Drop Down lists and Adding Values

denisv

1.
When the addition of the ability to add values to a list by the user, it now seems that the only way to display the attribute is in list format, can it not still be displayed as a drop down ?

2.
Is it possible in a drop down not to have an initial value displayed in the field. I have left initial blank but it always displays the first value. If this was to be a mandatory field it would defeat the purpose as the user may leave the initial value which might be inapporpriate.

aware_support

If you tick "Allow choices to be edited by end user" checkbox, then initially the attribute will always be displayed as a list. However, the end user (usually system administrator) will be able to specify at run time that no other values are allowed and then the choices will be displayed as a drop down.
Currently a drop down will always pick the first value by default. In version 1.6 we will add the capability to select "undefined" value as well.

denisv

Can I clarify on Point 2:

a) Is this available in Beat 1.6 and if so does it mean that we can open a form with an attribute which is mandatory but has no value initially and the user must select the value from the list

b) When you use a drop down presentation to select data from another business object, will that also have no value initially and the user must select the value.

These items are extremely important as in (a) it currently defeats the use of having a mandatory field as it will always have a value and in (b) the drop down presentation for some uses is the fastest method but again if it has a value initially it will be overlooked and therefore can't be used.

I would appreciate if you could update me as a matter of urgency.

Thanks

aware_support2

Empty values in dropdowns are not supported in the current Beta version. They will be supported in the next Beta that should be available within the next several days.

denisv

Ok,

Can you confirm that while empty values will be supported that they will not be understood as values for mandatory state (required field) and that the initial value can be blank when the attribute is being defined.

Thanks

aware_support2

The new behaviour will be as follows. If an attribute has a choice list but no initial value is set in the configuration, a blank value will be displayed in the dropdown. If the attribute is also marked as 'Value must be provided' and the user does not change selection in the dropdown to a non-empty value, the system will show a validation error.

denisv

Thanks very much for this I have will be testing the new Beta today.

Denis