Architecture Database Client modules XML modules XML panel Features Example ERP application
Features of XML modules and panels
Features of XML modules and panels are described here in order to get an impression of the possibilities. Only these features are mentioned which can be implemented by pure XML without developing Java code. Of course everything can be changed or implemented in Java then.
The functionality of the XML modules and the framework is constantly enhanced. You can take influence on this developing. Please let us know what you are missing and what you would like to be implemented in the Aviantes-Framework. The wishes of our customers are very important to us.
XML panel
The following widgets can be used In XML panels at the moment:
- label
- different types of text fields for entering texts, numbers, date/time values and passwords, text fields can be connected to search dialogs in order to build N:1 relations to other tables
- check boxes
- radio buttons
- buttons for color or file choosing, buttons for calling self implemented methods
- combo boxes, whose items are declared directly in the XML file or are dynamically read from a database table
- check lists (records arranged in a table which can be selected) for building N:1 or N:M relations to other database tables
- images
- data widgets (not editable but for example useful for reading/writing further data in Java code or to automatically write timestamps or the user number)
- search dialogs
- panels with different layout manager which can be nested into one another
Special widgets can also be implemented and integrated into the framework by every developer. These widgets can be used on all panels. Widgets can be linked together (building master-slave relationships) so that the values or the contents (e.g. within combo boxes) of dependent widgets change once the master widget changes its value. For example a combo box with cities shows just the cities that belong to a country that was previously selected in another widget. This is also interesting for text fields which are associated with search dialogs and further slave widgets. A record is selected in the search dialog (for example a client) and its data (name, address, etc.) are then displayed in the connected slave widgets.
Widgets which show records from database tables (e.g. search dialogs and check lists) can join several tables to build the displayed data. Moreover it is even possible to define own SQL statements to control which data should be displayed. Data in the columns can be formatted (very important for numbers, date and time values).
For every widget which contains data it can be specified if values should be automatically read or written and when this should happen (on creation, on update or when a delete marker is set). Furthermore it is possible to automatically write timestamps or user numbers (for example when it should be stored who creates a record).
Colors, fonts and borders can be controlled for every widget.
Two panel variants exist:
- XML-Edit-Panel - owns a search dialog and is useful for managing database tables with many records
- XML-Browser-Panel - shows all records in a table or tree and is useful for managing database tables with a compact size of records
XML modules
Master-detail relations can be established between panels in one module. A record is selected in the master panel which causes that belonging records can be viewed and changed in all dependent panels. This can be further nested. For example the third panel depends on the first and second panel. Both panel variants mentioned earlier can be used as master or as detail panel (slave panel).
Building relations to other records in XML panel
There are different ways to build relations to other records in a XML panel. Combo boxes and check lists will be a good idea if the number of records is not too big. However if there are many records to choose from it will be reasonable to use a text field with a connected search dialog. In this case several possibilities exist how a user can search for records.
As example we consider a panel for managing client commissions. There are widgets to select and show a client on this panel. Only the first widget is editable and serves for selecting a client and showing its company name. All other widgets only show data from the selected client (here city, street and house number).
First of all a user can open the connected search dialog by right clicking the mouse or by doing a certain adjustable key stroke.
There he/she enters or selects appropriate search criteria in the upper part whereupon the found records appear in the table. One of the found records can be selected and will appear in the client widgets on the panel.
Alternatively the user enters the client name into the text field. The framework searches for this name in the client database table after leaving the field. If exactly one record is found its data is taken. If however the name is ambiguous the search dialog opens automatically showing all found records with the given client company name.
Additionally an incremental search can be activated for the text field by the developer. While the user is typing the client company name search results are shown in a popup table below the text field.
If the desired record is visible it can be directly selected from the popup table.
Section in the XML file