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Lycia LowCode Settings

Basics of Lycia LowCode Configuration

The ‘InteractForm_Settings’ Record

The ‘View’ Record

Defining Lycia LowCode Settings

‘views’ and ‘id’

Defining Settings in .4gl File

Defining Settings in .fm2 Form File

Default Interaction Settings

Basics of Lycia LowCode Configuration

Lycia LowCode has two types of records to manage settings for interactions:

InteractForm_Settings record (to manage the interactions for the entire program);
View record (settings to manage Views; a View is an interaction with the specific database table). You will need the View settings to specify the screen record for LowCode to use even if there's only one interaction. If the program has interactions with several database tables, you will have to define several Views.

All the settings available are taken from those records. This data has to be set before starting the interaction and cannot be changed during execution.

To configure Lycia LowCode, you need to do the following:

Step 1. Link the LowCode library in your program and call one of the functions to invoke the LowCode as specified in the following page: Starting Your Work With Lycia LowCode.

Step 2. Create a function with LyciaLowCode settings, create a record for your Lycia LowCode settings, and assign the values like in the example below (the explanation for every setting will follow in the further sections of this page):

FUNCTION db_cms_virtual_field_rec()

DEFINE rec_settings InteractForm_Settings

LET settings.form_file = "../misc/misc_virtual_field_rec"

LET rec_settings.id = "virtual_field"

LET rec_settings.log_file = "../log/db_cms_virtual_field.log" #enable log file

LET rec_settings.actions[""]["ON ACTION Show Data"] = FUNCTION math_on_action_show_data

LET rec_settings.actions[""]["AFTER ROW"] = FUNCTION math_on_action_show_data

LET rec_settings.actions["UPDATE"]["AFTER INPUT"] = FUNCTION math_after_input

LET rec_settings.actions["INSERT"]["AFTER INPUT"] = FUNCTION math_after_input

LET rec_settings.views["test03"].navigation_status="nav_page_of"

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The ‘InteractForm_Settings’ Record

TYPE InteractForm_Settings RECORD
form_file STRING, # The form file that should be opened.
id STRING, # Optional, a form file can contain multiple InteractForm settings, and each can be selected by 'id'.
log_file STRING, # The path to log file. It's an optional property.
translations HASHMAP OF STRING, # Map of internal message translations.
views HASHMAP OF View, # The mapping of database table name and its matching settings in the specific interaction.
actions HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom actions "SubInteraction - Action - Function", which will be added to the subdialog of defined table view and executed before LLC built-in event executing.
actions_on_done HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom actions "SubInteraction - Action - Function", which will be added to the subdialog of defined table view and executed after LLC built-in event executing.
view_attributes HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom attributes "SubInteraction - Attribute - Value", which will be applied to the Dialog.
paged_mode INT, # If positive, then the buffer should be used (in this case, it will take less time for starting interaction). The default is "-1".
input_mode INT, # If negative or 0, then the DISPLAY ARRAY should be used, otherwise (positive) the INPUT ARRAY is used. The default is "-1".
pessimistic_locking INT, # Pessimistic row locking is disabled by default (disabled option locks table only for the time of the actual db update). The default is "-1".
confirm_accept INT, # If positive, then it shows a message box for yes/no/cancel when data has been changed AND the user presses ACCEPT. The default is "-1".
confirm_cancel INT, # If positive, then it shows a message box for yes/no/cancel when data has been changed AND the user presses CANCEL. The default is "1".
END RECORD

Note: For the detailed description of every setting, refer to the Quick Reference Table.

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The ‘View’ Record

The settings from the View record are used to customize a certain interaction with a certain database table. Each program has at least one View (interaction with a table), but with two or more Views, you can define several collections of settings to configure different interactions. You can assign a name for each collection (an id).

If the setting has not been defined for the View, Lycia LowCode will use the definition from the InteractForm_Settings level.

To use multiple database tables for your program, configure multiple Views. The settings of the View are the following:

TYPE View RECORD
screen_record STRING, # The screen record name in the form that should be used. It's a mandatory property.
actions HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom actions "SubInteraction - Action - Function", which will be added to the subdialog of defined table view and executed before LLC built-in event executing.
actions_on_done HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom actions "SubInteraction - Action - Function", which will be added to the subdialog of defined table view and executed after LLC built-in event executing.
view_attributes HASHMAP OF HASHMAP, # Custom attributes "SubInteraction - Attribute - Value", which will be applied to the subdialog of defined table view.
not_update_fields DYNAMIC ARRAY OF STRING, # The list of field which should not be activated on the Edit action.
paged_mode INT # If positive, then buffer will be used (in this case it will take less time for starting interaction).
input_mode INT # If negative or 0, then DISPLAY ARRAY will be used; if any positive value, INPUT ARRAY will be used.
pessimistic_locking INT # Pessimistic row locking is disabled by default (optimistic does not lock table during input, but only for the time of the actual db update).
sql_where_search STRING # The WHERE clause of the main query that can be overwritten as soon the user applies a Search (Construct).
sql_where STRING # The WHERE clause of the main query that can NOT be overwritten by user.
sql_order_by STRING # The ORDER BY clause for the main query.
sql_top INT # The option to limit the base cursor row using the SQL SELECT TOP clause.
confirm_accept INT # If positive then it shows a message box for yes/no/cancel when data has been changed AND the user presses ACCEPT. The default is negative (-1).
confirm_cancel INT # If positive then it shows a message box for yes/no/cancel when data has been changed AND the user presses CANCEL. The default is positive (1).
comboboxes HASHMAP OF Combobox # Map of combobox field names and its sql where clause and dependencies.
lookups HASHMAP OF STRING # Map of lookup field names and its 'match' string that will be used in SQL WHERE clause.
zooms HASHMAP OF Zoom # Map of functionfield names and definitions of form for selecting value.
navigation_status STRING # Target location for the DISPLAY of navigation status (which can be a label or a textField).
END RECORD

Note: For the detailed description of every setting, refer to the Quick Reference Table.

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Defining Lycia LowCode Settings

There are two mandatory settings:

The View is an interaction with the specific database table; the views setting is where you specify the database table name for such an interaction;
The screen_record is a group of database table columns for LowCode to process (referencing visible and hidden (phantom) form fields).

If you plan to have multiple Views in your program, you can specify settings for each of such Views (interactions). Those will be the collections of settings, and you can assign a name to each of such collections. To do that, use the id setting. This way, you can reuse the same form for different purposes.

Two Ways of Specifying LLC Settings

You can define Lycia LowCode settings in the following ways:

in .4gl file

LET rec_settings.paged_mode = 1

LET rec_settings.views["<table_name>"].confirm_accept = 1

in .fm2 form file in JSON format:

You can also disable any LyciaLowCode setting in a certain View while having it enabled in another View.

Note: If the specific setting of the same level has been defined in both .4gl and .fm2 form files, Lycia LowCode will consider a setting definition in .4gl file as a main one.

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‘views’ and ‘id’

Note: In .4gl file settings definitions, the id setting stores a list of Views. In .fm2 form file, there are several definitions of the id setting, one per each settings group (in other words, one id per a View).

If the id property is not defined in .4gl file, the current settings will be merged with the first found setting from the form file.
If the id property is defined in .4gl file, the current settings will be merged with the setting with such id from the form file. If Lycia LowCode doesn’t find the id either in .4gl file, or in .fm2 form file, you will get an error message.
If you want to skip any setting from the form file, you need to set it with a one-blank symbol: LET setting.id = " ".

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Defining Settings in .4gl File

Step 1. Link the Lycia LowCode library lib_llc_interact_form/llc_interact_form.4gl in your project:

GLOBALS "../lib_llc_interact_form/llc_interact_form.4gl"

Step 2. Call one of the following functions:

# 3 ways of invoking LowCode:

# PUBLIC FUNCTION InteractFormFile(formFile STRING)

# PUBLIC FUNCTION InteractFormFileWithSettings(form_file STRING, setting_id STRING)

# PUBLIC FUNCTION InteractForm(rec_settings InteractForm_Settings)

Step 3. Create a function with Lycia LowCode settings and assign the values, like in the example below:

FUNCTION db_cms_virtual_field_rec()

DEFINE rec_settings InteractForm_Settings

LET md_log_console = NULL #clear console screen variable

LET settings.form_file = "../misc/misc_virtual_field_rec"

LET rec_settings.id = "virtual_field"

LET rec_settings.log_file = "../log/db_cms_virtual_field.log" #enable log file

LET rec_settings.actions[""]["ON ACTION Show Data"] = FUNCTION math_on_action_show_data

LET rec_settings.actions[""]["AFTER ROW"] = FUNCTION math_on_action_show_data

LET rec_settings.actions["UPDATE"]["AFTER INPUT"] = FUNCTION math_after_input

LET rec_settings.actions["INSERT"]["AFTER INPUT"] = FUNCTION math_after_input

LET rec_settings.views["test03"].navigation_status="nav_page_of"

Note: For defining settings to control all the interactions of a program, use the following format:

LET <settings_variable>.<setting_name> = <setting_value>

For defining settings for the interaction with the specific database table, use the following format:

LET <settings_variable>.views["<db_table_name>"].<setting_name> = <setting_value>

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Defining Settings in .fm2 Form File

Step 1. Although the settings themselves can be set in a form file, you need to link Lycia LowCode library in your .4gl file before defining specific settings:

GLOBALS "../lib_llc_interact_form/llc_interact_form.4gl"

Step 2. In .fm2 form file, create a JSON record that will specify the settings of a main level by the following structure:

<form xmlns="http://namespaces.querix.com/2015/fglForms"

interactSettings='

[

{

"<setting_1_name>":<setting_1_value>,

"<setting_2_name>":<setting_2_value>,

...

"<setting_n_name>":<setting_n_value>

}

]'>

Note: The interactSettings key in this form file is responsible for the main level of the settings (the ones from the InteractForm_Settings record).

If your form needs several Views, assign an id for each of such Views and put the settings for a specific View into the array as a value for the views key.

For example, the program demo_contact_activity is supposed to have three Views. Hence, the .fm2 form file for this program will have three arrays of View settings inside a main JSON array:

<form xmlns="http://namespaces.querix.com/2015/fglForms"

interactSettings='

[

{

"id": "Contact - Activity",

"views": {

"contact" : {

"screen_record": "scr_contact"

"activity" : {

"sql_where": "activity.contact_id = contact.cont_id",

"screen_record": "scr_activity"

}

{

"id": "Contact Only",

"views": {

"contact" : {

"screen_record": "scr_contact"

}

{

"id": "Activity Only",

"views": {

"activity" : {

"screen_record": "scr_activity"

}

]'>

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Default Interaction Settings in Lycia LowCode

Lycia LowCode uses the dynamic DIALOG clause, which by default works UNBUFFERED and WITHOUT DEFAULTS.

You can override that behaviour. To do that, use the view_attributes setting:

DEFINE l_settings InteractForm_Settings # defining a variable for LowCode interaction

LET l_settings.view_attributes[""]["UNBUFFERED"] = FALSE

LET l_settings.view_attributes[""]["WITHOUT DEFAULTS"] = FALSE

Attention: We do not recommend working in the buffered mode.

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Quick Reference Table

Visual Editor for LLC Settings