MATERIAL FOR PRPC CERTIFICATION

USER INTERFACE % of EXAM - 10%

User Interface Rules

List the different HTML rule types that form the user interface and how they are
used
Harness
Section
Fragments
HTMP Properties

Harness ( Rule-HTML-Harness)

Harness Rules define the form structure and the layout , specifying the sections that include
in the harnesses and other elements to be added.

Harness rule basically assembles all required sections, streams and fragments.

To display a work object form defined by a harness rule in your own activities, call the
standard Show-Harness activity.

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How to make use of the harnesses

We can specify the name of the harness rule for creating the new work object on the
process tab of the flow form in the field Harness for work object creation
At each assignment of the flow also we can specify the harness to be used for
presentation to user

Any class that inherits from Work-Object-, Work-Cover- or Work-Folder- also inherits all the
harnesses. When we enter a new work object or review, the harness automatically presents
the appropriate form for the object type.

For harness and section rules, process commander automatically generates the HTML source(
Which we can tailor as we need ). But we write the HTML for other html rules

To understand the structure of a work object form, use the Rules Inspector tool to identify
the underlying harness, section, and property rules.

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Section ( Rule-HTML-Section)

Section Rules define the form content, consisting the discrete section that you include in the
harness.
Section rules are referenced in harness rules, and may also be referenced in other section
rules.
A section rule defines the appearance and contents of one horizontal portion of a work
object form.

Streams

Streams define the class specific content to be included in a section ( Such as dynamic HTML
and repeating group ), as well as supporting forms for filed specific user input

Fragments ( Rule-HTML-Fragment)

Fragments are supporting pieces of HTML that you include in the sections, streams, or other
fragments. We need to use fragments if we want to share the html across classes, such as
buttons for performing the actions.

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Text files (Rule-File-Text)

Text files contain static text that we will include in the streams of fragments such as style
sheets and Java script files. They are conceptually same as that of fragments, but rule
resolution does not apply for text files.

Text files ( CSS and JS etc ) are not subjected to rule resolution where as the binary
files ( JPG, JPEG, images etc ) are subjected to rule resolution

Identify the standard harnesses and their functions

New - For creating new work objects

Perform Performing assignments on existing objects
Confirm Confirming object resolution
Review Reviewing the closed objects
Reopen - Reopening the closed objects
NewCovered To open a cover object

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HTML Property ( Rule-HTML-Section)

Use HTML Property rules to control how properties appear on work object forms,
correspondence, and other HTML forms, for both display and for accepting user input.

It is not good practice to hardcode the list of field values inside the Rule-HTML-
Property, Instead we have to use Rule-Obj-Field value or Table edit of the property.

Nine standard HTML Property rules accept input parameters

Date
DateTime
Decimal
Integer
Percentage
PromptSelect
Text
TextArea
Time

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Some of the important property streams are

CurrencyAmount : Formats the number as currency based on the default locale
Date-Time-CalanderHarness : dd-MMM-yy HH:mm format plus calendar control
FixedSize : Accepts the input for the no. of characters specified in pyMaxLength
TextAreaWithExpand : Default is closed, expandable region.
TextAreaWithExpandExpanded : Default is open with two line expandable region
PickCorrPreferences : Select from list of correspondence preferences
PickCountry : Select from list of countries
PickResponseMode : Select from the list of preferred ways to be contacted
PickState : Select fro list of states
CheckBox : Displays an HTML check box reflecting the property value
Default : If you leave the Property Stream field on the Property form blank, the
system uses this HTML Property rule
PickOperator : Displays a drop-down list of all Operator-IDs, for selection.
PromptSelect : On input, allows the user to pick from a drop-down list defined in the
Table Edit tab of the property form as a Local List or Prompt List. On output, displays
the value selected by the user
PromptFieldValue : On input, allows the user to pick from a drop-down list defined by
Field Value rules.
TextArea : Displays an HTML textarea containing the property value
TextAreaSmall : Displays a smaller HTML textarea containing the property value
Date-Calendar : Date format with calendar control

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Use Rules Inspector to identify HTML rules and properties

The top-level harness rule (Rule-HTML-Harness) or HTML rule (Rule-Obj-HTML rule type)
that produced any window or form you are viewing.
Other section rules (Rule-HTML-Section), HTML rules or fragments (Rule-HTML-Fragment)
that the top-level rule incorporates through the Include directive, and the HTML rules or
fragments referenced by these and so on.
Properties referenced in any of the HTML rules or Fragment rules.
Properties displayed that are computed automatically by Declare Expression rules.

Icons to identify the rules:

A top-left yellow icon ( ) identifies the harness rule. Other icons identify the start of the
visible presentation of a section rule or flow action rule.
A small H identifies the visible presentation of an HTML rule or HTML fragment rule.
A small red P identifies a property reference.
A small red D identifies a property computed by a Declare Expression rule.

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Use Edit Input rules to convert data

An Edit Input rule ( Rule-Edit-Input )provides a conversion facility. Use Edit Input rules
to convert data entered by a user (or received from an external system) from a format
that your application doesn't use into another format.

Edit input rules perform conversions, not validations. This rule type does not cause any
response to a user about the validity of the input. Use validate rules and edit validate
rules for validations.

Edit input rules use Java code for the conversion.

You can reference an edit input rule in the Edit Input Value field on the Property form.

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Validation

Client side validation will not replace validation that occurs on the engine side, but allows
validation to occur on a form before submit is hit. This can be done at stream level with

Checkbox at HARNESS level under HTML tab, when checked the client validation
would be enabled for the entire harness
Checkbox at Flow Action level under HTML tab, when checked the client validation
would be enabled for the flow action
For Sections, client side validation is enabled with Required? check box on a field
by field basis setting
Client side validation is valid only when the streams are in JSP mode.

The availability of client side validation will reduce the server load by capturing
errors before having to hit submit while providing developers an enhanced way of
implementing form validations.

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Validation Rule

A validation rule is an instance of the Rule-Obj-Validate rule type. These rules test property
values, typically immediately after they are submitted on a browser form.
To validate a property or a page means to check its value against certain rules, and add
a message to the property or page if validation fails.
Don't confuse validate rules with edit validate rules, which require Java programming
skills to develop. Validate rules call edit validate rules.
An activity can use the Obj-Validate method to execute validate rules. Validate rules
may be referenced on the Flow Action form, the Params tab of the Flow form, and in a
few other rules .

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Directives

To work with properties, we can use the flowing directives in the HTML.
Reference
Lookup
With
Save

Reference

Reference directive is used to display the values of the properties, to allow the users to
enter the values for the properties and to insert the parameter values. Syntax for
reference directive is

{ [REFERENCE] [ [page].] property [(index) ] [AS [=]] [option] }

The various ways we can use reference directive is

To display the value of single value property on primary page {.myProperty}

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To display the value of single value property on another page

{anotherPage.myProperty}

To display the value list or value group

{myPage.myProperty(1)}
{myPage.myProperty (mySubscript)

If user has to input the property

{.myProperty INPUT}
{.myProperty AS INPUT}
{.myProperty AS = INPUT

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Lookup directive can be used retrieve and display a property value of an instance that is stored
in the database, but that is not open on the clipboard. If the value is already in the clipboard,
we can better use the reference directive. The complete syntax of Lookup directive is,

{LOOKUP property class-name keyName = keyValue}

For example,
{LOOKUP pxCreateOperator Rule-Obj-HTML pyClassName = Work- pyStreamName = New}

With directive can be used in following cases

When we want to replace the primary page with a different page (the base page)
throughout a segment of the HTML as an HTML coding convenience
To Set the current embedded page
Define the active property reference
Override an HTML Property rule
Here is an example
{With PAGE myPage}
Enter your HTML and / or directives here.
{end}

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To add with the HTML rules that provide parts of the form , we can use include directive.

Include directive can be used to include six rule types

Fragments ( Rule-HTML-Fragment )
HTML Rules ( Rule-Obj-HTML)
Correspondence Rules ( Rule-Obj-Corr rule type )
Correspondence Fragments ( Rule-Corr-Fragment rule type )
HTML Property rules ( Rule-HTML-Property)
XML rules ( Rule-Obj-XML )

Literal directive: Use the Literal directive around JavaScript, VBScript, or Cascading Style Sheet
text that contains curly brace characters. The Literal directive identifies a part of the source
HTML that is to be copied to the generated stream exactly as entered. The system does not
process the text within the directive, except to find the end of the directive.
Example :
{= style sheet or script goes here =}
Optionally you can also add key word called LITERAL
{ LITERAL [ comments ] }
style sheet or script goes here
{/LITERAL [comments] }

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Summary of directives

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Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX)

AJAX is a Web technology that allows browser-based applications to communicate with a

server without transmitting the entire HTTP input, and to render only parts of the form
rather than the entire form.
Using XML and the Document Object Model, AJAX-based software can provide more
interactivity to browser-based applications and reduce the traffic between the client
(browser) and the server.

Process Commander uses AJAX technology in:

Dynamic select operations
Deferred loading of sections of work object forms
Display on work object forms and flow action forms of updated values computed by
expression rules
Several rule forms produced by the Form Builder
Pop-up windows associated with list view and summary view displays (known as the
Smart Info feature)

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Portal

The Portal is the standard Internet Explorer-based user interface for Process Commander Workers,
managers, and developers. The Portal rule (Instance of Rule-Portal class) defines the tabs,
arrangement, and labeling of anchors and features, known as gadgets .

We can always create new portal layouts by defining new instances of the class Rule-Portal.

Portal rules are referenced in the Settings tab of the access group form. Users associated with
that access group see the corresponding portal layout.

Standard Portals:
Developer See the details below.
Work Manager Supports managers, who can use monitor activity layout.
Work User Accesses Process work layout only
SysAdminDD Older portal, Deprecated

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Menus Appear at the top of workplace

The Developer portal provides five to seven menus for rapid access to information, tools, and
objects needed by application developers.
The toolbar provides access to the forms and tools in use.
You can personalize the behavior of the portal to match your working conditions and style.
Choose Edit Menu Preferences

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Search Facility

A fast and flexible search facility is always on developer portals.

Use the Find facility in the Developer portal to quickly locate rules or work objects.

You can personalize the defaults and other settings of this facility through preferences.
Choose Edit Menu Preferences Search.

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My Checked Out

To list all rules checked out to you by type, click the check icon
No search parameters are used.

Searching by Name or Content

Four types of searches are available

from the search box.
An icon indicates which of these four is the default.
Most recent rules List rules matching an optional name (key part) or name fragment,
selecting the 20 rules saved most recently.
My most recent rules List rules saved by yourself, selecting the 20 rules saved most
recently.
Rule content Search for a word or words in the value of a property of a rule
Work Search for a word or words in the value of a property of a work object.

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Using the Bulk Check-in report

Bulk check-in of checked out rules

Bulk delete of checked out rules
Bulk open of checked out rules
Bulk comments insert
Choose Check out button and select actions link, following screen will be displayed.

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Bulk Check in

A check box appears at the left of each row, corresponding to a checked out rule.
Select one or more check boxes before clicking any button, or click the Select All link to
select all rows.
Enter comments for any selected rules that you are to check in or delete.
Optionally, enter text in the Bulk Prefix field and click the Insert button to copy this
text as a comment for each selected rule.
Select Check In, Open or Delete and click the Start button to apply this operation to
selected rules.
(When you choose Delete, you are deleting only the rule in your personal
RuleSet, not the original rule.)
Click the Refresh button to redisplay the current list of checked out rules.
Click the Disable Bulk button to return to the Rules Checked Out By Me display.

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