  $Name$="DesktopPC" AND $PrimaryCapability$=3 AND $Manufacturer$="Dell"
   ComponentRelatedClassId	Type the class ID of the class that this icon represents. The class ID is case sensitive and might not be the same as the class name. For example, the class named BMC_ComputerSystem has a class ID of BMC_COMPUTERSYSTEM.
   ComponentTag1	The name of the application that owns the UI component. It should be a name other than BMC_CMDB, which is used for BMC Helix CMDBUI components supplied by .
   ComponentTag2	An integer from 1 to 5 to indicate the size of an icon, with a smaller number meaning a smaller size. For example, specify 1 for a 16-by-16-pixel icon, and specify 3 for a 32-by-32-pixel icon. The size 32-by-32-pixel is the default for icons shipped with BMC CMDB. ComponentTag2 is stored but not used.
   ComponentTag3	Type an integer to specify the format of the icon file attachment. Options are: 1 (JPEG), 2 (BMP), 3 (GIF), 4 (TIFF), or 5 (PNG). In this release, Tag3 is stored but not used. ComponentTag3 is stored but not used.
   ComponentTag4	Type an integer to specify the precedence value of the UI component. For example, if the attribute value for ComponentLocale and ComponentQual is the same for multiple icons, the icon with the highest precedence value is displayed in the CMDB Explorer. The default precedence value is 10.
   ComponentType	Select Icon.

4. Click Search.
   The ComponentID field displays the ID that you need to search for within the BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_Icon_Component form.
   
5. In a different browser tab, use the following URL to open the BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_Icon_Component form:
   http://<midTierServer>:<port>/arsys/forms/<ARServer>/BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_Icon_Component
6. In ComponentID, enter the component ID that was displayed in the BMC.CORE.CONFIG:BMC_UIComponent form.
   
7. Click Search.
   If an icon exists, it is returned in the results.
   
8. To replace an existing icon, select the icon and click Add.
   
9. Click Yes to confirm the replacement request.
   
10. Click Choose File. 
    
    The icon file format must be .svg.
11. Select the icon file and click OK.
    
12. Click Save.

View the new icon for the modified class in Class Manager and CMDB Explorer. You might need to refresh the browser to see the changes that you made.