Nodes Table -- Real Example

Clarke · 2021-12-27T17:34:19+00:00

There was an error rendering this rich post.

Hello OT Community,

I am looking for a real example of how to use the Nodes Table Smart UI WR with a Filter.

This feature is clear as mud from OT and discussed more on this blog:

"The Nodes List WebReport widget displays a list of items (nodes) generated from the WebReport’s data source in a full-page view, similar to the browse view.

Parameter prompts can be added for the user to input date ranges, attribute values, etc. using the commands, actions and models mentioned above (since 20.1). If in use, an edit pencil button will display to edit the parameters.

Custom columns, scrolling, name search and pagination are supported.

The node action menu and multi-select actions are available to work with the items in the result set.

All titles and labels support multilingual metadata."

Finally OOB OT has included the full "Aggregate View" however the Official Guides do not provide examples about:

Adding Custom Columns
Enabling the Filter Controlls

The blog also posts about using these OOB models:

along with a couple of controls, models and actions which make the usage of webreports in smartUI much easier (like parameter.prompt.form, table.report, status.screen, open.webreport, WRTextModel etc). More detailled informations can be found in my Training “Advanced Workshop Webreports”.

Is the only way to learn the "secrets" of WR in Smart UI to purchase training from a 3rd party.

My Client and I spent time Developing an "Aggregate View" based on Classic UI techniques, unaware of this new Feature.

Now that it is clear to me that there is a better, OOB way, I am determined to find this answers to the above questions.

@OT

The Community deserves are clear and accurate example of Nodes Table WR using the filter mechanic.

Regards,

-MC

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

Clarke

I have raised OT Support Ticket 5005469 about this information as well.

Regards,

-MC

Clarke

I tried and tried to get Nodes List and Nodes Table to display Custom Columns and never succeeded. I reached the personal conclusion that both cannot.

This seems likely as it was OT addressed in this KBA:

https://knowledge.opentext.com/knowledge/llisapi.dll/kcs/kbarticle/view/KB11301752

Furthermore, I cannot get Nodes List or Nodes Table to turn on gui filters other than Name.

The header of the OT template suggests that it only accepts a Name filter:

[/* Title: WebReport CS16+ UI NodesTableReport template - Sample Template

Version: 1.03

Modified: 14th January 2021

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Supports server-side pagination using INCLUDERANGE

- Supports name filtering using the &where_name parameter sent by the NodesTableReport client widget

- Supports sorting for type, name, size and modify_date

- Supports row filters so a filtered table can be shown as a Visual Count button report.

*/]

This explains why Name renders with a magnifying glass, and other things like Modify Date do not show a Pencil/No Interaction. I do not believe this is possible at v21.x

Only the Visual Count tile has GUI filtering, but that tile is about graphing, not displaying Custom sets of OT objects, such as 144s and 749s.

Back to Nodes List and Nodes Table, most importantly both templates are missing critical Mutli-Select Commands such as Zip and Download, and Collect, ultimately limiting their utility.

The Multi-Select operations are personally what I was interested in. Because Nodes Table does not offer Zip and Download it can easily be excluded in my scenario. This was my area of interest.

Another pain point with Nodes List and Nodes table is that it doesn't render a back button. So when you use this tile with /xecm instead of /app it creates dead-ends for the user. Places they can Navigate to but not back from.

Finally, when I used Nodes List and Nodes Table in with the BWS tabbed layout, if I switched back and forth between the tabs, Nodes List and Nodes Table go blank.

I had this problem at v16.2.11 and still at v21.3

Summary:

Nodes List and Nodes Table:

No Custom Custom Columns
No GUI Filtering Besides Name
Limited Multi-Select Operations (No Zip & Download and no Collect)
No Back Button
Blanks out on tab switching when used with BWS tabbed layout

The good news is that Content Intelligence tile is of course available for the WR enthusiast and Classic UI techniques can be deployed.

Below is a screenshot of my WR that solves the noted above problem.

ggcs.png

I hope this info is helpful.

Regards,

-MC

Greg Griffiths

ensure that you raise FRs with OT for each item and then share the numbers here so that others can follow up / support them so that they get more traction.

Clarke

Hello Greg,

I raised this with OT Support and was directed to OTPS

As noted above, the OOB tiles from OT do not Support (most) Multi-Select operations (such as Collect or Zip and Download) nor do they Support any Filterting (besides Name).

I'm not making a Feature Request because I have my own Solution with the "All Documents" tile created using the Content Intelligence tile.

Here is snippet from upcoming blog:

Smart UI - Workflow

Currently (v21.4) the Smart UI Node Browsing Table Tile only offers the WR Developer a single Entry Point: The Multi-File Initiate Workflow button. The Next screen allows the User to Select the Workflow.

Figure 4.0 - Node Browsing Table Tile WF Initiation

In theory the WR Developer could use the WF mechanic to implemented a Multi-Select Custom Action. However a better alternative is to implement a Custom All Documents tab on the BWS Perspective.

(Insert Figure 4.0)

Figure 4.0.png

Figure 5.0 - All Documents tab Single Document Custom Action Column Button

Smart UI is generally only used in Business Workspace (BWS) scenarios. In these scenarios the BWS containers are linked together by Relationships.

The All Documents tab is implemented using the Content Intelligence Tile and displays Content from the current BWS joined with Content from Related Workspaces. Content is displayed flat, without Folders.

Single Document and Multi-Document buttons can be easily added to the All Documents Tile template.

(Insert Figure 5.0)

Figure 5.0.png

Figure 6.0 - All Documents tab Multi-Select Custom Action Button

(Single Document Custom Action Removed, Multi-Action Custom Action Button Added)

(Insert 6.0)

Figure 6.0.png

The All Documents tab approach provides the WR Developer same level of access to the Objects that is available in the Classic UI.

The All Documents templated View doesn't have the limitations of the OOB tiles from OT.

Long live the WebReports Developer.

Regards,

-MC

Greg Griffiths

thanks for the update, can you share the blog link ?

Clarkebar777

Another strength of the "All Documents" WR is that you can change the default behaviour of Opening a Document, for example launching Web Viewer.

As (endlessly) pointed out the Smart UI has less "entry points" into changing/overriding items. Since the All Documents template is 100% WR, you can override whatever you like.

Regards,

-MC

DW1999

Clarke did you ever do a blog post on this?

Clarke

DW1999,

No, I never created the BlogPost.

I did eventually, with the Documentation available, figure out how to use NodesList, NodesTable, and TableReport. Turns out TableReport does allow many columns to be filtered.

I also have had some success combining Alpaca Forms with TableReport to make a really nice View/Custom Report.

Attached is a pick of that shows were I managed to get to with what available.

ggcs WF Content Intelligence WR (Medium).png

Here are the best posts about the TableReport:

https://forums.opentext.com/forums/developer/discussion/comment/963873

Some kinda example here for point 3 would be great:

https://forums.opentext.com/forums/developer/discussion/comment/927550

Are there any plans to have this SWR to open in a dialogview instead of a new tab? Or would I be able to implement that myself?
The SWR cell uses the same WebReport control that launches a WebReport when you click the node it in the Smart UI browse view. This means the behaviour depends on how the WebReport destination is configured. If the WebReport has a Browser or Desktop destination then you are redirected to classic. If it is one of the other destinations then you will see the Smart UI prompt and result dialogues as per the configuration. This means we need to implement the capability to run a WebReport in the Smart UI and have the output show in the browser to get the behaviour you need. This is still not in the product yet. You could extend the core control to implement your own behaviour. There are a few different ways of doing this. One way might be just to extend from webreports/controls/table.report/table.report.view and override the initialize function to use you own collection and columns. You could replace the main collection with a custom collection extended from webreports/models/tablereport/tablereport.model. If you override the parse there you can perhaps call the prototype parse and then substitue the columns with you own custom cell view. The table should render any cells that are available in the cell view registry.

Regards
Ian

What exactly are you trying to achieve with Content Intelligence?

Regards,

-MC

DW1999

I'm trying to replicate some functionality I created using ActiveView for the classic UI in the SmartUI. Mainly show some custom columns, icons and search filtering. Similar to your picture. I've been able to create a Table Report and show custom columns but I can't figure out how to show the inlineActionbar or function menu or anything like that. Do you have any info on how to use your filter critera form to update the Table Report?

Thanks

Clarke

Hey DW1999

ActiveView is great. It allows you to add a line to the Function Menu, to call a WebReport

01 - AV Function Menu.png

Also with AV-ish jquery techniques you can create a Mutli-Select command and a promoted command

02 - AV Promoted Command.png

03 - Appearence Mutli Select.png

All simple "top level" customizations.

However, in the Smart UI, to the absolute best of my knowledge, you cannot achieve this with a Custom Module. The Custom Module is required to create the Entry Point into the Smart UI so you can override, and jam in your buttons.

In the OT Smart UI SDK they sorta provide an example?
It isn't compiled, its very confusing?

Anyway I made the Classic Link example and posted it here:

https://forums.opentext.com/forums/developer/discussion/311410/open-classic-link-example

Hugh didn't say thank you :(

Regards,

-MC

DW1999

Ya I have all that stuff working in the classic view and I have been able to create a module to get a custom command working in SmartUI but now I'm trying to figure out the best way to accomplish the other stuff. It was so easy before. Is it possble to add custom columns to the NodeList? That didn't see possible either.

Thanks

DW1999

So basically either show the standard inlineActionbar in a TableReport or add custom cols to a NodeList/Table as the first step or do I have do I have to use SmarUI extensions instead?

Clarke

DW1999,

All of the examples posted by me here are WebReports, Appearances, and ActiveViews.
I never recommend Custom Modules to Customers, including Smart UI Modules.
I'm not into Custom Modules.

I've personally converted a lot of Custom Modules to WR solutions.
For the Smart UI, I'm really only interested in what I can achieve using the Content Intelligence tiles.

Content Server allows Custom Columns out of the box.
I personally usually turn on DataID as a Global Columns.

What kinda crazy column do you need that requires a Custom Module and a Smart UI override?

In any event, Custom Columns are covered in the Smart UI SDK.
The first step is have to get the Column Data returned in the REST response.
This usually means OSCript modification to "inject" your column data into the REST Response.

This is a good post about columns.
https://forums.opentext.com/forums/developer/discussion/comment/910153

Regards,
-MC

DW1999

Something like your "All Documents" is the end goal. A few search/filter criteria on the top and that executes a custom search query to get the results and those results have the same functions and look like the standard node list plus a few extra cols, category attributes. Different areas have different cols to display so currently this is done with an Activeview. They didn't like how the standard custom columns looked and where they displayed. The standard search widget is no good either as one field needs to search multiple category attributes. All stuff that is easy to do in the classic UI. I appreciate your help.

Thanks

DW1999

Do you have a sample anywhere on how you used Alpaca Forms with the TableReport?

Thanks