Step 1 Create Repository Field Definitions

Step 1. Create Repository Field Definitions

WAM085 - Enhancing the User Interface

Field Visualizations

Fields defined in the Repository may also have Field Visualizations defined.

• These visualizations are able to define the field's appearance in Windows desktop applications and / or in web applications built using WAMs.

• For web, field visualizations are weblets.

• Fields may have a number of visualizations for Windows and web.

• One field visualization must be defined as the default visualization, which will be the appearance option that is automatically selected.

• For web, just one weblet visualization should be defined, since at design time there is no way to switch between visualizations, except by deleting one and adding another.

• Fields may have a static picklist defined which defines a set of descriptions (or captions) and values. Weblets such as a combo box or radio button group will use this picklist to populate the selection options in the web page.

• Field visualizations are compiled into the web page at design time. A change to the definition of a field's visualization in the Repository, for example changing a radio group to a combo box, or adding or removing entries in the picklist, can only be reflected in the web page by removing that field from the web page and re-adding it. It follows that field visualizations defined in the Repository with a static picklist, are only useful for very static data that is unlikely to ever change, such as "male or female" or "married, single or divorced".

• Note also that field types such as Date, DateTime and String will probably always benefit from having a weblet such as datepicker, so their automatic visualization definitions in the Repository are always useful.

• There are other field visualization options that only apply to Windows desktop applications, that are not discussed further here.

• See the Visual LANSA Developer Guide for more information on field visualizations.

1.  Create new field definitions in the Repository:

     Use the New Field dialog, to open each field in the Editor and for the dialog to remain open. Fields will be automatically flagged as RDMLX when a type such as Date is selected:

2.  Review the Field Visualization for the fields iiiDATE, iiiDTETME, iiiTIME and iiiNOTE. They each have been given a suitable weblet visualization.

3.  Ensure that the Input attribute of field iiiNOTE allows lower case:

4.  Switch to the Field Visualization definition for field iiiGENDER. Add a Static Picklist using the toolbar button:

5.  Define the static picklist with two entries as shown:

6.  Open the Repository Find dialog using the insert Weblet Template toolbar button.

a.  If necessary, in the Repository Find dialog, select Standard Weblets in the dropdown.

b.  Add a Radio Group weblet.

7.  Save the field definition.

8.  Switch to the Visualization tab for field iiiCUREMP. Use the toolbar button to add a Checkbox weblet visualization.

     The Checkbox weblet will return, by default, values of Y and N which are correct values for field iiiCUREMP. In this case a static picklist is not required.

9.  Save the field definition.