[solved] Assign Value To Text Box On Button Click

Squiffy

I have a data entry form for a BO that has a text attribute called "NewValue"
This form has a button.
When I click the button I want to run a process.
This process needs to take the values of other fields on this form in and produce a result.
I want the result of the process to be shown in NewValue on the form.

The problem is that clicking the button seems to refresh the form, asking me if I want to save the data, which I don't. Then the form is cleared of all data. If I set the value of the attribute in the process it is lost, at least visibly.

This is a trivial example, but it's the technique I need help with as I want to apply this to a much more complicated data entry form.

(this is also a rewording of a previous question that got no response, probably because it was worded badly - https://forum.awareim.com/d/9245>)

pureist

Yes, that is a pain, but how would the process know whether to use the attribute value in the database table or the form, when the process depends on attribute values?

Process buttons inherently prompting to save a form is even more of a pain if all you want to do is bring up a popup.

A work around would be to have a dynamic rule which dynamically calculates the value of NewValue.
you could have it be READ PROTECTed all of the time until the Button is clicked.

You can circumvent the auto save prompt using an HTML button with:
startProcessFromForm (processName, renderOption, htmlElem, saveFlag)

But if you set saveFlag to 'no', then the process is probably going to use the attribute values in the the database table.

Maybe a non-persistent object might also be an option if you don't need to save anything.

Squiffy

[edit] - I'll look at your read protect bit now - didn't quite appreciate what you wrote there at first.

Maybe a non-persistent object might also be an option if you don't need to save anything.

It is indeed a non persistent BO, as the data collected here will be spread amongst several other BOs. My application use case demands that the data is collected on one page but then post processed.

pureist wrote
A work around would be to have a dynamic rule which dynamically calculates the value of NewValue.

I can only seem to make this happen when I move focus from an attribute's text box. And that does seem to work, but it's not desirable in my application. If at all possible I need a button click to kick the process off.

Maybe I'm thinking about it wrongly . What I'm trying to achieve is this - the user needs to enter a value in the preceding box. They then need to provide a text description for that value, with the option to have the system generate a description for them based on a number of rules and db lookups. It's not compulsory to do so (which is why I want it on a button) and might be a little time consuming (which is why I don't want it on an updated/edited event which could become irritating). Clicking the button would send the value to a process, and the process would provide the description for the field after its machinations.

Does that make sense?

pureist

seems like it's going to be easiest if you use an HTML button with:
startProcessFromForm (processName, renderOption, htmlElem, saveFlag)
with saveFlag set to true. The instance will be automatically passed as the process input.

correct syntax and punctuation with parameters seemingly relevant in your case:
startProcessFromForm ('processName', 'main', this, true)

then there won't be any popup save prompt, and the saved instance will be forgotten once the context ends/form is closed.
you could even make it a persistent object and just purge the table once in a while. what does it matter if there is a table containing meaningless records.

The following HTML generates a nice size button (not overly large like the default HTML buttons), and shows the syntax:
<button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" onclick="AwareApp.startProcessFromForm ('processname', 'main', this, true)" >buttontext</button>

you can add: style="parameter: setting; parameter: setting; etc.;" after class and before onclick if you want to change the colour, etc.

Squiffy

Ok, that seems to fix the screen refreshing issue (thanks for your help, rally appreciated). I've switched to a persistent BO (you're right in that some random data is harmless as long as it's cleaned up periodically),

Next issue - how do I get the process to update the attribute on the form?
It seems to run but nothing gets updated (either on the screen or in the database). The log shows this (note tempNewRanges is the BO and Start2 is the attribute I want the proc to set) :

2016-11-28 11:07:36,611 GENERIC Test2#admin -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: tempNewRanges:-1
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -22 Evaluating rule 'Rule1' tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin          -2 Adding action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212 to the agenda
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -15 Executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin       -4 Start2=1212
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -16 Finished executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 GENERIC Test2#admin -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 GENERIC Test2#admin -17
2016-11-28 11:07:36,624 GENERIC Test2#admin -17

No errors that I can see - do I need to run an update of some sort? Scouring the manuals but struggling to find anything...

Squiffy

Right, after further experimentation it boils down to this - if I call Proc1 from an arbitrary rule defined in the BO then the attribute gets set as expected (and more to the point, visibly on the form). If I call it from the button, the log shows the attribute being set but there's no evidence of it; it's neither shown nor saved.

I guess I just don't understand what I need to do to get that change visible. Is it something to do with the fact the BO rule has a dynamic recalculation option in its definition, and the proc doesn't?

If it's any help the logs show as follows. This first one is when I call the Proc1 from an arbitrary rule defined in the BO (a WAS CHANGED on another attribute) - this one works :

2016-11-28 14:01:45,162 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -15 Executing action Proc1 from rules of object tempNewRanges
2016-11-28 14:01:45,163 GENERIC Test2#admin       -17
2016-11-28 14:01:45,163 GENERIC Test2#admin       -17
2016-11-28 14:01:45,163 GENERIC Test2#admin       -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: tempNewRanges:-1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin          -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin             -22 Evaluating rule 'Rule1' tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin                -2 Adding action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212 to the agenda
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin             -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin          -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin          -15 Executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin             -4 Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin          -16 Finished executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 GENERIC Test2#admin       -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 GENERIC Test2#admin       -17
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 GENERIC Test2#admin       -17
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -16 Finished executing action Proc1 from rules of object tempNewRanges
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -25 Started evaluation of rules after data has been changed by the actions
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Quant1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Initial value for tempNewRanges.dummy1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.Quantity1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.Start2
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Evaluating condition tempNewRanges.Start2 IS DEFINED
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -8 Condition evaluated to true: 1212
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Evaluating condition NOT(tempNewRanges.Start2 BETWEEN 1.0 AND 10000.0)
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -7 Condition evaluated to false: 1212 NOT  BETWEEN 1.0,10000.0
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.Start1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.End2
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.End1
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Evaluating condition tempNewRanges.End1 IS DEFINED
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -8 Condition evaluated to true: 15
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Evaluating condition tempNewRanges.End1<1.0
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -7 Condition evaluated to false: 15<1.0
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -6 Checking rule Value range of tempNewRanges.Quantity2
2016-11-28 14:01:45,166 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules after data has been changed by the actions
2016-11-28 14:01:45,167 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin -16 Finished re-calculating business object tempNewRanges

This next one is when I click the button - this one doesn't work :

2016-11-28 14:02:55,872 GENERIC Test2#admin -17
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 GENERIC Test2#admin -17
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 GENERIC Test2#admin -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: tempNewRanges:-1
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -22 Evaluating rule 'Rule1' tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin          -2 Adding action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212 to the agenda
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin       -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 RULE_EVALUATION Test2#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -15 Executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:02:55,873 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin       -4 Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:02:55,874 ACTION_EXECUTION Test2#admin    -16 Finished executing action tempNewRanges.Start2=1212
2016-11-28 14:02:55,874 GENERIC Test2#admin -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-28 14:02:55,874 GENERIC Test2#admin -17
2016-11-28 14:02:55,874 GENERIC Test2#admin -17

pureist

suggest you edit your last post and attach an example bsv in a zip file.

Squiffy

Attached is a test project.

MyBO has Field1, Field2, Field3 & Field4.

Create a new BO (Standard->New Object)
If you update Field1 with some text and move focus it updates Field2 AND runs process called Proc1 which updates Field4. This works as expected.

Clear Field4 and click the button. It runs Proc1 but nothing gets updated.

EDIT -
ok the BO is definitely not being passed to the context engine when I click the button. I tested this by adding an IF clause into the Proc1 which checked the value of Field3. When the WAS CHANGED rule fires, the value was there, when I click the button the Field3 us <UNDEFINED>. This is my issue I think. So the question becomes, how do I pass the BO from the HTMLbutton? I'm further guessing that this might be a better thing to call :

startProcess2(processName, ctxObjectName, ctxObjectId, renderOption)

but how to get the current object ID as a parameter here?

EDIT 2 -
if I set the SaveFlag to "true" (where the manual says it will then pass this BO to the Proc) it refreshes the form and loses all the data. The BO is persistent.

EDIT 3 -
Looks like what I'm seeing is related to, if not quite the same, as this :
https://forum.awareim.com/d/8934/4&hilit=get+object+id+in+html#p39668

Here's the logfile data :

Update Field1

2016-11-29 04:06:20,959 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin -31 Started re-calculating business object MyBO
2016-11-29 04:06:20,959 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:20,959 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -22 Evaluating rule 'F1Rule' If MyBO.Field1 WAS CHANGED Then  MyBO.Field2='F1 Was Changed'  Proc1
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -6 Evaluating condition MyBO.Field1 WAS CHANGED
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -8 Condition evaluated to true: Yes
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -2 Adding action MyBO.Field2='F1 Was Changed' to the agenda
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -2 Adding action Proc1 to the agenda
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -15 Executing action MyBO.Field2='F1 Was Changed' from rules of object MyBO
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin       -4 Field2=F1 Was Changed
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished executing action MyBO.Field2='F1 Was Changed' from rules of object MyBO
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -15 Executing action Proc1 from rules of object MyBO
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -17
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -17
2016-11-29 04:06:20,960 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: MyBO:-1
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin             -22 Evaluating rule 'Proc1Rule' MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin                -2 Adding action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked' to the agenda
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin             -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin          -15 Executing action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin             -4 Field4=Button Clicked
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin          -16 Finished executing action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -17
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin       -17
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished executing action Proc1 from rules of object MyBO
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -25 Started evaluation of rules after data has been changed by the actions
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -6 Checking rule F1Rule
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules after data has been changed by the actions
2016-11-29 04:06:20,961 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin -16 Finished re-calculating business object MyBO



Click Button

2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: MyBO:-1
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -22 Evaluating rule 'Proc1Rule' MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -2 Adding action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked' to the agenda
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -15 Executing action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin       -4 Field4=Button Clicked
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 ACTION_EXECUTION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished executing action MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:06:43,142 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17

EDIT - log showing the BO as undefined :

2016-11-29 04:37:32,116 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:37:32,116 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:37:32,116 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -20 Executing process Proc1 with parameters: MyBO:-1
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -29 Started evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -22 Evaluating rule 'Proc1Rule' If MyBO.Field3='hi' Then  MyBO.Field4='Button Clicked'
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -6 Evaluating condition MyBO.Field3='hi'
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin          -7 Condition evaluated to false: <UNDEFINED>=hi
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin       -16 Finished rule evaluation
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 RULE_EVALUATION ButtonProcTest#admin    -16 Finished evaluation of rules
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -16 Finished executing process Proc1
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17
2016-11-29 04:37:32,117 GENERIC ButtonProcTest#admin -17

ButtonProcTest.zip

34.4kB

ButtonProcTest.zip

34.4kB

Squiffy

I have a work around, but it feel fragile to me (and it causes irrelevant rules to be processed).

I have changed my button to call "recalculateObject2"
I have a rule on the BO that says if my field is not blank and has not just been changed (to avoid automatic evocation [sic] of the process without pressing the button).

Thoughts welcomed 🙂

Squiffy

SOLVED
See this post here - https://forum.awareim.com/d/9286>