Blog

Grid task links

  • 10 November 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 376 views
Grid task links
Userlevel 5
Badge +5

In my previous blog I made a promise that more possibilities would soon come available to start task actions from the grid component, so here we are with the next one. 

The grid component of both the Windows and Web GUI now supports translated links to execute a task with.

The idea is to create a better user experience by placing important tasks of a subject at a more intuitive location, so the user can find it more easily. Also, this will require less clicks to get the required task executed on a (inactive) record so users can do their work faster. 

You can choose to execute a process flow after the task execution to guide the user through a series of actions. 


Let's see how we should configure the Software Factory to use those links: 

Two model extenders are used to assign a related task and translation to a domain of the column containing the task link. 

To let the GUI know this column is a “task link”, we added a new control type “task_link” to the domain.

This domain should be assigned to a (expression) column which is listening to all column settings of the Software Factory, like the positioning, column width, model rights, etc. 

Steps to configure a task link in the Software Factory: 

  1. Create a new domain with control type “task_link”. 
  2. Create a new (read-only) column (may be an expression column so it won’t be created on the database): 
    • Translate the column for the grid, optionally possibly with a whitespace to leave it empty. 
    • Hide the column from the form and the filter & search dialogs. 
    • Turn off sorting. 
    • Provide a manual grid column width. 
  3. Create the task to execute, optionally followed up by a process flow. 
  4. Navigate to Full model and create a new model extender of type “grid_task_link_id”  to assign a task to the new domain.
    Extender: grid_task_link
    The GUI will look for a table task or else will fall back to a globally defined task to execute.  
  5. To translate the clickable link in the grid, create a new model extender of type “custom_display_format” to assign a translation to the new domain.
    Extender: custom_display_format
    The translation needs to be of type “GUI Object” (13). Create it from the Translations tab of the Full model subject or use an existing one. 

The task will only be executed when the application logic (context procedure) allows it. 

Note: an empty database value will cause the link to disappear within the grid cell. This could be used to show the link optionally.

 

This feature is available for GUI version 2020.2.22 and up.

The next step will be to offer support for a task button like a task is shown in the button bar too, including icon presentation and tooltip. Also, we will support this feature in the Universal GUI too. More about that later.


4 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +20

Nice! 

Is it also possible to show a pictogram/icon in the column? For example a recycle bin?

 

 

 

Userlevel 5
Badge +5

Nope, that's the next step like described in the last section.

Userlevel 5
Badge +15

Hi,

I’m trying to set this up but I somehow cannot get it working. I think it has something to deal with the domain, but I don’t know. This is what I’ve done:

  • Created a new project in the SF with a table ‘vehicle’, with the columns ‘vehicle_id’, ‘name’ and ‘task_link’ (expression t1.vehicle_id).

     

  • Created the domain ‘task_link’, about which I’m not really sure what it exactly should be (also tried control “Url”):
  • Turned off the sorting for the task_link column
  • Hide task_link column in Subjects for searching and filter.
  • Applied a manual grid width for the task_link column.
  • Added a new model extender:
  • And another one:
     

     

  • Verified that ‘about’ is present in ‘Translations’
  • Added the task vehicle_show_details:
  • Linked the task to the table (not sure if this is necessary)

Once generated I don’t see a clickable cell / link:


​​​​What am I doing wrong or do I forget? I’m using here SF 2021.1 (hotfixed up to 20210421) with Windows/WEB GUI 2021.1.11.

 

Userlevel 5
Badge +5

Hi René,

I just noticed your question above. Excuse us for this late reaction on this.

Did you manage to resolve this already?

If not, I would suggest you to post a separate question on our community instead.

Regards, Erik

Reply