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 run 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 performed. 

The following video describes the procedure to add an action button. The video shows an older version of The page ._inclusionsLibrary v21.05 was not found  -- Please check/update the page name used in the MultiExcerpt-Include macro. Although there might be minor changes in the UI, the overall functionality remains the same.

https://youtu.be/T93mxH2G118

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 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
   General
   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. Tertiary—Displays the button with no background color and no border.
   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. You can select the icons by using one of the following ways: Click on the list which displays the list of all the available icons. Type the name of the icon and select the desired icon. Click Browse, and from the Select icon pop-up select the desired icon.
   Icon Alignment	Specifies the alignment of the icon relative to the action button.
   Available on devices	Specifies the device options on which the component should be visible. You can select from the following options: Desktop Mobile Tablet By default, all the three options are selected.
   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.
   Actions
   Edit actions	Specifies the actions you want to add to the action button. Click Edit actions, in the Edit 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, disassociate, 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 Edit actions window:
   Security
   Record definition name	The action button is hidden if you have no access to the selected record definition.
   Field name	The action button is hidden if you have no access to the selected field, or the action button is disabled if you have View permission for the selected field.
   Record instance	Define the expression to select the record instance where the action button is hidden if you have no access to the selected field instance. Click Click to build an expression to create the expression.

6. Click Save.

To set the access type information for the button

1. Add an action button to a view definition.
   For a detailed step-by-step procedure to add an action button, see To add an action button to a view definition.

2. To set the access type for the button, in the Properties pane on the right side, click the Settings icon , and then specify the following fields for the button in the Security tab:
   

   Property	Description
   Record definition name	Specifies record definition of the field for which you want to set the access rights. The action button is hidden if the user has no access to the specified record definition.
   Field name	Specifies the name of the field for which you want to set the access rights.  The action button is hidden if the user has no access to the specified field, or disabled if the user only has view permission to the specified field.
   Record instance	Defines an expression that evaluates to a Record ID or a collection of Record IDs. To define an expression, click Click to build an expression. Expression pointing to a record instance that provides the field permission details.

   Important

   You must define the Record Definition Name, Field Name, and Record ID in order to control the hidden, disabled, or enabled state of the view component using the field permission. If you define only Record Definition name or Field Name, then static permissions are considered. If along with Record Definition name and Field name, record instance is also given then static as well as dynamic permissions are considered to evaluate the user's access.

3. Click Save.

The values given in Security tab evaluates to view permission, change permission, or no permission. The action button's visibility state on the user interface is defined when the following requirements are fulfilled: 

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:

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 Palette, drag the Button bar component to the canvas.

5. From Palette, drag the Action button components to the Button bar, and specify the required properties for 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
   Name	Specifies the name of the button bar.
   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.
   Available on devices	Specifies the device options on which the component should be visible. You can select from the following options: Desktop Mobile Tablet By default, all the three options are selected.

7. Click Save.

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 you click Action button1, perform the following steps:

1. Open the view definition that you want to modify.

2. In the View designer, select Action button1, and click Edit actions.

3. In Edit 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 Edit actions screen.

7. Click Save.

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 Edit actions.

4. Add the Open view action to open the view definition.

5. Add the Set property action as follows:

   • 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.

   • 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.

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 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 Edit actions.

8. On the Edit actions window, click Edit records action, and configure the following fields:

   • 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.

   • 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.

To open a target view 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 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 Edit actions. 

6. To define the action behavior, in the Edit 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).

   • Launch behavior—Select the option to open the target view you selected. This field is displayed only if you select the Full width option in the Presentation field. The Launch behavior field provides the following options:

     • Open in same window

     • Open in new window

   • Size—Specify the size of the target view of the deployed application.
     This field is displayed only if you select the Centered modal, Docked left modal, or Docked right modal option in the Presentation field.

   • Title—Specify the title of the target view.
     This field is displayed only if you select the Centered modal, Docked left modal, or Docked right modal option in the Presentation field.

8. Click Save. 

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 Palette, drag the Action button component onto the canvas.

5. In the Properties section, click Edit actions. 

6. To define the action behavior, in the Edit 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. 

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 Palette, drag the Action button component onto the canvas.

5. In the Properties section, click Edit actions. 

6. To define the action behavior, in the Edit actions window, select Launch process designer, as shown in the following image:

   
   

7. In the Selected actions section, enter the following details:

   • Process definition name—From the list, select the process definition name. Alternatively, from Select, click Build expression, 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.

   • 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.

To define multiple grid filters for an action button

You can define multiple grid filters by using Apply grid filter action on a single action button, and also specify the sequence in which these filters must be performed.

As a developer, when you use multiple Apply grid filter actions on a single action button, the grid is refreshed for every filter selection. The developer can use the Mode property to apply multiple filters on a grid in a batch mode. These modes refreshes the grid only after the batch mode is complete, and not after every filter defined in Apply grid filter 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, open the view definition for which you want to apply grid filter.

4. From Palette, drag the Action button component onto the canvas.

5. In the Properties section, click Edit actions. 

6. To define the action behavior, in the Edit actions window, click Apply grid filter, as shown in the following image:
   

7. In the Selected actions section, enter the following details:

   • Condition—Click Click to build an expression to create the condition based on which you want to apply the filter on the grid. The action will execute if the condition is true, or if no condition is defined.

   • Record grid—Click Click to build an expression to provide the record grid to which you want to apply the filter.

   • Mode—The field provides the following options:

     Property	Description
     Begin	Begins a batch of filter updates.
     Append	Applies filters with an AND operator and existing filters for the specified fields are removed.
     Remove	Removes existing filters if the condition matches with the applied filter. Replaces previous data with new data record if a duplicate data record is found.
     Overwrite	Replaces all existing filters with the applied filters.
     Merge	Replaces the existing filters with a range of values with the matching applied filters Combines existing filters for the other fields with the matching applied filters by using the OR operator Applies filters with an AND operator for applied filters for new fields.
     Clear	Removes all existing filters.
     End	Applies all pending filter updates executed in a batch.

   • Filter— Select the filters that you want to apply on the record. 
     This property is displayed only if you select Append, Remove, Overwrite, and Merge options from the Mode field.
     

8. Click Save.

To disable or hide the action button based on the grid properties when multiple records are selected

Consider a scenario where you have a grid with multiple rows containing different types of records, such as Incidents, Problems, and Change requests. You might want to disable or hide action buttons based on what rows users select at runtime, making only specific actions available. Use the Expression Editor to add a condition that checks for the values in a grid column and disables or hides an action button.

To disable or hide an action button based on the grid column value, 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 record grid.

3. On the Views tab, click the name of the view definition in which you want to add a record grid component.

4. From Palette, drag the Record Grid component onto the canvas as you want it to appear in the application user interface.

5. From Basic Components, drag the Action button component, and add it to the Record Grid.

6. Select the action button and click Properties.

7. Toggle the Disabled or Hidden field to the active state, select When condition is true, and click Click to build an expression.

8. In the Expression builder dialog box, expand Functions > Array.

9. Create an expression with one of the following functions:

• • INCLUDES(Selected rows > column name>, defined value)—The action button is disabled or hidden if the defined value is included in the array.

  • SAME(Selected rows > column name)—The action button is disabled or hidden if the column values of the selected rows are the same in the array.

  • SIZE(Selected rows / Selected rows > column name)—The function returns the size or length of the selected rows. Use this function in conjunction with the INCLUDES()or SAME() functions. 

The following image shows an example of how you can disable an action button by creating an expression using the SAME() function:

The following video shows an example scenario where the Edit action button is disabled when two rows of the same type, Incident, are selected: