Using the Business Entity Designer to generate Form components
The Business Entity Designer supports developers in creating repository based components fast through wizards provided by the SmartFramework Repository support plugin.
After creating and generating your business entity (https://consultingwerk.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SCL/pages/8094730 ) you can easily accomplish this by following the steps in the following wizards.
To access the wizards, select the Smart Repository ribbon tab in the Business Entity Designer and you will find the following options:
Note: When this Ribbon Tab is not shown in your Business Entity Designer, you’re not loading the Consultingwerk.Windows.Framework.Repository.Plugins.SmartRepositorySupportPlugin plugin as part of your Business Entity Designer configuration.
Authenticate to the SmartFramework repository
Most SmartFramework environments require authentication. The Authenticate button allows to sign into a SmartFramework session from the Business Entity Designer.
Creating Data Fields
Data Fields are the foundation of fields in Viewer and Browser/Grid components. Data Fields represent fields provided by Business Entities (note in the Progress Dynamics repository Data Fields represent database fields).
After selecting the Create Data Fields button the developer will be prompted for a Product Module. The product module represents the logical folder containing the repository objects created to represent the fields on the screen.
Data Fields can be modified using the Object Master Designer (shown later). This allows to alter default attribute values such as the label or ViewAs options.
Creating Data Sources
A Data Source is a component of the screen design that retrieves and updates data from and to a Business Entity on the back end. In GUI for .NET the Data Source is typically rendered using the SmartBusinessEntityAdapter component and will also create the required SmartBindingSource. In Angular applications, our Angular DataSource components is used to represent the MetaDataSource component from the repository.
Using the Create Data Source button developers can create a data-source based on the required configuration for your object.
Note: ObjectNames need to be unique and must not be reused.
The Data Source needs to provide the tables required by the linked Viewer and Grid components.
In this example, we will only check the eCustomer table of the Customer Business Entity and select an appropriate the product module:
Creating Viewers
MetaViewer type components represent a single record (or a one dataset for each joined table) to the user. The MetaViewer supports creating and updating records. At runtime a MetaViewer is rendered using the SmartViewerControl type in GUI for .NET and the SmartViewer type in Angular web applications.
Using the Create Viewer button developers can create a viewer based on the selected DataSource and fields chosen in the wizard.
Creating Grids
A MetaGrid component allows the user to select records from a list of records. Grids can support filtering and support also updating of records. At Runtime the MetaGrid is either represented by the SmartDataBrowser or SmartUpdatableBrowser type in GUI for .NET or the SmartGrid component in Angular.
The Create Grid button supports developers to create Grid components based on the selected DataSource and fields chosen in the wizard.
Creating Forms
A MetaForm is the container type that allows screens to be launched in all user interface technologies. Forms can be rendered as modal or non-modal windows.
The Create Form buttons allows developers to create a Form which will contain a Grid, Viewer and other supporting instances. Developers can customize this according to your requirements.
Note: Developers should pay attention to the filter fields, as a vertically stacked filter component with many non-optional Filter Fields will consume a significant amount of space on the screen.
Optional fields can be activated by the user on demand.
These wizards introduced here will usually be used in the same order as introduced here, from Authenticate to Create Form wizard.