Entering default values for multiple replicants

We're running TeamSite 5.0.1 on NT. We have a DCT which has a replicant element. This element is used to enter custom error messages for an external application. We want to open the DCT up with 10 instances showing, because we know the user will always enter at least 10 (this part we know how to do). In addition, since those 10 will not need to be changed very often by different users, we want to have default values in the fields, to save them time. This is where the problems is.

We know how to assign default values to typical elements (such as a text field), but how do we assign different values to different replicant instances? The individual instances are not listed specifically in the DCT, so we can't list the 10 specific defaults. Is this even possible?

A possible solution, of course, is to have 10 individual elements, for which we can specify defaults, then have a replicant (with no defaults) for any beyond 10 that the user wants to create. We'd rather not do this, though, because the resulting XML would not be as easy to parse as it would be if all the elements had the same name and structure.

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Comments

james1

One way is to have a callout populate those fields for you. But it would require the end user to click on the callout button for this to happen.

If/When you upgrade to TS/TST 5.5.2, then you can use FormAPI to do this.

-- James

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James H Koh
Interwoven Engineering

skbaker

Neat idea. Having the user click the button seems like a reasonable request, although admitedly, they won't understand why the extra step on their part is necessary.

So I guess it's impossible to do in the way I described, then?

5.5.2 is defintely coming down the line for us, but we're not there yet, so FormAPI is not a route we can take at this time. Thanks for the confirmation that it would work, though.

james1

> So I guess it's impossible to do in the way I described, then?

You can't give 10 instances of a replicant 10 different default values. You can only give them all the same default.

It is possible to implement your last suggestion, which was to have 10 normal fields, followed by a replicant with default=0, but as you say, it would be awkward to parse the DCR.

Hope this helps.
-- James

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James H Koh
Interwoven Engineering