Subjects

In the Subjects screen, every table or view can be fully set up for the user interface. These settings are specified on various tabs that are described in the following paragraphs.

Overview of the Subjects screen

Settings

Options that are applicable on the table itself are specified in this tab.

General

General settings on the Subjects screen

Icon

Icons that are given with a table are displayed with the title of a screen in the menu and on the (detail) tabs. Because icons are used at different locations in the user interface and with different sizes, it is advised to use scalable SVG icons.

A good source for icons is IconPharm.

Start empty with filter

With this option, the screen is opened without retrieving the data, and the filter pop-up is first displayed for the user, or the focus, if present, is placed on the combined filter. This option is intended for large data sets such as the number of articles or relations in an ERP system. Filtering normally takes place first in these situations. By not first retrieving all the data, the screen starts faster.

Row height

The standard row height can be specified here. If, for instance, images must be displayed in the grid, it can be practical to increase the row height.

Auto resize columns

This indicates that the width of columns in the grid is automatically determined on the basis of data, headers or both.

Page size

The Windows and Web GUI have other standard settings for the retrieval of data of a subject. The Web GUI is a multi-user application and uses standard pagination to relieve memory usage. The Windows GUI is only limited as standard by the maximum number of records.

The Web GUI uses pagination for the retrieval of data from the database. In contrast to the Maximum number of records, it is possible to access all the records in one large set since only an x number of records can be displayed in the GUI at the same time. The number of rows that are presented can be changed with the Page size field.

Maximum number of records

The maximum number of rows that the GUI has to retrieve from the database can be indicated for each subject. When a subject contains more records than the specified limit, this is displayed to the user with an icon on the left at the top of the grid.

Screenshot of Maximum number of records in an end product

Setting a maximum number of records for all subjects is possible via the parameter MaxNoOfRecords in the configuration file or in the Intelligent Application Manager. By entering 0 for a subject as the maximum number of records, the parameter is generated for that subject.

Add in grid

When this box is checked, it is possible to add new records in the grid.

Add row visibility

There are two options available. Always and When adding. When the status is Always, the add in grid row is always visible. When the status is When adding, this row is only visible when the GUI is in edit mode.

Add in grid

Grouping in Grid

To enable grouping, check the Group option in the Permissions tab page. Users can group columns using the grid column menu, the sort dialog or by dragging columns to the group box. The visibility of the group box can be modified using the Group box visibility grid setting.

Allow group

Group settings

The figure below shows an example of grouped columns in a grid.

Group in grid

Number of columns fixed in a grid

When a grid contains so many columns that these cannot be displayed on the screen, a horizontal scrollbar is automatically added. It is sometimes desirable that a number of columns remain in view, such as a definition or a name. Note that the columns that are hidden in the grid also count when determining this number.

Number of columns in the form

The maximum number of columns to be displayed in a form can be indicated before tabs are created. When 0 is entered, the GUI will display as many columns as possible on the screen.

Label width/Field width/Horizontal space

The combined width of the above fields determines the space that is reserved for form columns. An explicit value can be defined for each field with the column. If this value for the column is empty, then the value for the project version is used as the default value. The value for the table is therefore not used as the default value for all fields and is only used for determining the width of the columns on the form.

Field height/Vertical space

This sets the height of fields and the vertical space between fields.

Hide buttons

The navigation and update buttons in the form can be hidden with this option. The actions are then only accessible in the ribbon and via shortcuts.

Look-up

The field that has to be presented if this table is used as a look-up table can be specified for a table. This automatically applies to all target tables that refer to this source table.

For example, a table employee has name as its look-up-presentation field, while the primary key is a number.

Screenshot from the Settings tab for Subjects, where the Look-up can be entered

When no presentation field is given, the last reference column is displayed. When no presentation field is entered and the source column itself is also a look-up, the presentation field of this look-up is displayed (this works recursively until an explicitly set up presentation field or modified presentation field is reached). In this way, a link table is automatically correctly translated.

If, for example, the field employee_id in sub_project has a look-up to sub_project_employee and the associated presentation field is empty, the translation of employee_id with sub_project_employee is applied. This draws from the employee table, from which the name is chosen.

This system is known within Thinkwise as deep joining.

Example of deep joining

It can be indicated by how a look-up presentation field has to be displayed:

• Auto complete; when typing, the first record that satisfies what is being typed is displayed automatically.
• Combo (alphabetical); a value from a combo box can be selected. The list is sorted alphabetically.
• Combo (sorted); a value from a combo box can be selected. The list is sorted according to the default sorting of the look-up subject.
• Suggestion (contains); when typing, several values containing the input will be presented.
• Suggestion (starts with); when typing, several values starting with the input text will be presented.

Furthermore, it can be indicated whether the data must be refreshed when opening the combo box.

Working offline

When a user with Mobile goes offline, the online functionality and data are no longer available. To prevent this, the data from certain subjects can be downloaded so that this can also be accessed and modified when the connection falls away and Mobile is therefore offline.

Since downloading subjects costs performance, it is important that only the necessary subjects are available offline. For this reason, when modeling, a number of things can be provided for each table.

Offline details

Available offline

This indicates whether the table or one of the variants can be available offline (can only be set up at table level).

Refresh groups

To ensure refreshing data runs correctly, use is made of refresh groups. It can be indicated for each group when this has to be refreshed and whether this group is atomic. With atomic groups, changes in the offline details are only carried out if the synchronization of all tables in the group is successful. If, for instance, a (connection) fault occurs during the synchronization of an order, then it makes no sense to synchronize the order lines.

Offline details of refresh groups

With non-atomic groups, all tables are synchronized, irrespective of whether a (connection) fault has occurred.

The effects of synchronizing offline modifications following an upgrade is described in chapter 14.4.

The refresh group can also be filled for tables that are only available online. After updating such an online table, all offline tables from the same refresh group are refreshed.

Available offline

Available offline indicates whether the data from the table or variant is available offline (can be set up for the table as well as for the variant). Offline data is stored for each table, not for each variant. If Available offline is enabled, it is compulsory to select a refresh group.

Updatable offline

It is indicated here whether an available offline table can also be updated offline. For instance, this can be disabled if the required logic (defaults, layouts) is only available online.

Offline refreshing after an update

This indicates whether an offline updatable table following an update has to be immediately refreshed (including all other tables from the same refresh group)

When creating prefilters, it can be indicated with the Filter for the offline data option whether a prefilter has to be applied when retrieving the offline data. In this way, a smaller set of data can be worked with offline than online. Due to performance considerations, it is recommended to keep the amount of offline data as small as possible.

Badges

Badges are numbers that can attract the attention of the user. Badges are displayed in the menu and on tabs.

Example of badges

The developer can decide for themselves how the number must be calculated by adding the logic for this to the Badges concept of the table or variant. An empty number or numbers below 0 are not displayed in the user interface.

Set up Badges

To use a Badge, the check mark Display Badge has to be checked with subjects, tasks or reports. This can be done for the default and/or for the variant. Subsequently an interval can be specified in seconds. If no value is entered, then the Badge interval for the project version is used. This default is set to 300 seconds. Note that the performance can deteriorate when there are too many badges or when the badges are refreshed too often.

The Badge logic has to then be developed. A new logic concept has been introduced for this, comparable with defaults and layouts (these concepts will be explained in more detail in chapter 8). A badge procedure has a variant_id as parameter, a badge value and the foreign-key-columns of all references to the table. In this way, a different badge value can be calculated for each detail and variant.

The value that is entered for badge_value will be displayed on the badge. When the badge_value is NULL, the badge will not be displayed.

Permissions

menu User interface > Subjects > tab Settings > tab Permissions

Overview of the Permissions tab with subject settings

Add/copy/update/delete

This indicates which actions the user may carry out in the screen of the table.

Data navigation/sorting/filtering/

These settings indicate which actions may be carried out.

Import/export/mass update

It is possible to import data into and export data from an end product and, at the same time, update several rows (with fixed values or on the basis of an import file).

Which actions are permitted on this table can be set with the Import, Export, and Mass update checkboxes.

In your end product:

• Windows and Web GUI - Export, import and update.
• Universal GUI - Export.

Performance

Overview of the Performance options with subject settings

On the Performance tab, it can be indicated which mechanisms and concepts are enabled for a subject. Deselect unused logic concepts to prevent unnecessary calls to the logic layer.

To further control the performance, it is possible to to configure the refresh behavior after specific actions:

• None - the user interface will not refresh any data.
• Row - the user interface will only refresh the current row.
• Subject - the user interface will refresh the current subject including look-ups and details.
• Document - the user interface will refresh the main subject including all look-ups and details.

Auto refresh

Auto-refresh activates the ability to automatically refresh the subjects and variants every x seconds. How often the refresh happens is decided by the interval timer. Be aware that refreshing can lead to performances issues. This can be done with subject settings and variant settings.

Columns

The options that are applicable for a column are given below.

Overview of the Columns tab on the Subjects screen

Column

Overview of the standard column settings

Case type

This indicates, for instance, whether only capitals are permitted for the field.

Type of column

With this field, it is determined for a column whether the field is presented as:

• Editable
• Readonly
• Hidden

The type can be defined differently in the grid and the form. However, this can never be more freely than with the definition of the column.

The field added_by is set to readonly. It is possible to hide this in the grid. It is, however, not possible to make this normal in the form.

Use when inserting

When a new row has to be added to a certain position in the grid, this row must know information about the current row and sorting. For example, if the grid is sorted by the column order_no, the new row must know the order_no of the current row. This value is then given to the default procedure so that the new order_no can be determined.

Use when copying

A record can easily be copied with (Ctrl+Alt+Plus), only this is sometimes not desired for all fields. For example, with identity fields, status fields and trace columns. It can be indicated with this option which fields are transferred when copying a row.

Copying to the clipboard

When copying rows from the grid with Ctrl+C, only columns are copied for which this option is turned on. Also, as a standard, when exporting data, only the columns for which this option is turned on will be exported.

Performance Performance settings with Columns

When a choice is made to use certain logic mechanisms in Settings, all columns are automatically given as a parameter. With the performance tab, it is possible to exclude certain columns if they are not required for the mechanisms.

In each default, the Modified by field is filled with the current user. However, for some tables the default is completely empty. The default cannot be turned off because Modified by is then no longer filled, but the unused fields can be turned off. Less data will be transmitted during the execution so that the performance will increase.

Look-up

Overview of the Look-up settings for the Tables

It can be indicated for each field whether a look-up has to be displayed and which reference is used for this. It is indicated, as default with the look-up table, how this has to be presented. It is, however, possible to deviate from this for each column (reference). Furthermore, it can be indicated for each field whether the look-up presentation field has to be displayed with a combo box, a pop-up window or both. When the look-up table is displayed with a pop-up window, this can be the standard, but a variant can also be displayed.

When display look-up is checked, but there is no reference ID filled, then two (or more) references are created, all of which will want to fill the field. Select the correct table/reference for yourself.

Components

The settings for the grid, form and card list can be changed in the components section.

Grid

Below, you will find the options to configure the grid of a table.

Overview of a Grid within Components for a selected table

Field order

The order of the fields may differ from the table definition. For each grid, a different order can be defined using the task at the side of the screen.

Grid column type

This option determines whether a column in the grid is editable, readonly or hidden. Normal only applies if the user switches the grid to edit mode (in other words, if they select the option Edit in grid).

In addition, this option can never be set more freely than the definition in the column itself. For an example, see column type in columns.

Grid column width

In principle, the column width is automatically determined by the Thinkwise list component. However, this width can also be adjusted manually by checking the manual column width box and specifying the width in pixels.

Header group

Fields that logically belong together can be grouped on the grid header by checking the Next group option for the first field of the group. This group can subsequently be given a label.

Aggregation

With the option Display aggregation and Aggregation type the totals in the grid can be displayed, such as the number of rows, minimum and maximum values and the sum or average of a column. These will be displayed in the end product under the corresponding list.

Drop down list with the aggregation options

Form

Below, you will find the options for configuring the form for a table. These options are also available when looking at the FromList, except the ones about the tab pages.

Overview of a Form within Components for a selected table

Sequence of fields

Just as in the grid view, the order of the fields can be entered by means of the tasks at the side of the screen.

Form field type

This option determines whether a field in the form is editable, readonly or hidden. This option can never be set more freely than the definition in the column itself. For an example, see type of column in columns.

Field number of positions further

It is possible to place more than one field on a single line or to create blank spaces. This is done by entering the value 0 for Field number of positions further. This field and its label will now be on the same line as the previous field.

To remove the corresponding label, the value 0 has to be entered for Label width as well.

Field in next group

Fields that logically belong together can be grouped on the form. In that case, the box for field in next group must be checked in the first field of the new group. This group can subsequently be given a label and icon. This label can then be translated into several languages in translations.

Field in next column

Forced insertion of field and groups in a next column can also be done in the Software Factory. This is done by checkmarking field in next column for the first field to be displayed in the next column. All the following fields will be displayed in the next column (including any groups).

Fields on next tab

Fields (with groups) can also be placed on a next tab. For this, the checkmark for field on next tab must be checked. The label that is used here will be the heading of the tab page. If the data does not fit on one tab, renumbering will be applied from the new tab with the new label.

In the screenshot below, the table is translated with Project version. Subsequently, a column is placed on the next tab with the name Default settings.

Example of tab bar with multiple tabs

Card list

Overview of a Card list within Components for a selected table

Mainly, but not only, for Mobile, the screen type for column display is called card list. On the left, card list has room for data such as a photograph (see image) with three lines for extra information. This allows for more text to be displayed on a smaller area.

Example of a card list screen type

The card list will be displayed by mobile if one of the following conditions are met:

• The device screen width is 800 pixels or more and..
  • There is no form, card list or grid configured for the screentype. A form and card list will be shown next to each other.
  • Combined, there are more than 2 form, card list or grid components configured for the screentype. A form and card list will be shown next to each other.
• The device screen width is smaller than 800 pixels and..
  • There is a form and grid configured for the screentype. A card list will be shown.
  • There is a card list configured for the screentype, but no form. A card list will be shown.

Tree

A tree view can be created just by using a screen type which contains a TreeView component and altering some settings for the subject.

Tree properties

Just like setting some properties for the grid or form, the tree is available for some modifications. The tree display column is the text presentation for the tree. When leaving blank, the look-up display column will be shown and the icon column will present the icon in front of the display column. There are two types to choose for the tree type, hierarchical and column, which will be explained later. A new feature is the default expanded property: the tree will automatically expand to the provided level of nodes.

Tree properties

Hierarchy

To create a hierarchical tree, it was previously necessary to create a self-reference which included all primary key values. The self-reference is no longer necessary and the only thing to do now is specify the parent column as seen in the next figure.

Hierarchical tree on manager_id

Column grouping

If a tree is needed based on column grouping, the sorting used to group the data on the sorted columns to create a tree. In the new version, it is possible to model on which sorted columns the tree has to group, which is done in the sorting modeler. A checkbox Group can be checked on a sorted column and all underlying sorted columns including the checked one will be grouped.

Group data in a tree

Cubes

This indicates whether a table or view is a cube and which options this offers. See [cubes].

Data

In the data component, it can be determined what has to happen with searching, filtering, sorting, prefilters and conditional formatting.

Filter and Search

menu User interface > Subjects >tab Subjects > tab Default > tab Data > tab Filter and tab Search

Setting search values for a table in Data

Setting filter values for a table in Data

Optimizing filter and search

For filter and search, the options are Always, Advanced or Never. The Advanced option affects the expansion of the search/filter screens. The search and filter functionality can be optimized by setting frequently used search terms to Always and the other fields to Advanced.

Follow these steps to optimize the filter and search functions:

1. Give frequently used terms the visibility Always.
2. Give never-used terms the visibility Never.
3. Give the remaining terms the visibility Advanced.
4. Drag the columns to get the desired sequence.
5. If necessary, select a different search or filter condition.

Search tooltip

Univeral GUI only

menu User interface > Subjects >tab Subjects > tab Default > tab Data > tab Filter

In your application, the tooltip for the Search field displays the columns that are used for searching. The column order is determined by the Filter tab. In the example below the subject column is placed in front of the employee_id primary key column, which is expected to be the first in the original list of columns in the data model (menu User interface > Subjects > Columns).

Sort

A default sort can be specified for each table. You can sort on one or more columns. You can indicate for each column if it should be sorted in ascending or descending order.

Additionally, you can specify on which columns sorting may and may not be allowed. For example, because it concerns a large text column for which no index is defined.

Setting sort values for a table in Data

Prefilters

Prefilters are predefined filters that a user can select. Prefilters have their own name and appear in the ribbon, the context menu and possibly a prefilter bar.

Prefilters are linked to a table. Prefilters can be defined in two ways.

• To attach conditions to columns

• With the help of a query (where clause)

When creating a prefilter, some standard things can be defined:

Prefilter groups

Prefilters within a table can be grouped together to display them logically. Both the groups and the prefilters within a group can be put into a sequence. When prefilters are grouped, they can be displayed in two ways in the context menu:

• Via a sub-menu in the context menu.
• Through the use of separators in the context menu.

Only separators are used in the ribbon, which is also the case for the sub-menus.

Exclusive prefilter groups

It is possible to indicate for each group which icon this group should be given and whether the prefilters in this group are mutually exclusive.

A user cannot simultaneously filter on Available and Not available. If Available and Not available were both a status of one record, the user would never see any data when both prefilters were switched on.

An enabled prefilter in an exclusive group can be locked or hidden, via settings in the model or rights. When this is the case, all other prefilters in this group will also be locked or hidden, as they cannot be activated.

When multiple prefilters are enabled due to settings in the model or user preferences, the GUI will only enable the prefilter with the highest order number. When multiple enabled are prefilters locked or hidden, no data will be shown.

Exclusive prefilter groups can be configured to be mandatory. The user will not be able to turn off the active prefilter. If no prefilter is enabled because of model settings, no data will be shown until a prefilter in the mandatory exclusive prefilter group is activated.

Default prefilter

It is possible to specify for the following components, by means of a combo, what the default of the prefilter should be (hidden, off, on, on & locked, on & hidden). The last two are actually a way to add authorization.

Shortcut

Each prefilter can be linked with a shortcut by specifying the Shift code and ASCII code. When a user presses the shortcut, the prefilter will be switched on or off respectively.

Make sure that no shortcuts are used that are already in use, such as Ctrl C.

Icon and sequence number

An icon may be linked to the prefilter in order to present the prefilter more intuitively to the user. The sequence number determines the sequence if the table has several prefilters.

Query or prefilter columns

Subsequently there is the choice of whether the prefilter should work based on a query or whether conditions have been specified based on columns. When opting for a query, this needs to be entered into the corresponding field

The query is placed in the where-clause by the GUI. The current table can be accessed using the alias t1.

t1.order_date < getdate()

When conditions have to be assigned to columns, this is done on the prefilter columns tab. The developer indicates on this tab which column ID is added to the prefilter and which condition and value the prefilter should have. This concerns the database value and not the translation.

Of course, multiple columns can be specified for each prefilter in order to make the prefilter work in more detail.

If the application is started in developer mode, the resulting query can be viewed in the debug screen.

Setting a prefilter with a query

Access control

It is possible to indicate per role that a prefilter is intended to authorize data. In this case, the checkbox Data authorization prefilter can be checked in the Model rights screen. As a result, the prefilter cannot be disabled by users assigned to this role.

Setting the role rights for prefilters

Conditional formatting

In grids and forms, the font and background color of fields can be adjusted based on specific conditions using conditional layouts. You can choose to modify the background color and/or the font style and color of a specific column or, when no column is selected, the entire row.

A conditional layout contains zero or more conditions that determine when the layout is applied.

Set conditional layout for a table

The Thinkwise platform will automatically generate an overview of the conditional layouts of a subject in the help text (based on the visible columns for the user) for conditional layouts that have a help text entered.

Conditional layouts in the help text of the Software Factory

Expression fields can be used to model conditional layouts based on queries, for example by checking whether a date has expired.

Universal conditional formatting

The Thinkwise Universal user interface uses different conditional layout settings than the classic user interfaces. Instead of choosing a font, containing the font face, size, color and style, the text can be styled independently of the chosen font using separate color and style settings for light and dark themes.

Conditional formatting for Universal

Links

Table Look-ups

You can indicate for each reference whether it may or may not be used as a look-up. This can be different for each column. In addition, in the case of a specific look-up, the table settings, such as the look-up type, the column view, etc. can be overwritten.

Recursive look-up presentation resolving is done automatically by the GUI. When the last reference field in the look-up table itself has a look-up and the previous reference field is left blank, the presentation field of this field is used (recursive).

Overview of Table Look-ups in Links

Details

Detail tabs for references can be turned on and off with the following screen. The subjects are included as detail tabs by means of a checkmark. Also, the detail tabs can be put in sequence by using the tasks on the side.

Furthermore, you can specify the tab control ID. You have the choice from the tab controls that are specified in screen type.

Overview of Details in a table

Tasks

This is where the tasks are linked to a table. How to create tasks is described here.

Overview of the links for a task

Reports

This is where the reports are linked to a table. How to create reports is described here.

Overview of report links for a table

Drag drop

Drag-drop functionality can be modeled for products. This way, you can allow users to drag records from a grid or tree. The target can be another subject or the same subject.

Drag-drop links can be modeled in the Software Factory at subject configuration. A drag-drop link requires a from-table, a to-table and a task on the to-table.

The task will use the mapped parameters from the to-table, based on the tab-task mapping. The developer can map columns from the from-table, the dragged rows, to parameters of this task. When multiple rows are dragged, the task will be executed multiple times. Settings regarding pop-up per row at the task will be applied.

Task parameters that are mapped by both the to-table (using the tab-task mapping) and the from-table will be checked for equality. If the values are not equal, drag-drop will be prevented by the GUI.

By default, the drag-drop link is not active. The developer must decide on which combination of from-variants and to-variants the drag-drop should be available. This is specified at drag-drop interaction.

The user interface normally selects multiple rows in a grid or tree when dragging over the component. To change this behavior, a context-menu option is available to enable drag-drop. Drag-drop can be enabled by default in the model at the from-table or from-variant.

Drag & Drop

The GUI will allow rows to be dropped on any component of the target subject. However, when the user hovers over a multirow-component of the target subject during drag-drop, the GUI will apply one of the following behaviors:

• When the drag-drop task has variable input, depending on the selected row of the target subject, the GUI will navigate to the hovered row.

• When drag-drop task only has one unique set of input, and the selected row will not change the input of the drag-drop task, the GUI will treat the grid or tree like any other component and will not navigate to the hovered row.

A task is bound on Sales invoice line and has the sales_invoice_id mapped as input. This task is used as a drag-drop target task. The subject Sales invoice line is shown as a detail of Sales invoice. Since the active row in this detail will not affect the input of the task, hovering over different rows during drag-drop will not cause navigation.

Context procedures are executed during the hovered navigation, after a short delay. During this time, the cursor might display a question mark.

Menu items

This is a display of the links between tables and menu items. This displays which menu items are linked to a table. It is possible to modify this.

Display of the menu item links for each table

Default settings

In the Default settings tab page, the default project version level settings are displayed.

Default settings for the tables tab