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Overview

When creating an application, you can configure Actionflows to respond to different events, such as a mouse click, double click or enter key press. 

Event Types and Event Handlers

An Event Handler is an action that responds to a specific event, such as a mouse click, double click or enter key press. The Event Handler defines how the application behaves when the event is triggered, such as running a 

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Multiple event handlers can be set on the same component or field. For example, you may wish for a validation Actionflow to be triggered On Enter and On Blur.


Set Event Handlers on:
Event TypeDescriptionComponentData Field
On ClickThe user mouse clicks in an area.Area-
On Change

A toggle field changes state or the user mouse-clicks out of a data field in which they have changed data. 

Note: This event is not triggered by the user typing into a field.

-

Boolean

Date

Datetime

Number

String

On EnterThe user presses the Enter key in a data field.-
On Blur

The user mouse-clicks out of a data field.

Note: This event is triggered whether or not the data in the field has been changed.

-


Tip

On Click events are automatically set on button components. 

Event Types and Action Settings


Set Action Settings on:
Event TypeDescriptionComponentData Field
Double Click

The user double clicks in a grid.

View
Auto SaveThe user changes data in a grid, then clicks out of the cell.View
Drag Types & Drop TargetsUser drags an item from one part of a screen, and dropping on another part.

View

Kanban

Area


Task PlanThe user starts a task plan or a task plan auto-starts according to its schedule.

On StartupThe user loads the application.

Adding an Event Handler

  1. From a screen, click on a component or field to open its
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  2. Click on the
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     and i
    n the Event Handler section, click the 
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     icon to create a new event handler
  3. In the New Event Handler 

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    , select an Event Type

    Tip

    Only events available for this type of component will show - see Event Types table above.


  4. For Action Method, select Actionflow, then click the 
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     icon to create a new Actionflow or click the 
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     icon to display a list of available Actionflows

Adding Action Settings

  1. From a screen, right-click on a grid and press 
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  2. On the View's

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    , click on the
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  3. In the Action Settings section, under Double Click Action, select Actionflow
  4. Click the 
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     icon to create a new Actionflow or click the 
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     icon to display a list of available Actionflows

Worked Examples

Here's a worked example using the Shop Data (available from the Learning Centre).

In this example, we are using:

  • Shop Stock screen containing a grid of the Shop Stock data, a pie chart of the Shop Stock data and a grid of the Shop Departments data  - this screen was created using the Multi-Tile template
  • Shop Statistics screen containing 4 tiles with charts and graphs of the Shop Stock data - this screen was created using the Tile no Buttons template
  • Shop Customer Form screen containing form fields and associated with Shop Customers data by a background filter - this screen was created using the Edit Form template
Tip

If you are completing this chapter as part of the Actionflow course and using a training instance, the data and screens have already been pre-loaded into the Actionflow Intermediate Application. For this example, we'll be working on configuring events on:

  • the Shop Stock screen to open the Shop Statistics screen
  • the Shop Customer screen to open the Shop Customer Form
  • the Shop Customer Form to display a specified text string

GIF/SCREENSHOT OF FINISHED RESULT

Example 1: Configuring an On Click Event

Configure an area to open a screen on clicking.

  1. On the screen where the Actionflow will be initiated from, Shop Stock, find the area, Split Area Top (use the 

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    ) to open its properties

  2. On the 
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    , in the Event Handler section, click the 
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     to create a new event handler:
    1. Event Type: select On Click
    2. Action Method: choose Actionflow
    3. Click 
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    4. Click the 
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       icon to create a new Actionflow
    5. On the Actionflow, select Click to Connect and choose an input of On Click
    6. Create an Open Screen Actionflow that opens the Shop Statistics screen
      1. See 1.07 Open Screen Action Configuration
    7. Close the Actionflow and 
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       the new event handler properties
  3. On the area properties, click the 
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  4. Tick Cursor and set this to Pointer (hand pointing)
    1. This indicates to your application users that this area is clickable 
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     the area properties
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     the screen and click the area to see the Actionflow in action 

Example 2: Configuring a Double-Click Event

Configure a double-click action on a grid to open a screen where the selected record can be edited.

  1. On the screen where the Actionflow will be initiated from, Shop Customers, right-click on the grid and choose

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  2. On the View's

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    , click on the
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  3. In the Action Settings section, under Double Click Action, select Actionflow
  4. Click the 
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    1. On the Actionflow, select Click to Connect and choose the Shop Customers data source 
      1. This is because we want the Shop Customers Form to open with the selected customer's details on
    2. Create an Open Screen Actionflow that opens the Shop Customer Form
      1. See 1.07 Open Screen Action Configuration

      2. Expand
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        Remember to map across the customerID.


    3. Close the Actionflow and 
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       the view properties
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       the screen and double-click a record in the grid to see the Actionflow in action 

Example 3: Configuring an On Change Event

Configure a boolean field to show a message when it changes state (from false to true).

  1. On the screen where the Actionflow will be initiated from, Shop Customer Form, find the True/False Field, mailingList (use the 

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    ) to open its properties

  2. On the 
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    , in the Event Handler section, click the 
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     to create a new event handler:
    1. Event Type: select On Change
    2. Action Method: choose Actionflow
    3. Click 
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    4. Click the 
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       icon to create a new Actionflow
  3. On the Actionflow, select Click to Connect and choose an input of On Change
  4. Using a Calculate Action, create an Output Attribute containing the following string:

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    "Inform the customer that they will receive weekly emails with news and offers." 

    See 1.11 Calculate Action Configuration

  5. Create an Output Connection Point back to the Shop Customer Form screen
  6. Map your new Output Attribute onto the dynamic text component, InformEmailText
  7. Close the Actionflow and 
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     the new event handler properties
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     the True/False Field properties
  9. Close and reopen the screen, ensuring it is 
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    ed, and click the 'Would the customer like to join the mailing list?' toggle to see the Actionflow in action