19. Packages

Packages

If you are designing multiple applications, you are likely to have a set of items that you want to use in all your applications. These items can include:

  • Analysis Models and modelling objects
  • Tables, table data, ERDs and relationships
  • Screens, palettes, layouts and components
  • Images and styles
  • Workflows and actionflows.

To share the items, group them into one or more packages then add the package to an application.

Create a Package

  1. Open  Repository.
  2. Scroll down to the  Package.
  3. Click .
  4. Enter a Name.
  5.  Save your changes.
  6. The package is created.

Adding Content to a Package

  1. Simply drag items from your application onto the package header in the repository as illustrated below.


To move items from a palette into an application, drag the item from the package in the repository onto the application's name.

Using a Package

There are two elements to using a Package. First, we need to associate the package with our application, and this provides us with access to its content.

Associate a Package to an Application

  1. Open the application's properties. Double-click the application's name or from the application's home screen and click properties.
  2. In the Properties tab scroll down to the  Package section.
  3. Click  Package.
  4. The list of available packages opens, drag the desired package into the package section.
  5.  Save your changes.
  6. The package is now associated with your application and you have access to its content.

Using Package Content

Package content is used in exactly the same way as the content in your application. The only differences are its content appears under the package and that package can be shared between multiple applications. This is useful for sharing content such as styles so all your applications have the same look and feel, and tables so that data exists in one location but is accessible by lots of applications.

Template Packages

These packages incorporate the same functionality as Packages, but with the addition of being able to specify the default settings for an application. Serene Grey is a template package and is used to set up the default settings for an application that uses it. For more information see Understanding Template Packages.