3. Input

1. Input Configuration

The Input configuration is used to specify how the Property should be shown in the User Interface of the Silver Essence Portal when entering or modifying data. How the Property is shown when viewing the data is not handled through the Input configuration. This is done through the Label configuration.

If you select a Property, the following options can be configured for the Input:

BaseEntity Property: Input

Control Type

The Control Type is used to specify what kind of input field should be shown to the user. The following options are available:

ControlType: TextBox
This is a simple, single line text box in which the user can enter data. The DataType as is configured in the Attributed of the Property is evaluated to determine which input is allowed, This could be text, numbers, numbers with decimals, dates, time or date/time fields.

ControlType: Rich Text Editor
This is a complete editor with formating options like bold or italic text. Or inserting tables and using different text and background colors.

ControlType: File Uploader
This shows a button to browse for a file to upload. If you select this option, you can configure two additional options. 

BaseEntity Property: Input as FileUploader
  • Data Storage
    Optionally, if the BaseEntity contains a Property of the type OleDBImage, you can specify that Property to be used to save the file. In other words, specifying a Property for Data Storage will save the uploaded file into your database. If you leave this option blank, the file will be uploaded to the server.
  • Allowed File Extensions
    By default, the known Microsoft Office file extensions for Word, Excel and Powerpoint are allowed. As are the regular image files (jpg, bmp, png, gif) and portabe documents (pdf). By specifying one or more File Extensions (semi-colon separated) you can limit or expand the options. Example; if you only want to allow Word documents or Portable Document Files, you can restrict this by entering ".doc;.docx;.pdf" as Allowed File Extensions.

ControlType: BusinessController Browser
The BusinessController Browser can be used if the Property Value refers to a different table. Selecting this option shows a button in the User Interface which opens a pop-up window that shows a browser. The user can use the Search criteria in that browser to find the correct referenced data from the list. Upon selecting the correct item from list, the browser pop-up will close and the Property Value will be set. 

If you choose to use the BusinessController Browser, you must configure an additional option:

BaseEntity Property: Input as BusinessController Browser
  • Controller
    From the list of existing BusinessControllers, select the one that is to be used in the browser pop-up window.

ControlType: LookUp Browser
The LookUp Browser is similar to the BusinessController Browser; it shows a pop-up window and the user can select from a list of data. The difference is in the configuration of what is to be shown in that pop-up window. Creating a LookUp is easier since it requires not much configuration. Searching data can only be done by using Code or Description and security is limited. Creating a BusinessController takes more time, but more search criteria can be added and security is far more advanced. For the configuration of the Input's Control Type however, there is no difference.

If you choose to use the LookUp Browser, you must configure an additional option:

BaseEntity Property: Input as LookUp Browser
  • LookUp
    From the list of existing LookUps, select the one that is to be used in the browser pop-up window.

ControlType: LookUp DropDown List
This will show a selection list that expands when the user clicks on the field. From that list, the user can select an option. As with the LookUp Browser, this ControlType needs a LookUp for it to function. If you choose to use the LookUp DropDown List, you must configure an additional option:

BaseEntity Property: Input as DropDown List
  • LookUp
    From the list of existing LookUps, select the one that is to be used in the selection list.

TextBox MultiLine

By default, input is done using SingleLine Textboxes. If you have larger chunks of text, you can also choose to use the MultiLine TextBox. When you choose this option, you can optionally set the number of Columns (width) and Rows (height) to size the input.

SIlver Editor: BaseEntity Property Input, MultiLine TextBox

If you have a maximum length specified for the Property, a counter will be shown to the user. This counter indicates the maximum number of characters, and the remaining number of characters that the user can enter.

Max Length

The maximum length for the input can be limited to a certain number of characters by specifying the Max Length. If you have a maximum length specified for the Property, a counter will be shown to the user if the MultiLine TextBox is used. This counter indicates the maximum number of characters, and the remaining number of characters that the user can enter.

Do note that you can use the Max Length to limit the number of characters that the user can enter, even though the data-source used might accept a higher number. By default, the Max Length is set to the maximum number as is accepted by the data-source. You can change the maximum to a lower number, but changing the maximum to a higher number might result in errors from the data-source. Please check the technical documentation on your data-source to determine the maximum length.

Readonly

Properties can be set to ReadOnly. By doing this, the user cannot change the value when modifying data. Changing the value through the Business Logic is also not possible. Any update for this Property will be ignored. Typically you would set a Property to ReadOnly in the following cases:
  • ReadOnly data-source
    If your BaseEntity is using a database view, or a read-only webservice as the data-source, Properties are automatically marked as ReadOnly.
  • Defaults such as auto-numbers
    The data-source might generate a non-editable default such as an auto-generated number or code.
If you don't want to have the value changed by the user, but would like to change it through the Business Logic, you should not set the BaseEntity Property to ReadOnly. In that case, you should do the following:
  • Uncheck the ReadOnly for the BaseEntity Property
    This will allow updates to the data-source for this Property
  • Check the ReadOnly for the BusinessEntity Property
    By doing this, the user cannot change the value. The Business Logic can.
  • Add the Business Logic where necessary
    You can change the value from the Business Logic, for example through BusinessEntity Methods, Property Defaults or CopyActions.

Show On AddNew/AddNew Mode

To keep a clean screen in the Silver Portal, it is best to show just the fields that are necessary when entering data. If you don't want a Property to be shown when entering data, you can uncheck the Show On AddNew CheckBox. 

If the data-source can expose a default value for entering new data, you can also set the behavior for the input field. You can use the following options:
  • ReadOnly
    The default value from the data-source is shown as ReadOnly. The user cannot change the proposed value.
  • Propose
    The default value from the data-source is shown. The user cannot change the proposed value.
  • Empty
    The default value from the data-source is ignored. If the data-source requires a value, be sure to set the Property to be Required.

Clear default

The Clear Default option triggers the same behavior as the AddNew Mode Empty. The default as generated by the data-source will be ignored. The Clear Default option however, is to be used when the Property should not be shown on AddNew, Whereas the AddNew Mode is to be used if the Property should be shown.

If you have the Clear Default checked, be sure to have a valid Source value in the BusinessEntity Property. 

Editable on Update

By marking a Property as ReadOnly, the user cannot change the value on both entering and modifying data. In some cases you might want to enable the user to change/enter a value when entering data, but not when modifying existing data. For example, the user can enter a question and the original question should not be changed. Or data is is distributed by the data-source and should be modified through a different system.

To do this within the configuration, uncheck the Editable on Update option.

TextBox Password

By checking this option, the SingleLine TextBox will be shown as a Password Field. In other words, the value entered is not shown to the user. Do note that the actual value is stored as-is. This only affects the way the value is shown, the value will not be stored encrypted.

Entry helper

Optionally you can enter text clarifications or instructions on how or what should be entered by the user. This text will be shown as a tool-tip in the screen of the Silver Portal when creating or modifying data.