UX need to get object name in JS

[Peter.Greulich]

Using JavaScript I heed a method to get the object name.

e.g. If I have a text control called 'Field01', I need tot get that name in the onKeyDown event

var keycode = event.keyCode;
if (keycode == 13){
var obj = {dialog.Object}.getName('THIS');
}

I made that method up, but that's what I need in essence.

[Davidk]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

I'm not sure the pure name is in there... I can't see it. However, you could do this...

var txtObj = {dialog.Object}.getPointer('Field01');
var txtName = txtObj.id.substr(10);

The id property always begins "DLG1.V.R1." I believe... so get the id and trim it off.

There is a "name" property which is "V.R1." but it doesn't exist for controls like buttons.

The id is always there.


EDIT: I completely missed the point on this one. The point is that you don't have a control name. Here is the code you need to get this done...

var keycode = event.keyCode;
if (keycode == 13){
  var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
  var obj = {dialog.Object}.getPointer(cntlName);
}

[RichCPT]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

var id = {dialog.Object}._getControlFullId('YOUR_SHORT_CONTROL_ID');

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

Thanks Rich. David is on the right track. Since I don't know what field I'm in, I need to return the field name (this is a text box).

David,

Using your code:

var keycode = event.keyCode;
if (keycode == 13){
  var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
  var obj = {dialog.Object}.getPointer(cntlName);
  alert(obj);
}

Doesn't give me the field name. See image...

Alert error.png

Thanks

[Davidk]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

The field name... in your case... "Field01"... in is the var "cntlName".

var obj = {dialog.Object}.getPointer(cntlName);

Gets you a pointer to that "Field01" object. If you only want the field name, then you don't need the .getPointer method.

I left it there in case you wanted to do something to the "Field01" control. Although, you already have "this" so you don't really need a pointer to it.

[RichCPT]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

If your JS is inside the event handler for the control that you want to know the name of then it is even simpler than what has been said above.

For example, on a regular textbox control put the following in the onKeyPress event:

alert('ID = ' + this.id + ' NAME=' + this.name);

I do not know how useful the NAME attribute would be. If there is more than one instance of the UX open then it will not be unique. And, I think David is right that not all controls have the NAME attribute.

A lot of times a "field" will be made up of a number of controls which are all placed inside of some containing control. Examples: eg. EditBox with a defined Lookup, EditBox for Date field with Date Field lookup. I'm wondering if you are trying to get at the other related fields?

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

Thanks guys, this is a great help. What I was looking for is simply:

var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);

My fields have names like F101, F102...F201... and based upon what field I'm in I can make logical decisions. This is perfect. The pointer method may come in handy as well.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

If I put this code in the field's onKeyDown event, it gives the desired result.

If I put in into a function and call the function, it gives me something else.

The preference would be top call it from a function, so every time I make a change i don't have to go into 28 fields and make modifications.

What am I missing?

var keycode = event.keyCode;
if (keycode == 13){
	var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
        alert(cntlName);
	}

[Davidk]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

I would think at the very least you'll need to capture the keyCode in each field... and the field Id.
Once you've got those two bits, pass them into the function.

var keyCode = event.keyCode;
var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
myNewFunction(cntlName);

function myNewFunction(cntlName){

        alert(keyCode + " " + cntlName)

}

You're getting different results because who knows what's happened to event.keyCode by the time it gets into a function... and "this" no longer refers to that specific textbox control.
I'd still test for keyCode==13 in the onKeyDown event. No sense calling a function on every keystroke.

So I would do this...

var keyCode = event.keyCode;
if (keyCode==13){
     var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
     myNewFunction(cntlName);
}

function myNewFunction(cntlName){

        alert(cntlName);

}

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

That makes great sense. Thanks for the clear explanation, David.

"No sense calling a function on every keystroke." - good point.

Very cool.

[RichCPT]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

If you use onKeyDown are you getting what you want when user might press a combination keystroke like alt-tab? I'm wondering if onKeyPress would be better place for the code. Here is more info: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3...-and-onkeydown

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

Thanks Rich. AFAIK, tab is not relevant. This is for fast data entry and they use the enter key or the dvice equiv.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

So here is the funny quirks of JavaScript, using:

var keycode = event.keyCode;
if (keycode == 13){
	var cntlName = this.id.substr(10);
        alert(cntlName);
	}

In working preview you get this:
Working Preview.png

On localhost and on the website you get this:
LocalHost.png

And in a tabbed_ui you get this:
Tabbed_UI.png

Funny stuff.

This gets the right answer in all cases:

var cntlName = cntlName.substr(cntlName.length - 4);

F101 is the correct answer.

[Davidk]

Re: UX need to get object name in JS

It's not Javascript. It's just the way stuff gets rendered.

I think you'd be much safer doing this...

var ctlNamePos = this.id.lastIndexOf('.');
var ctlName = this.id.substring(ctlNamePos + 1);

This code parses out the last period in the "id" and grabs all the character after it.