PhixFlow Help
Action
Step 5. Upload the selected files
Mark them with the evaluated tag value so that they can be retrieved later by a suitably configured File Collector.
Step 6. Evaluate the validation expression
This validate action expression can reference:
- any values entered on the form
- the values of any context parameters
- any attributes of any items selected on the view or dashboard from which the action was initiated.
Do this using the notation:
_context.<ContextParameter Name>
The validation expression can also refer to items being dragged or items which are having other items dropped onto them using the notations
_dragSource.<AttributeName> _dropTarget.<AttributeName>
respectively.
If the validation expression generates any error messages (including by using the error function) then no further action processing will take place.
Step 7. Retrieve a set of records from the database
Retrieve a set of records for this Stream. The records retrieved will either be based on a filter specified on the Update StreamItems Filter, or, if no filter is specified, the records selected on the view from which the action was initiated.
If a filter is specified then any expression on the filter can refer to the Form View fields, Context Parameters or attributes of items selected on the view or dashboard from with the action was initiated. This step will only be carried out if the user has selected either the Update or Delete Action on the Item Updates tab, and then Filter Type = View Filter or Action Filter.
Step 8. Perform stream item updates
Carry out any stream item updates configured in the Update StreamItems section.
Update and delete actions will be applied to the records retrieved from the database in step 7.
When carrying out Insert or Update actions, each Stream Action Attribute expression will be evaluated in turn to calculate the new value for that attribute. These expressions can refer to the Form View values, the Context Parameters, the values of any attributes of items selected on the view or dashboard from with the action was initiated. Or, for Updates, the values of attributes from the records retrieved from the database.
To refer to values of attributes retrieved from the database simply refer to the attribute name without any prefix. Please note, even where a record retrieved from the database is based on a record selected on a view, the values on the record retrieved from the database may differ from those on the view as the record in the database may have been updated by another user since the view was last refreshed. If any attribute expression fails, or an error message is sent using the error function, then that record will not be updated, deleted or inserted. However, if multiple records are being updated, a failure of one record will not prevent the others from being updated or deleted.
With drag and drop actions, either the items being dropped or the items having other items dropped onto them can be chosen to be updated. In the stream action attribute expressions, you can refer to both _dragSource and _dropTarget.
Step 9. Run task plan
If a task plan has been specified, run this now. Any Context Parameters can be referenced by any expression run during that task plan.
Step 10. Close starting dashboard
If Close Parent Dashboard has been set, close the dashboard from which the action was initiated.
Step 11. Open post-dashboard
If a post dashboard has been specified, open this now. Any filter of any view on that dashboard can reference any Context Parameters set on this action. If the specified dashboard is already open it will be brought to the front and refreshed rather than a second instance of the dashboard opening.
Action Properties
Once configured, a Stream Action can be dragged and dropped onto Stream Views associated with the Stream on which the Action is configured to create a set of Action Buttons which appear on the top of the Stream View. Actions can also be dragged into the menus belonging to an Application.
The toolbar has the standard icons. For information about the sections Parent Details, Analysis Models, Description and Audit Summary, see Common Properties. For information about other property tabs, see Property Tabs.
The following fields are configured for actions:
Basic Settings
Field | Description |
---|---|
Name | The name of the Stream Action. |
Display Name | The name that will be used to display this action on a Stream View |
Show progress indicator after (ms) | A number of milliseconds which need to pass after the Action is submitted before the progress indicator is shown . |
In Progress Message | The custom message which will be displayed in the progress window. If not specified, the default message is displayed. |
In Progress Popup Message | The additional information about the running Stream Action which will be displayed as a HTML formatted window. |
Context Parameters
Field | Description |
---|---|
Include Previous Context Parameters | If this is ticked, any context parameters sent to the dashboard when it was opened will be included. If the action specifies a new context parameter of the same name, the new context parameter will supersede the previous one. |
Update Parent Context | If this is ticked, any context parameter values will also be sent to the dashboard that initiated the action |
Context parameters | A grid listing the context parameters. Double-click to open the properties for a context parameter |
Confirmation Message
Field | Description |
---|---|
Ask for Confirmation | If this flag is ticked, a message will pop up asking the user if they want to proceed with the action. By default, the message is:
To provide a customised confirmation message, use the next field. |
Confirmation Message | Optionally, enter your own text to display as the confirmation message. Use the toolbar to format the message. |
File Upload
Field | Description |
---|---|
File Upload | If this flag is ticked, users will be prompted to browse to a file and select it for upload when they run this action. |
Tag Expr. | An expression that sets the value of the tag for the file. You can use this tag in a file collector to read into PhixFlow files that the action has uploaded. The tag expression can refer to:
_prompt.<Form Field Name>
_context.<ContextParameter Name>
<View name or alias>.<Attribute name or alias> List of names of uploaded files can be accessed through |
Action Validation
Field | Description |
---|---|
Validation Expression | The validation expression is evaluated at the start of any stream item Insert or Update actions. If the validation expression generates any error messages (using the error function) then the action is abandoned. The validation expression is not used to decide whether or not to run the selected Task Plan. The validation expression can include multiple statements by wrapping them in a do() clause. A number of internal variables are available in these expressions:
The usual message functions debug(message), info(message), warning(message), and error(message) are all available to be used in these expressions and will result in messages being written to the system console logs. Be careful when using the error(message) function - this will stop the action from being completed. Example 1 Validate that the sum of the selected record amounts equate to zero before allowing the action to be executed. if(sum(_this.amount) == 0, info('OK'), error('Not performing Action as the Sum does not equate to zero')) Example 2 Validate that the user entered comment is at least 10 characters long, else write a warning to the log. if(stringLength(_prompt.UserComment) >= 10, info('OK'), warning('Comment should be at least 10 characters')) Using values from other views You can also refer to records selected in other dashboard views by using their dashboard element names. E.g. if the dashboard also contains a view with database element name if(sum(ACCTS.amount) == 0, info('OK'), error('Error as ACCTS Sum does not equate to zero')) |
Stream Item Action Rules
A list of rules related to this action. Double-click a rule to open its properties and specify rule details and attributes: see Stream Item Action Rule. This grid displays the rule's:
- Order: The order in which the rules are evaluated.
- Stream: The backing stream.
- Name: The rule name.
- Expression: If this expression evaluates to true, this action will be run. A blank (null) expression counts as true.
Run Task Plan
Field | Description |
---|---|
Run Selected TaskPlan | Tick this flag if you want to run a task plan as part of the action. Any expression evaluated during this task plan can reference any Context Parameter. |
Task Plan Rules | This section has a toolbar with Common Properties and Show Task Plans The grid contains a list of task plans and their associated expression. The expression is the rule to determine whether the task plan runs. To add a task plan to the list:
To remove a task plan, use the toolbar button Delete. To add an expression, double-click the task plan in the grid to open a task plan rule property tab. The first task plan whose expression evaluates to true will be run. Only this task plan will be run. If none of the expressions evaluates to true, no task plan will be run. Double-click a task plan rule to specify:
See Task Plan Rulefor details. |
Action Completion
Field | Description |
---|---|
Close Parent Dashboard | If you tick this flag, the initiating dashboard will be closed once the action has completed. |
Open Post Dashboard | If you tick this flag, a separate dashboard will be opened once the action has completed. The dashboard to open is determines by the Dashboard Rules. These are only available if you have ticked this flag. Any filter of any view on the post dashboard can reference any Context Parameters set on this action. If the specified dashboard is already open it will be brought to the front and refreshed, rather than a second instance of the dashboard opening. |
URL Expression | A URL which will be opened when the Action has completed. This may be provided as a fixed URL or as an expression evaluating to a plain text string. The expression can reference the Form fields, Context Parameters or attributes of Records selected on the view or dashboard from which the action was initiated. |
Dashboard Rules available if Open Post Dashboard | This field is only available if the Open Post Dashboard is ticked. A list of dashboards that can be opened after this action, for each one a rule to determine whether this is the dashboard that will be opened. The first dashboard whose expression evaluates to true will be opened. Only this dashboard will be opened. If none of the expressions evaluates to true, no dashboard will be opened. For each dashboard rule define the following fields:
|
Result
Field | Description |
---|---|
Result includes Warnings | If ticked, warning messages generated by the Action in the Console log will be displayed as part of the result message. |
Result includes Errors | If ticked, error messages generated by the Action in the Console log will be displayed as part of the result message. |
Result Message Timeout (s) | If specified, the result message will disappear after the given number of seconds. |
Result Message | Enter the text for a message that PhixFlow will display when the action has completed. Use the toolbar to format the message. You can use the message to notify the user of a summary of the action, or the to provide information about the completed state. You can include expressions within the message by enclosing each expression in curly brackets For result messages that report on the status of the action, you can use the following internal variables in the expressions:
Example message showing the number of errors and warnings Action {_action} failed with {_errors} errors and {_warnings} warnings. number of You can also use context parameters and values to report different messages. For example if you have a context parameter (called Example of different messages around a threshold value {if(_context.balance < 0,"Money still owed", "Balance paid")} |
Access Permissions
Field | Description |
---|---|
All Users Can Run Action | If you tick this box, all users can run this Action, provided they have the basic privilege to run stream actions. If you untick this box, then access to the stream action is controlled by associating the action with user groups. |
User Groups | This field only appears if the All Users Can Run Action box is not ticked. This is a list of the User Groups permitted to run this Action. This list provides the button - press this to bring up the list of user groups. Drag user groups into the list as needed. |
Advanced
Field | Description |
---|---|
Prevent Parallel Processing | Untick so that a user can run this action multiple times, even if the previous run has not completed. Tick so that a single user cannot run this action more than once at the same time. For example, if a user has started this action, they will not be able to start it again until the first action has finished. |
Wait for Selection | Untick so that the action can run immediately. Only untick this check box if your action does not depend on any data or context parameters from the dashboard. Tick so that PhixFlow runs the action after completing any outstanding dashboard refresh. This check box is ticked by default to make sure that the action uses the data or context parameters related to the data record selected by the application user. |
Form View | You can specify a form view to appear when the user starts the action.They will be able to enter values on this form view, and the values can be used to update selected records for an update action, or populate fields for an insert action. Select a form view from the drop-down list of all forms views in PhixFlow, or by pressing - this brings up the list of streams in PhixFlow; you can select a form view from a stream, and drag it into the form view field. Values entered in the form view are referenced in expressions in the action with the form _prompt.<form field name> For example, if there is a field on the form with the label _prompt.Name If this is an update action, then the form will be pre-populated with the values from the selected record. Where multiple records are selected, then only those values which are common to all the selected records will be displayed. For insert action, when the form pops up all fields will be blank. |
Additional Properties for Update or Delete Actions
Field | Description |
---|---|
Maximum Items Expr. | This field appears if the update action selected is Update or Delete. The expressions entered here must evaluate to a positive whole number. The expression can reference any fields entered on the Form View associated with this action, any attributes of any records selected on the view or dashboard from which the action was initiated and any of the Context Parameters configured for this action. If the number of items selected on the view from which this action is initiated, or retrieved by the filter configured on this action, is greater than this number then an error message will be generated and no updates or deletes will take place. |
Minimum Items Expr. | This field appears if the update action selected is Update or Delete. The expression entered here must evaluate to a positive whole number. The expression can reference any fields entered on the Form View associated with this action, any attributes of any records selected on the view or dashboard from which the action was initiated and any of the Context Parameters configured for this action. If the number of items selected on the view from which this action is initiated, or retrieved by the filter configured on this action, is less than this number then an error message will be generated and no updates or deletes will take place. |
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