external javascript and grid.object

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: external javascript and grid.object

Sending '{Grid.ComponentName}' in the function call is working, but I still don't understand why I cannot use '{Grid.ComponentName}' in the external js library.

If I place this in OnGridRender, it pops up an alert with the Component Name, as expected.

alert('{grid.componentName}');

If instead, I place this in OnGridRender

{grid.Object}.loadJavascriptFile('mylibrary.js');
myfunction();

Where mylibrary.js has this:

myfunction() {
alert('{grid.componentName}');
}

Why does that fail?

I would like to find a way to load an external javascript library in to a grid so the functions would work the same as if I had typed them in to the Grid's Javascript Functions area.

You can't use {grid.componentName} in the external JS file for a very good reason -- it is NOT valid Javascipt.

If you were to write some Javascript code (outside of an a5 Grid) that had '{grid.componentName}' in it, and then tried to run code you would get a javascript error.
That's because the { } syntax is how Javascript defines a JSON object, and 'grid.componentname' is NOT a Javascript object.

The reason that when you use {grid.componentName} in an A5 grid, it just works, is that A5 replaces {grid.componentName} (which to A5 is just a placeholder) with the real object name. This replacement is done on the server BEFORE any code is sent to the browser.

So, for example, if your grid alias is FOOBAR then {grid.componentname} is replaced with FOOBAR_GridObj (which is the object name of the Grid)

When you load Javascript from an external file, A5 does NOT pre-process this file before it is loaded into memory and look for placeholders to replace with real object names. it simply loads the javascript file.
And if this file has {grid.componentname} it will fail to parse, for the reasons explained above.

Here is what you could do:

in the external file, instead of using placeholders for the object name you could try something like this:

function next() {
var gridObjName = window['MyGridObjectName'];
var gridObj = window[gridObjName + '_GridObj'];
gridObj.pageNavigate('next');
}

Then in the onGridRenderComplete client side event, you would add code like this:

window['MyGridObjectName'] = '{grid.componentname}'

So, what's going on here is that the linked Javascript file does NOT use any placeholders. It references a global variable to get the name of the Grid object. this global variable is set in the onGridRenderComplete event.

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: external javascript and grid.object

I disagree that it does not work if the syntax is entered correctly.
If myFunction is defined in the javascript function declarations of the Grid and you write:

mylibrary.js|myFunction

then there is no question at all that myFunction is called after mylibrary.js is loaded, as shown in this video:

http://screencast.com/t/Y7jvgScjc8

[Clipper87]

Re: external javascript and grid.object

I confirm but then what is the purpose of Linked Javascript files if you have to define the function in the grid's javascript function declarations?
I would suspect that Linked Javascript Files serves to allow calling functions from different components without having to define them in each component?

So for example:

I have a library mylibrary.js containing:

function myfunction() {
alert('test');
}

I link this library into a grid with the Linked Javascript file property and then I put a button in my grid who's onclick event calls myfunction()

That does not work: I get an error that says that myfunction is not defined

Edit: It does work; I continued to ignore a typo that I made

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: external javascript and grid.object

I confirm but then what is the purpose of Linked Javascript files if you have to define the function in the grid's javascript function declarations?
I would suspect that Linked Javascript Files serves to allow calling functions from different components without having to define them in each component?

So for example:

I have a library mylibrary.js containing:

function myfunction() {
alert('test');
}

I link this library into a grid with the Linked Javascript file property and then I put a button in my grid who's onclick event calls myfunction()

That does not work: I get an error that says that myfunction is not defined

I am sorry, but once again, (unless I am not understanding the point you are trying to make) I have to disagree with you.

In the video i have put a button in the grid that calls a function that was defined in the linked javascript file. As the video shows, when I click the button the function from the linked file is executed.


http://screencast.com/t/opVKOlfHAOzb

[Steve Wood]

Re: external javascript and grid.object

Thank you Selwyn. I thought perhaps using {grid.Object}.loadJavascriptFile('mylibrary.js') would load the js in to my grid, as if I had typed it in the Javascript Functions area.

No matter, I am passing {grid.componentname} in the function call as "compname" below.

function ckInstance(ctype,fieldname,compname,toolbar,height,width) {
}

And where I need grid.object, I use compname+'_GridObj'.

Selwyn, is there any special argument that already contains the component type and status, such as:

Grid - New Row
Grid - Existing Record Row
Grid - Detail Section
Dialog - Legacy
Dialog2

Right now I am just entering a parameter such as GRIDNEW, GRIDROW, GRIDDETAIL, DIALOG1, DIALOG2.