Configuring actions by using an action button

Action buttons are shortcuts to certain tasks that you can perform in a view definition. You can create action buttons for saving a view, deleting a record instance, launching a URL, and so on. The tasks are executed according to the sequence of the action buttons in the view definition.

You can add an action button while creating a view or while editing an existing view definition. You also can specify multiple actions for a single action button and specify the sequence in which you want the actions to be executed.

To add an action button to a view definition

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select the application for which you want to add an action button.
3. On the Views tab, click the name of the view definition to which you want to add an action button.
4. From the Palette, drag the Action Button component to the canvas in the order that you want them to appear on the user interface.

5. In the Properties pane on the right side, click the Settings icon , and then specify the preferences for each button in the General tab.

   The following table provides information about the properties:

   Property	Description
   Label	Defines a unique name of the action button.
   Style	Specifies the display format for the action button. The following styles are available: Primary: Displays the button with red background color. Secondary: Displays the button with a black border and no background color. Clear: Displays the button with no background color and no border. Link: Displays the button that appears as a hyperlink. You can also specify an icon to be used with the action button link.
   Size	Specifies the size of the action button. You can specify either small or large size for the action button.
   Icon	Defines the icon for the action button. For example, if you are creating a search button, you can select the Search icon.
   Icon Alignment	Specifies the alignment of the icon relative to the action button.
   Disabled	Disables the action button in specific conditions, such as, if you want to disable the button at all times or when a specific condition is met.
   Hidden	Hides the action button in specific conditions, such as, if you want to disable the button at all times or when a specific condition is met.

6. Select the action button for which you want to add actions, and from the Actions section, click Add/Remove Actions.

   In the Add/Remove Actions window, select the actions according to your requirements. For multiple actions, you can set the execution order of the actions by placing actions in a sequence.

   You can configure one or more of the following actions:

   • Open an URL or start a process

   • Open or close a view

   • Associate, dissociate, delete records

   • Edit multiple records

   • Set properties for the action button

   • Save, cancel, or refresh the task

• • Launch Process Designer
    The following image shows the Add/Remove Actions window:
    
    

To add a button bar to a view definition

Button bar is a view component that can be used to align the action buttons in a series in a view definition.The following image shows a sample view definition that contains a button bar:

To add a button bar to a view definition, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab. 
2. Select the application for which you want to add a button bar.
3. On the Views tab, click the name of the view definition in which you want to add a button bar.
4. From the Palette, drag and drop the Button Bar component to the canvas.
5. From the Palette, drag and drop the Action Button components to the Button Bar and specify the required properties for the Action Buttons. For more information, see To add an action button to a view definition.

6. Click the Settings icon  in the Properties pane, and specify the following properties: 
   

   Property	Description
   Alignment	Specifies the position of action buttons in the Button Bar.
   Hidden	Hides the Button Bar in specific conditions, such as, if you want to disable the button at all times or when a specific condition is met.

7. Save the view definition.

Example 1: To use one action button to hide another action button

By using the Set Property parameter, you can define multiple actions for an action button by assigning values to the property of the view component.

To hide the Action button2 when the Action button1 is clicked, perform the following steps:

1. Open the view definition that you want to modify.
2. In the View designer, select Action button1 and click Add/Remove Actions.
3. In Add/Remove Actions, add Set Property action.
4. On the Property path field, by using Click to build an expression, add the Hidden property for the Action button2, and click OK.
5. On the Property value field, by using Click to build an expression, enter value 1 set Hidden property for the Action button2, and click OK.
6. Save the changes to Add/Remove Actions screen.
7. Save the view definition.

Example 2: To define multiple actions for an action button 

You can define multiple actions for a single action button, and specify the sequence in which the actions must be performed.

To define multiple actions for an action button by using output parameter, perform the following steps:

1. Open the view definition using which you want to assign the value of the output parameter. For example, output parameter Department
2. Add an action button to the view definition and specify the general properties for the action button.
3. In the Actions section, click Add/Remove Actions.
4. Add the Open view action to open the view definition.
5. Add the Set Property action as follows:
   1. On the Property path field, by using Click to build an expression, add the view component property to which you want to assign the value of the output parameter Department.
      For example, assign the value to a record grid field.
   2. On the Property value field, by using Click to build an expression, add Department.
6. Add Save View action, and click Save.
7. Save the view definition.

Example 3: To enable editing of multiple records by using an Edit Records action 

You can enable editing of multiple records in a record grid by using the Edit Records action. This causes a built-in dialog to appear in the application that allows the user to specify values that can be applied to all selected records. The fields that cannot be edited across the selected rows do not appear in the application. The record editor updates only those records that are visible in the grid. For example, if there are 50,000 records loaded in the record grid, but only 50 records are visible in the viewport, the record editor edits and updates only those 50 records. 

To enable editing of multiple records, perform the following actions:

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select the application for which you want to add a Record Grid.
3. On the Views tab, click the name of the view definition in which you want to add a Record Grid.
4. From the Palette, drag the Record Grid component onto the canvas as you want it to appear in the application user interface.
5. From the Basic Components Panel, drag the Action Button and add it onto the Record Grid.
6. Select the Action Button, and click Properties > Actions.
7. Click Add/Remove Actions.
8. On the Add/Remove Actions window, click Edit Records action, and configure the following fields:
   
   1. Records—To define an expression that evaluates to one of the following: Record Grid, or a collection of Record Instances, a collection of Record Instance IDs, click Click to build an expression.
      The Edit Expression screen appears. 
   2. Record Definition—To enable editing of the record definition, select the record definition.
      
   The following image shows the fields that you should specify when editing a record:
   
   
9. Click Save.

Example 4: To define size of the modal views by using the Open View action

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select the application to which you want to add an action button.
3. On the Views tab, click the name of the view definition to which you want to add an action button.
4. From the Palette, drag the Action Button component onto the canvas in the order that you want them to appear in the application user interface.
5. Select the action button for which you want to add actions, and from the Actions section, click Add/Remove Actions. 
6. To define the action behavior, in the Add/Remove Actions window, select Open View, as shown in the following image:
   

7. In the Selected Actions > Open View section, enter the following details:

   • View—Select the view that you want to display in the deployed application.

   • Presentation—Select the position where you want to display the selected view. This option provides the following properties:

     Property	Description
     Full Width	Spans the entire width of the window. The Full Width value of the Presentation list requires you to define the Launch Behavior. You can choose to open the view in a new window or in the same window.
     Modal (Centered, Docked Left, Docked Right)	Spans only a part of the window either docked on the left, right, or center location. The Modal value of the Presentation list requires you to specify the Title and Size of the view. You can choose any size ranging from extra small (450 px) to extra extra large (1600 px).

   • Size—Specifies the size of the target view of the deployed application.
     

8. Click Save. 

Examples 5: To activate a tab in a Tab Panel by using Set Property

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio, and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select the application to which you want to add an action button.
3. On the Views tab, open the view definition from which you want to use the active tab index.
4. From the Palette, drag the Action Button component onto the canvas.
5. In the Properties section, click Add/Remove Actions. 
6. To define the action behavior, in the Add/Remove Actions window, select Set Property.
7. In the Selected Actions section, enter the following details:

   • Property path—From the Tab Panel > Properties, select Active Tab Index.

   • Property Value—Enter the tab index value that you want to activate. The first tab in the tab panel has tab index value as 0, the second tab has tab index value as 1, and so on. 

8. Click Save. 

Example 6: To launch the Process designer in a custom application by using the Launch Process Designer action

You can launch the Process designer from your custom application. This enables you to access the process definition within the application view and customize the process based on your application. 

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio, and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select the application to which you want to add an action button.
3. On the Views tab, open the view definition from which you want to launch the Process designer.
4. From the Palette, drag the Action Button component onto the canvas.
5. In the Properties section, click Add/Remove Actions. 
6. To define the action behavior, in the Add/Remove Actions window, select Launch Process Designer, as shown in the following image:
   
   
7. In the Selected Actions section, enter the following details:
   1. Process Definition Name—From the list, select the process definition name. Alternatively, from Select, click Build Expression, and then click the Click to build an expression link to provide an expression to define the process definition name.
      If you do not select any process definition name, the Process designer is launched in the Create New mode.
   2. Available Palette Elements—From the list, select the Process designer elements that you want to display in the Process designer palette when you launch the Process designer.
8. Click Save.

Related topics

Creating or modifying view definitions

Creating layout with Containers

Creating a view for a record instance by using record editor

Creating a tabular view of record instances by using a record grid