Code On Time: User Interface

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User Interface

Sunday, January 24, 2010Print Subscribe

The new floating layout of data fields allows automatic hypertext-like display of data fields in Web Site Factory applications. The floating layout can be applied to any data field category in a form view. You can see this in action at http://dev.codeontime.com/demo/websitefactory1/pages/employees.aspx if you select an employee record.

The layout is useful when you have a large number of fields in your database tables. The forms will automatically adjust themselves when you edit the record or resize the window. Here is the same form in edit mode. Notice that the field composition is not the same this time.

You can make this form even more compact if you request the field category to start the new column.

Here is the same record with the floating category of data fields that was configured to start the new column.

Here is the same record in edit mode.

You can instruct the code generator to start all form view categories in the new column and use the floating field layout on Features page of the project settings.

Labels: Application Factory, Designer, User Interface

Sunday, December 6, 2009Print Subscribe

Adaptive Filtering in ASP.NET/AJAX Applications

Learn how your users can take advantage of adaptive filtering and sorting features available in applications created with Data Aquarium Framework and Web Site Factory from Code OnTime, the premier provider of code generation software for ASP.NET / AJAX.

AJAX-Style Adaptive Filtering and Sorting

Labels: AJAX, Application Factory, Data Aquarium Framework, User Interface, Video Tutorial

Friday, October 16, 2009Print Subscribe

Conditional Visibility in Forms

Data Aquarium Framework supports declarative conditional visibility of fields and field categories in form views.

Conditional Visibility of Fields

Here is a snippet of the data field controller used in Code OnTime Designer that controls visibility of the Formula field if the field is marked as computed.

<category headerText="General" >
    <description><![CDATA[ Specify field name, type, and data properties of the field.]]></description>
    <dataFields>
        . . . . . 
        <dataField fieldName="Computed">
            <headerText>The value of this field is computed at run-time.</headerText>
        </dataField>
        <dataField fieldName="Formula" columns="50" rows="5">
            <visibility>
                <expression type="ClientScript" test="[Computed]==true"/>
            </visibility>
        </dataField>
        <dataField fieldName="OnDemand"/>
    </dataFields>
</category>

The visibility expression test is written in JavaScript. The expression test can refer to the names of the fields defined in the view. The field referenced must be incased in square brackets.

The expression test is evaluated on the client whenever the field values are changed. Evaluation does not cause the server post-back.

The following screenshots show the form before and after the computed field checked.

Conditional Visibility of Categories

The following snippet from the the same data controller shows visibility expression for a field category.

<category headerText="Lookup">
    <dataFields>
        <dataField fieldName="ItemsStyle"/>
        <dataField fieldName="ItemsDataController"/>
        <dataField fieldName="ItemsDataValueField"/>
        <dataField fieldName="ItemsDataTextField"/>
        <dataField fieldName="ItemsNewDataView"/>
        <dataField fieldName="ContextFields"/>
    </dataFields>
    <visibility>
        <expression type="ClientScript" test="[Type] != 'Byte[]' &amp;&amp; [Type] != 'Object' &amp;&amp; [OnDemand] != true" />
    </visibility>
</category>

The JavaScript expression reads as follows:

[Type] != 'Byte[]' && [Type] != 'Object' && [OnDemand] != true

If the value of field Type is not equal to Byte[] or Object and the field is not OnDemand then the category of fields is visible.

The next screenshot shows the visible Lookup field category.

Conclusion

The visibility expressions can be defined directly in the data controller files. The upcoming update to Code OnTime Designer will allow easy modifications of the visibility expressions.

Labels: AJAX, ASP.NET 3.5, Data Aquarium Framework, User Interface, Web 2.0