Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

[iRadiate]

Alpha never ceases to amaze me!

I was trying to set a checkbox based on the value on a numeric control. I never noticed this before but you can call a javascript function from the condtional style of a control.
This is what I mean:

JavascriptCallPass.jpgConditionalStylePass.png

ConditionalStyleFail.jpgJavascriptCallFail.jpg

I've attached a small sample UX if anyone wants to look at it.


As an aside, if anyone bothers to download and try the UX, please try to enable Pre-Rendering on the component and see if it gives an error. I have a problem with all attempts to enable Pre-Rendering. But this component is very simple and has no security that should cause issues. Just like to know if it works for anyone else?

[mikeallenbrown]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Downloaded, imported, turned on prerender, ran in Live Preview.

Entered number 2, got red. Entered number 1 got green. Entered number 0.5 got red.

I don't see any errors.

[Sarah Mitchell]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Alpha never ceases to amaze me!

I was trying to set a checkbox based on the value on a numeric control. I never noticed this before but you can call a javascript function from the condtional style of a control.
This is what I mean:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43134[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43135[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43136[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]43137[/ATTACH]

I've attached a small sample UX if anyone wants to look at it.


As an aside, if anyone bothers to download and try the UX, please try to enable Pre-Rendering on the component and see if it gives an error. I have a problem with all attempts to enable Pre-Rendering. But this component is very simple and has no security that should cause issues. Just like to know if it works for anyone else?

I did not see any errors running your component.

It would be helpful if you post the exact error message that you're seeing. Does it display an error when you check the box? Run it in working preview? Run it in live preview? After publishing? When you save?

[iRadiate]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

I did not see any errors running your component.

It would be helpful if you post the exact error message that you're seeing. Does it display an error when you check the box? Run it in working preview? Run it in live preview? After publishing? When you save?

Sarah, here is what I see ... https://www.screencast.com/t/3zoqKvoIn

Running in working preview. I haven't tried publishing, I have yet to publish a component with pre-rendering that will work for me. I have security enabled on nearly all my components, but this one doesn't.

[Sarah Mitchell]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Sarah, here is what I see ... https://www.screencast.com/t/3zoqKvoIn

Running in working preview. I haven't tried publishing, I have yet to publish a component with pre-rendering that will work for me. I have security enabled on nearly all my components, but this one doesn't.

I can reproduce this only when running Working Preview using Internet Explorer. If you switch Working Preview to use Chrome, this error did not occur.

This error did not occur in Live Preview or when published.

Try switching your Working Preview to use Chrome or use Live Preview instead.

[iRadiate]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

I can reproduce this only when running Working Preview using Internet Explorer. If you switch Working Preview to use Chrome, this error did not occur.

This error did not occur in Live Preview or when published.

Try switching your Working Preview to use Chrome or use Live Preview instead.

Okay, thanks.

[RichCPT]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Note: there are at least two things to be aware of when using functions in your client-side conditional expressions:

1) Unless Alpha has fixed this issue, if you use a function in the conditional expression(s) itself and you want to pass variables (values from the current row, for example) then you have to force Alpha to prepare local copies of these variables by inserting fake conditions at the top of your conditional expressions list. The 'fake' conditions do nothing, other than force alpha to init local variables that it will use when the JavaScript calls the function that is part of the conditional expression. For example, you might want to call a common function that determines if a user has access to edit values. If the function takes two parameters, like "limitUpdateByRole" and "allowedRolesList" and those values can be retrieved from the current record (the other value it needs, like current user's role, is assumed to be in the global name space), you can force alpha to init those vars by including two fake conditions at the top, like:
limitUpdateByRole = "Force Alpha to init var"
allowedRolesList = "Force Alpha to init var"

Now in the real conditional expression you can call some function that uses those values, "CanEditRecord(limitUpdateByRole, allowedRolesList) == "N". You can either hard code style attributes or you can call a function to set the attributes, as in your example.

2) If you set the control's style by calling a function then you have to be very careful about the function name. Maybe this has been corrected in Alpha, or perhaps there is a workaround, but originally I did not find anyway to use either the {Grid.ComponentName} or {Grid.Object} methods of declaring/naming functions that are called when the condition evaluates to true. This meant all the functions used here had to be declared in the global name space. I put all mine in the tabbedUI component - makes debugging difficult, unless you temporarily copy the javascript functions back to the component.

[RichCPT]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Stephen,
Yes, I get an error if I run your component with "Pre-render" turned on, in working preview in Build 4119. But I also get the same javascript error if I create a new UX.

Two things about your UX, though, the "<" and "<" characters in the first label field need to be "HTML escaped", to be safe.
And, for the use of "Number" as a field Id, it might be better to choose something that is not a keyword in JavaScript. That way when you write the conditional expressions you won't run the possibility of confusing JavaScript. Although,it recognizes you are not using the function 'Number()', but instead using your own variable called, 'Number'. It just seems better to avoid the name conflict.

[iRadiate]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Note: there are at least two things to be aware of when using functions in your client-side conditional expressions:

1) Unless Alpha has fixed this issue, if you use a function in the conditional expression(s) itself and you want to pass variables (values from the current row, for example) then you have to force Alpha to prepare local copies of these variables by inserting fake conditions at the top of your conditional expressions list. The 'fake' conditions do nothing, other than force alpha to init local variables that it will use when the JavaScript calls the function that is part of the conditional expression. For example, you might want to call a common function that determines if a user has access to edit values. If the function takes two parameters, like "limitUpdateByRole" and "allowedRolesList" and those values can be retrieved from the current record (the other value it needs, like current user's role, is assumed to be in the global name space), you can force alpha to init those vars by including two fake conditions at the top, like:
limitUpdateByRole = "Force Alpha to init var"
allowedRolesList = "Force Alpha to init var"

Now in the real conditional expression you can call some function that uses those values, "CanEditRecord(limitUpdateByRole, allowedRolesList) == "N". You can either hard code style attributes or you can call a function to set the attributes, as in your example.

2) If you set the control's style by calling a function then you have to be very careful about the function name. Maybe this has been corrected in Alpha, or perhaps there is a workaround, but originally I did not find anyway to use either the {Grid.ComponentName} or {Grid.Object} methods of declaring/naming functions that are called when the condition evaluates to true. This meant all the functions used here had to be declared in the global name space. I put all mine in the tabbedUI component - makes debugging difficult, unless you temporarily copy the javascript functions back to the component.

Rich, thanks for the heads up. In my case, I'm not passing anything, just checking a control that does a calculation. Depending on the results of the calculation, I wanted to set the style. I also wanted to set the checkbox on or off. I didn't realize I could do this directly in the client-side conditional expression but I think it's pretty cool and thought I'd share in case anyone else wasn't aware of this.

[iRadiate]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Stephen,
Yes, I get an error if I run your component with "Pre-render" turned on, in working preview in Build 4119. But I also get the same javascript error if I create a new UX.

Two things about your UX, though, the "<" and "<" characters in the first label field need to be "HTML escaped", to be safe.
And, for the use of "Number" as a field Id, it might be better to choose something that is not a keyword in JavaScript. That way when you write the conditional expressions you won't run the possibility of confusing JavaScript. Although,it recognizes you are not using the function 'Number()', but instead using your own variable called, 'Number'. It just seems better to avoid the name conflict.

Rich,

I've had no luck ever trying to use pre-rendering, it crashes on every component I use, but oh well.

Thanks for the great tips here. It was just a quick and dirty example but you're right about escaping the less-than signs and not using reserved names.

[RichCPT]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

Rich,... Depending on the results of the calculation, I wanted to set the style. I also wanted to set the checkbox on or off.....

Yes, I like being able to call a function to set the style; it is very helpful on composite (or "super") controls like the EditBox with Lookup. For disabling that type of control, I use a function to hide the dropdown button icon, change the background and foreground colors, set the control to "ReadOnly" and remove the control from the tabbing sequence.

[VictorIsrael]

Re: Setting A Checkbox From Conditional Expression

helo