Business Object Designer field reference

When editing a business object, you work in the Business Object Designer window. The buttons described in this section are available for each tab of the interface.

The Business Object Designer is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Note: When creating a new Business Object, ensure you add the new Business Object in the Design Business Object Definition folder only. Do not create subfolders in the Design Business Object Definition folder.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.

Note: You cannot edit a locked Business Object. You must save a copy of a locked Business Object and make edits to the saved copy.

Commands:

  • Save - Saves changes to the Business Object Designer object. Changes will not go live in iMIS until the object has been published. You must save an object before you can publish it.
  • Publish - Publishes serialized metadata for the Business Object Designer object for use by BusinessRuleBase. Once the object is published, it is available to IQA and other controls within iMIS.

The Definition tab includes the name of the object, its status (Active or not), and a field to record a metadata description of the business object’s role. In addition, certain objects inherit properties from parent objects. The definition of which object inherits properties can be viewed on the (Definition tab) as well as the join between the parent and child objects.

Note: The Object Type defaults to Standard, which is editable. Any object that is not a Standard type is generated outside of Business Object Designer. You can use these non-standard objects in your queries and reports, but they are read-only in Business Object Designer to prevent changes to their required structure.

By default, the Business Object Designer (Definition tab) is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Note: When creating a new Business Object, ensure you add the new Business Object in the Design Business Object Definition folder only. Do not create subfolders in the Design Business Object Definition folder.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.
  • Select the (Definition tab).
  • Name – The name of the Business Object Designer object.
  • Active – Indicates whether the object is Active (being used). If unchecked, the object is archived.
  • Inherits from – If the object inherits from another object, the name of that object is displayed here and a red X is displayed next to the name. The red X enables you to remove the inheritance, making this object standalone. If the object does not inherit from another, a Browse button is displayed. Click the Browse button to find an object in the document browser. Select that as the base object from which the current object will inherit.
  • Description – A text description of what the object is meant to do. This appears in the tool tip help and also in the summary in the Document Browser.
  • Available to Screen Designer? – Unused.
  • Default Display Property – Indicates which property should be returned when the business object is referenced as a foreign-key by another business object.
  • Default Title Property – Unused.
  • Default Description Property – Unused.

This section displays a tree view of business objects related to the open object. Branched objects inherit properties from the top Root object.

  1. From the Staff site, go to RiSE > Business Object Designer.
  2. Select New > Design Business Definition.
  3. (Definition tab) Click Browse.
  4. Select the root object.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Click Create Object. Make any required changes to the branched object.
  7. Click Save, and then click Close.

Note: If you create a Copy of a Root object, you must recreate any branched objects that you require. Branch relationships are not saved during the copy. You cannot copy branched objects.

The Properties tab displays each of the fields within the object and the specific attributes associated with those fields. Properties are defined initially from their SQL tables or views. Properties are attributes of the object (such as Contact.LastName). The Properties section lets you add, remove, and edit property values and their characteristics. The initial property entries that correspond to database columns are typically generated from the Database page.

By default, the Business Object Designer (Properties tab) is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Note: When creating a new Business Object, ensure you add the new Business Object in the Design Business Object Definition folder only. Do not create subfolders in the Design Business Object Definition folder.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.
  • Select the (Properties tab).
  • Property Name – The name of the property.

    • Note: Business Object Designer does not support object property names that start with a special character or number, or contain special characters.

  • Data Type – A drop down list of available data types for the property. The choice here yields the data type of the property on the object and in the database if the property is to be stored in the database. The drop down list is only available when creating a new object.
  • Length – This value is only shown if Data Type can have a variable length (for example, VarWChar, Numeric). It is the maximum length of the data allowed in the property. It is the length of the data in the column in the database if the property is to be stored in the database. It is also the maximum length of the data input field for properties that display in the UI and have a maximum length as a parameter (for example, Text Box).
  • Scale – This value is only shown if Data Type is Numeric. It is the number of digits to the right of the decimal point.
  • Key – If checked, the property is part of the Primary Key of the object, and the property is part of the database table if the property is stored in the database.
  • Required – If checked, the property must be set before the object can be saved or used. This column also marks the corresponding database column as NOT NULL if the property is stored in the database
  • X –Deletes the property from the object. The property remains in the underlying database table.

This tab stores the physical data definition of the property. Property definitions are initially defined from SQL and can be refreshed from the database at any time.

By default, the Business Object Designer Definition sub-tab is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Note: When creating a new Business Object, ensure you add the new Business Object in the Design Business Object Definition folder only. Do not create subfolders in the Design Business Object Definition folder.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.
  • Select the (Properties tab).

This option indicates whether the field is stored in the database. This option is disabled and always set to Yes.

This drop-down contains any tables used in defining the object, with the default being the table name that matches the object’s name, if any.

This value defaults to PropertyName (from the Property List) if you are creating a new object by adding properties. PropertyName from the Property List defaults to this value if you are reverse-engineering existing tables.

This option allows a null value to be entered for the property when the property is saved. When this option is cleared, data must be entered for the property before the property can be saved. This value is inherited from the database, but this value can be manually changed here.

Warning!
For Panel Editor data sources, setting a related business object's properties to allow null is not recommended, and could lead to problems with the iMIS software.

This field indicates the business object for which this property is a foreign key.

This option indicates whether the column auto-increments. If enabled, the following values are used:

  • Start Value – This is the initial or seed value (integer) of the identity. The default is 1.
  • Increment – This is an integer by which the identity is incremented with each new row. The default is 1.

Unused.

If checked, the property’s value cannot be modified. This option is automatically checked if there is an expression for Calculated Value and cannot be changed.

Identifies a property as system-defined. When selected, the property can only be modified by an administrator.

If checked, any change made to the value stored in this property is logged to the change log.

Enable these options to expose the property for use in queries.

  • Available to Query Builder? – Makes the property available for use in IQA whenever the business object is selected as a source.
  • Automatically Include in Queries? – Automatically includes the property in an IQA query result set whenever the business object is selected as a source.

A free-form text description for the property. The description is available as a tool tip in the Screen Designer.

This tab contains data about the prompt for the field, as well as the ability to display or hide a property from IQA. Also, specific properties can be identified as default display values within IQA.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Warning!
    Do not create new folders in the BOD Folders pane. All business objects must be stored in the system-defined Design Business Object Definition folder only. You must also not create subfolders under the Design Business Object Definition folder. Business objects created in or saved to any other location will break.
    - Do not create and save business objects to any other location.
    - Do not move existing business objects to any other location.
    - Do not import business objects into any other location, regardless of the tool used to perform the import.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.

Properties used with IQA

The following properties are used with IQA and will affect IQA queries:

  • Prompt for field - This prompt is displayed in front of the data display or data entry control in the screen designer.
  • Display mask - This field is shown only if Display control is set to a value that allows for display masks, for example, Filtered Text Box. This field lists the pre-built system display masks such as Number, Fixed-point, Percentage, and so forth.

Properties used in the screen designer

The following properties are used with the screen designer and do not affect IQA queries:

  • Available to UI? - This option exposes the property for use in screen designer.
  • Prompt Resource Key - Not used.
  • Tool tip/verbose prompt - This field specifies the text to be displayed in a tooltip when the user hovers over a UI element that is bound to the selected property.
  • Tool tip resource key - Not used.
  • Hint - This field specifies the hint text to be displayed after this property's data entry control.
  • Hint resource key - Not used.
  • Pop-up help - This field specifies the help text to be displayed in a pop-up window when the user clicks the help button next to the UI element that is bound to the selected property.
  • Pop-up help resource key - Not used.
  • Keyboard shortcut - This field specifies a keyboard shortcut to access this property.
  • Display control - This drop-down allows the object designer to specify what data entry control should be used for this property in the screen designer. The choices available are not limited based on the data type of the property or whether the property references another object. Select an appropriate control for the data type.

    • Note: This setting does not work with panels.

  • Display width - This field is shown only if Display control is set to a value that takes Width as a parameter, for example, Text Area. The width is expressed by number of characters in the column.
  • Display height - This field is shown only if Display control is set to a value that takes Height as a parameter, for example, List Box.
  • Allow multiple selection? - This field allows one or more selections to be made from a list of values in this property's control. When cleared, multiple selection is not allowed.
  • Use auto capitalization? - Not used.
  • Format Regular Expression - This field specifies the regular expression to be used to format the data entered for this property.
  • Format Specification - This field specifies the regular expression to be used to format the data entered for this property.
  • Watermark text - This field specifies the text to be shown as a watermark in the data entry control for this property. When cleared, no watermark text appears.
  • Watermark resource key - Not used.
  • Display orientation - This field is shown only if Display control is set to a value that takes orientation as a parameter, for example, Radio Buttons.
  • Horizontal - Choices are displayed from left to right.
  • Vertical - Choices are displayed from top to bottom.
  • Display columns - This field is shown only if Display control is set to a value that takes Columns as a parameter, for example, Radio Buttons. In conjunction with the Display orientation field, the number of columns indicates how the set of choices will be displayed on-screen.
  • Related property - When displayed, this field relates this property to another property of the business object.
  • Show Surf-to-Edit? - This option displays the Easy edit button next to this property's data entry control for authorized users. When cleared, the button is not displayed.
  • Path to web service - This field specifies the URL path to a web service that provides data for this property's data entry control.
  • Web service method name - This field specifies the method name to be called from the web service defined in the Path to Web Service field.
  • Valid characters - This field specifies a list of characters that are valid for data entry in this property's data entry control.
  • Show password strength? - This option, when selected, displays a password strength indicator under this property's data entry control. When cleared, the indicator does not appear.
  • Starting path - This option specifies the default path the Document system browser should start with if this property's data entry control prompts the user to select a path.
  • Validation regular expression - This field specifies the regular expression to be used to validate the data entered for this property.
  • Validation message - This field specifies the text to be displayed when the data entry control fails validation.
  • Validation message resource key - Not used.
  • Validation range start/end - This field specifies the start and end range to be used for the range validation in the Number Up/Down control.
  • Override overall CSS class - This field specifies the default CSS class to use when rendering this property's prompt, read-only control, and data entry control.
  • Override input field CSS class - This field specifies the default CSS class to use when rendering this property's data entry control.
  • Override caption CSS class - This field specifies the default CSS class to use when rendering this property's prompt.
  • Override validator CSS class - This field specifies the default CSS class to use when rendering this property's validation.

This tab allows users to define lookup values for a property in one of two ways:

  • Manually built using codes and values within Business Object Designer.
  • Built using a reference IQA query.

By default, the Business Object Designer Values sub-tab is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.

    • Note: When creating a new Business Object, ensure you add the new Business Object in the Design Business Object Definition folder only. Do not create subfolders in the Design Business Object Definition folder.

  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.
  • Select the (Properties tab), and then select the Values sub-tab.

This field allows the object’s designer to indicate what data, if any, should be pre-selected or pre-filled in the field when creating a new instance of the object (Add/New).

Note: Use a predefined Value List value in the Default Value field. Use of a Freeform data entry value is not supported.

This option indicates the source, if any, for the allowed values for this property. The choices are:

  • Freeform data entry – The default, if it is available. This option indicates that users should type in the value, for example, for a text box or text area. This choice is only available if the data entry field allows for freeform entry.
  • Query Object – This option indicates that the list of allowed values derives from an IQA query. This choice is only available if the data entry field allows for list type data entry, for example, drop-down list, list box, combo box, radio buttons, multiple check boxes, and so forth.
  • Value List – This option indicates that the list of allowed values comes from the object’s designer. This choice is only available if the data entry field allows for list type data entry, for example, drop-down list, list box, combo box, radio buttons, multiple check boxes.

This item is shown only if the Values Come From selection is Query Object. This item specifies which IQA query to use for the list. If specified, the name of the query object is shown read-only. In either case a Browse button is available to enable you to locate the query to use through the Document Browser. There is no delete or clear button. A Query Object is required for Query Object types and is not available to other types.

This item is shown only if the Values Come From selection is Query Object. This option indicates which property/field of the Query Object is stored in the Property when you make a selection.

This item is shown only if the Values Come From selection is Query Object. This option indicates which property/field of the Query Object appears on-screen.

This item is shown only if the Values Come From selection is Value List. This item allows the object’s designer to enter the allowed values for the field.

  • The Data Value fields contain the value to be stored in the property when you select the row.
  • The Display Value fields contain the value to be shown to the end user when entering data into this property.
  • Select More to append five additional rows for value entries.

The Database tab defines the connection between physical tables and views within the iMIS database and the properties of the business object. The properties of a business object can comprise single or multiple tables and views. Where multiple tables and views are defined, an appropriate set of inner joins must be defined.

By default, the Business Object Designer (Database tab) is found under RiSE > Business Object Designer.

  • To create a new object, select New > Design Business Definition.
  • To edit an existing object, click Edit.
  • Select the (Database tab).

This field specifies which tables from the iMIS database are used as the object’s data source, similar to the FROM clause of an SQL SELECT statement. To specify the tables in this list, use the Add and Remove buttons. The first table that you add is automatically designated as (Primary), which has no system effect and is meant only to indicate which table was added first to the object.

This field specifies which columns from the tables specified in the Tables field are used as the object's properties, similar to specifying column names in the SELECT clause of a SELECT statement. The columns that you select here are listed on the (Properties tab). To specify the columns in this list, select one or more columns from the Available Columns list, and then click Add as Properties. Press Ctrl or Shift to select multiple columns.

Note: Business Object Designer does not support column names that start with a special character or number, or contain special characters.

(Optional) This field specifies a filter expression that further limits the table rows that are acted upon by this business object, similar to the WHERE clause of an SQL SELECT statement. The filter expression is applied after the result set of any Joins specified for this object. You must omit the WHERE keyword itself. If there is more than one table listed in the Tables field, you must use qualified column names to prevent ambiguity, as shown in the following example using the ACTIVITY_TYPE column from the Activity table:

Activity.ACTIVITY_TYPE=‘F’

You must specify only a single WHERE clause, because multiple tables listed in the Tables field are joined with an inner join.

This field specifies all of the columns that are available for use as properties for this object. The list comprises all columns from all tables specified in the Tables field, minus the columns that have already been added to the Used Columns list.

Note: Business Object Designer does not support column names that start with a special character or number, or contain special characters.

This field is required if more than one table is specified in the Tables field. This field specifies inner joins between the tables specified in the Tables field, which limits the table rows on which this business object acts to the result set created by the joins. The drop-down lists enable you to choose the columns for each join. Click Add to add the join to the list of joins for this object.

Multiple joins between the same two tables are expressed with a Boolean AND operator in the same INNER JOIN clause. Every join between a different pair of tables is expressed as a separate INNER JOIN clause.

For example, assume that you've added Table1, Table2, and Table3 to the Tables field, and you have added all of the Available Columns to the Used Columns field. Add the following three joins to the Joins list:

Table1.Column1 = Table2.Column1
Table1.Column2 = Table2.Column2
Table2.Column3 = Table3.Column3

In this case, an analogous SELECT statement would be:

SELECT *
	FROM Table1
	INNER JOIN Table2
		ON Table1.Column1 = Table2Column.1
		AND Table1.Column2 = Table2.Column2
	INNER JOIN Table3
		ON = Table2.Column3 = Table3.Column3

Business Object Designer does not support the creation of cross joins, outer joins, or any join type other than an inner join. The joins that you define here are available as default joins when using the object in an Intelligent Query Architect (IQA) query, but IQA also gives the option to create different, custom joins for the tables underlying the business objects used in the query.