Overlayable and non-overlayable objects

This topic provides information about which objects and associated definitions you can or cannot overlay. These objects are called granular components and you can customize these granular components of the overlayable objects.

Best practice
We recommend that you use the attached Granular overlay recommendations utility for identifying the overlayable and non-overlayable components in Developer Studio. The utility also provides recommendations about the permitted modifications for each overlayable component. Additionally, the granular components of the objects and the applicable overlay types are also listed in a table.

Overlayable objects

You can create overlays for the following objects:

Active links
Active link guides
Associations
Deployable applications
Escalations
Filters
Filter guides
Forms
Fields
Images
Local applications
Menus
Packing lists
Views
Web services

When you create an overlay of an object, its granular components receive a default type that is usually No Overlay. The granular components inherit their definitions from the origin object. After creating an overlay of an object, you can change the overlay type of any granular component (for information about overlay types, see Granular-overlays). The granular components of the objects and the applicable overlay types are listed in the following table.

The overlay type No Overlay is available for all overlayable objects listed in the following table. Setting the Overlay Type to No Overlay reverts the customizations set for the selected object. The object inherits the properties of the base object.

The following table lists AR System overlayable objects, their overlayable granular components, and whether they can be an additive or overwrite type of overlay.

AR System overlayable objects

AR System overlayable object	Overlayable granular components	Can be an Additive type of overlay?	Can be an Overwrite type of overlay?
Active links
	Form List	Yes	Yes
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Active link guides
	Form List	Yes	Yes
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Associations
Associations	Other Definitions	Yes	No
Deployable applications
	Permissions	Yes	No
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Escalations
	Form List	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Filters
	Form List	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Filter guides
	Form List	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Forms
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Index	Yes	No
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
	Associations to follow	Yes	No
Fields
	Permissions	Yes	Yes¹
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Images
Images	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Local applications
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Menus
Menus	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Packing lists
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes
Views		No	Yes
Web services
	Permissions	Yes	Yes
	Other Definitions	No	Yes

^{1 You cannot reset this definition on a join form; it must be inherited.}

Other Definitions refers to all other components of the object. The overlay type selected at the Other Definitions level applies to all the object definitions contained in it.

Non-overlayable objects

You cannot create overlays for the following items:

Custom objects
Overlaid objects—You cannot create multiple overlays for the same object.
Overlay objects—You cannot create overlays of overlays.
Form data—Distributed Server Option (DSO) mappings, DSO pools, flashboards, skins, and templates are stored as data in a form. Because AR System does not support data overlay, you cannot use overlays to customize form data. Any modifications that you make to the form data might be lost when an application or server is upgraded.

Overlayable and non-overlayable objects

Overlayable objects

Non-overlayable objects

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