Overview

Actionflows can be used This page is for application designers who want to pass data changes between screens,  itMoving data between screens is achieved through an ActionFlow and form fields on a screen. In this example, we have a Company Name form field on Screen 1 that we will pass to Screen 2 using an actionflow. This is illustrated below:

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.

Overview

Sometimes an application user will make changes to data fields, and then expect to see those changes reflected on the next screen they use. In this case, use an actionflow to pass data between screens.

This setup assumes Screen 1 has Company Data already displayed on it. Example company data is available from the Learning Centre. See Designing Screens for guidance on setting up screens.

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The examples used on this page assume Screen1 has a form field called Company Name, which displays data. Changes to the Company Name data has to be passed to Screen2, as shown below:

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See the Designing Screens topic for information about creating and designing screens.

Configuring Actionflows to Pass Data

The following instructions assume you know how to set up an actionflow; see Understanding Actionflows.

Step 1  Create the actionflow

1. Find Screen2 in the repository and drag it onto the Screen1 canvas. PhixFlow automatically creates a button with an actionflow that opens Screen2; see Adding a Button to Open a Screen.

   Note
   This actionflow only opens the new screen. You need to make changes to the actionflow so that the data is passed to Screen2.

   
   

2. In the Screen1 canvas, right-click on the new button and select Display Actionflow to open the actionflow diagram.

Step 2  Configure the actionflow

1. In the actionflow Inputs panel, click on the On-Click event and select the origin of the data. In this example the origin is Screen1. PhixFlow opens the Mappings window.

2. Drag the attributes you want to pass to the next screen from the left box to the right box.
   In the example shown below, the left box lists the attributes available to Screen1 and we drag Company Name to the right box, which lists attributes available to Screen2.
   
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3. In the actionflow, PhixFlow creates a connector called screen between in and Screen2 called screen only opens the screen. In this case we need to pass data. This means we need to remove the connector and create a new one.
4. To remove the connector, in the actionflow, right-click on the connector to screen 2 and select Remove Connector, then Confirm the removal.
5. Reconnect the Inputs → in connection point to Open (Screen 2). This time we will select the Form as this allows us to pass data, PhixFlow opens a popup menu. Select Form, which allows data to pass. When prompted, select Screen 2.
6. In the mapping screen which opens, map the required Mapping window, remap the attributes you wish want to pass to Screen 2. For this example we will send the Company Name.The following illustrates these steps:Screen2. 
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7. Close the actionflow.Testing the setup

Passing a Calculate Value to Another Screen

This example builds on the example above. we will now insert a calculated value into the actionflow created above to add a value that then gets passed to a second screen.

Step 3  Test the actionflow configuration

1. Open the Screen1 canvas and switch to

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   _app_mode _app_mode nopanel true

   ; see Design and Application Mode.
2. In Screen1, edit the data in the Company Name field and click the button.
3. The application opens Screen2. The Company Name field should display your changes.

Passing a Calculated Value to Another Screen 

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calculated calculated

When an application user moves from one screen to another, you may want to provide a new value on the second screen.

The following instructions explain how to calculate a value in the actionflow and then pass it to a screen.

Step 1  Create the form field

1. Open Screen2.
2. Add a form field from the palette
   This field will hold the calculated value we want to pass to Screen2.
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   In the example this is called CalculatedValue.
3. Close Screen2.

Step 2  Update the actionflow

1. Open Screen1 and unlock it if necessary
2. Right-click on the button that opens Screen 2 Screen2 and select Display Actionflow.
3. Open the Screen 2 node from In the actionflow, from the click on the Screen2 node to open its properties.
4. In

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   _property_tabs _property_tabs name basic nopanel true

    → Input Connection Points open  section, double-click the component where the data will be displayed by double-clicking on it. to open its connection point properties.
   In our example this is Screen 2Screen2.
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5. In the window that opens, in the Attributes sectionconnection point properties → 

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    → Attributes section toolbar, click 

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    and from the screen that opens drag .
6. PhixFlow opens the list of attributes that are available. Drag the new CalculateValue filed into this attribute section attribute into the Attributes section, as shown below.
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Step 3 Calculate the

value

1. From the context actionflow toolbar, drag a 

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   _actionflow_calculate _actionflow_calculate nopanel true

    onto the canvas. Provide a useful name. This type of node can perform calculations; see Calculate Node.
2. Enter a name for the node and save your changes. In our example this is called CalculateValue.In here you can perform any calculation see Calculate Node. Save your changes.
3. Remove the connection between in and Screen 2.
4. Connect Reconnect the in connection point to the 

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   _actionflow_calculate _actionflow_calculate nopanel true

   .
5. Connect CalculateValue to Screen 2 Screen2 using the Screen 2 Screen2 form.

Updating Values on an Existing Screen

PhixFlow can update the values on a screen, for example a . For example, an application user enters a date and needs wants to calculate the number of working days to that date.

1. Add a button to your screen.See Designing Screens.
2. Right-click on the button , and select 

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   _actionflow_add _actionflow_add nopanel true

   .
3. Create you an actionflow and add nodes to perform the required functionality, for example calculate the number of working days until a selected date. See Understanding Actionflows for assistance; see Understanding Actionflows and Using Actionflow Nodes.
4. In the connection points click 

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   :
   Provide a meaningful
   • Enter a Name.
   • Select the Output. 

   • In the

     screen that opens

     popup window, select the form to which you

     wish

     want to write

     the

     data

     back to. Note you

     .

     Note
     You can only write

     back

     data to a form field

     , you

     . You cannot write back to any other view type, such as a grid or card.

     
     

   • Map your outgoing attributes to the available attributes. See ; see Wiring Actionflows.

When the actionflow runs it will output the value from the actionflow to a form field in your original screen.