Adding custom fields to the Asset View

Asset forms to add custom fields

For the Asset view, you can add custom fields to the specific asset type form:

To know more about how asset forms work, see Asset-forms-and-their-hierarchy.

Hierarchy of asset forms

Before you can effectively plan adding any custom fields or importing asset data from external sources, you must understand the hierarchy of forms. Depending on which form you add the custom field to, the field is inherited by forms that are lower in the hierarchy.

The following graphic explains the hierarchy of forms by using the example of forms representing a computer system:

From the example graphic, you can understand the following aspects of the hierarchy:

• BMC.CORE:BMC_ComputerSystem is a join form that inherits fields from the BMC.Core:BMC_BaseElement form and the BMC.CORE:BMC_ComputerSystem_ form.
  To understand this hierarchy better, download and view the CDM Diagram available at BMC CMDB Common Data Model Diagram. 
• AST:ComputerSystem form inherits fields from the BMC.CORE:BMC_ComputerSystem and the AST:Attributes form.
  If you add any custom fields to the AST:Attributes form, you can add them to the other asset forms.

To add fields to an existing asset UI

For Asset Management Console, there is a single form that displays all asset classes. However, in classic Smart IT views, there is one form in each class. In Progressive Web views, a specific section of the form can display class-specific attributes. These are held for each class in a simple additional form that is displayed seamlessly within the Asset form. The additional form is not needed if there are no class-specific attributes to be displayed.

Out of the box, these additional forms have been provided for the Computer System, Processor, and Applications asset classes. For any other class, you can display the additional attributes by creating this simple additional form.

1. Open Developer Studio in the Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
2. In AR System Navigator, expand All Objects, and double-click Forms. 
3. In the Filtering Options, enter the item name.
   For example, AST:Application.
4. From the Form menu, click Create New View.
   If Create New View is disabled, perform the following steps:
   1. From the Form menu, click Create View Overlay.
   2. In the Developer Studio dialog box, click Yes.
   3. From the Form menu, click Create New View.

5. To open the view for which you want to add fields, click the required view at the bottom of the form. 
   
   For the computer system, processor, and application, the following views are available:

   Purpose	View name
   To create asset types	SV_Attribute_Create
   To view asset types	SV_Attribute_View
   To edit asset types	SV_Attribute_Edit

6. If you want to add an existing field from the  Mid Tier asset form, from the Form menu, click Add/Remove Fields in View.
   
7. Select the fields from the Fields not in View: list, and click  >> to move fields to the Fields in View: list.
   
8. Click OK.
9. Click File, and then click Save.
   The new fields are added to the progressive view and are displayed on the existing asset form.

 To create custom form views for Asset Management

You can create new form views for use in a Progressive Web Application according to your requirements. Out-of-the-box forms for the following asset types are available:

• Computer system
• Processor
• Application

If you want to create UI for other asset types, you must perform the following tasks:

 To create a new Progressive Web Application view

1. Open Developer Studio in Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
2. In AR System Navigator, expand All Objects, and double-click Forms.
3. In the Filtering Options, enter the item name.
   For example, select AST:Printer, and then click Enter.
4. From the Form menu, click Create View Overlay.
5. In the Developer Studio dialog box, click Yes.
6. From the Form menu, click Create New View.
7. From View Type, select Progressive.
8. In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.
9. (Optional) Add panels to the form as required.
   For more information about panels, see Developing Progressive Web Applications.
10. If you want to add an existing field from the Mid Tier asset form, from the Form menu, click Add/Remove Fields in View.
    
11. Select the fields from the Fields not in View: list, and click  >> to move fields to the Fields in View: list.
    
12. Click OK.
13. Click File, and then click Save. 

14. Depending on the purpose of the view, make sure you save the view with the following view names:
    For more information about renaming views, see Developing a Progressive Web Application.

    Purpose	View name
    To create asset types	SV_Attribute_Create
    To view asset types	SV_Attribute_View
    To edit asset types	SV_Attribute_Edit

To make the custom Progressive Web view available in Asset Management

You need admin permission to open the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form.

1. Launch the browser and enter the URL: http://<hostName:portNumber>/arsys/forms/<serverName>/SHR:SV_TicketConfig.
   hostName is the name of the web server where Mid Tier is running, and serverName is where AR System server is running.
   
2. From Ticket Type, select Configuration Item.
3. Select the CI type for which you have created the new view.
4. Click Search.
5. From the result pane, select the appropriate record.
6. Select the Asset Has Attributes check box.
7. In Attributes Create VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_Create.
8. In Attributes View VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_View.
9. In Attributes Edit VUI Name, enter SV_Attribute_Edit.

10. Click Save. 
    The customized view is configured for the asset type.

    Warning

    Do not change the values of any other fields in the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form, except for the values mentioned in the procedure. Any custom configuration on other fields is not supported.

To create an overlay for an existing Asset Management view

You need admin permission to open the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form.

1. Create a new view as described in To create a new Progressive Web Application view. 
2. Ensure that you save a view name that is different from SV_Attribute_Create, SV_Attribute_View, and SV_Attribute_Edit.
   For more information about renaming views, see Modifying form views
3. Launch your browser and enter a URL as follows: http://<hostName:portNumber>/arsys/forms/<serverName>/SHR:SV_TicketConfig.
   hostName is the name of the web server where Mid Tier is running, and serverName is where AR System server is running.
   
4. From Ticket Type, select Configuration Item.
5. From CI type, select the CI type for you want to create the overlay form.
   For example, select Computer System.
6. Click Search to search for the record.
7. From the result pane, select the appropriate record.
8. In the Form Name field, enter the name of the form that you want to overlay.
   For example, if in CI Type, the value selected is Computer System, select AST:ComputerSystem from Form Name. 
9. Select the Asset Has Attributes UI check box.
10. Select the Asset Has UI check box.  

11. Click Save. 
    When the user opens the form for the CI type that you modified, the new configured form is displayed.

    Warning

    Do not change the values of any other fields in the SHR:SV_TicketConfig form, except for the values mentioned in the procedure. Any custom configuration on other fields is not supported.

To add custom fields to the data model in BMC CMDB

1. In BMC Helix CMDB, add the custom field to the data model.
   For more information, see Common Data Model concepts and Managing the common data model.

2. Perform the CMDB synchronization process, as described in Modifying form views and make sure to set the Has Asset UI option to Yes.

3. Refresh the Smart IT cache as described in  Clearing the server cache.
4. Add the custom field in Smart IT; see Process of adding custom fields to Smart IT views.

Adding custom fields to Asset forms in Developer Studio

Each type of Asset has a Type-Specific Area to which you can add custom fields that are relevant to that Asset type. There is also a Generic Area into which you can add custom fields that apply to all assets.  In the Screen Configuration, you can add custom fields to the asset view that are part of either the Generic Area or the Type-Specific Area of the Asset View of the AR System form.

Process overview for adding fields in Developer Studio

The following image displays an overview of the conditions for making the fields available for customization in the Asset View:

To add a custom field to the Generic Area of Asset View

1. Add the field in the AST:Attributes form.
2. Add the field in the AST:BaseElement form.
3. Add the field to the related asset-specific form.
4. Add the custom field in Smart IT.

To add a custom field to the Type-Specific Area of Asset View

1. Add the field in the AST:Attributes form.
2. Add the field to the related asset-specific form.
3. Add the custom field in Smart IT.

To add a custom field to the AST:Attributes form 

1. Open Developer Studio in Best Practice Customization mode (the default).
2. In AR System Navigator, double-click Forms under the All Objects option.
3. In the Filtering Options, select AST:Attribute for the form name. 
4. Click the form name to open the form.

5. From the Palette menu appearing on the right side of the form, select the field type from the Data Fields group.

   Important

   Currently, you cannot add the Diary and the Currency field types in the Data Fields group. Additionally, you cannot add the fields types of Display Fields and Composite Fields groups.

6. Drag the field from the palette to the specific area of the form where you want to add the custom field.
7. Modify field parameters according to the field requirements. Check the Field Properties section to set field properties such as permission etc.  For more information about creating fields, see Creating and managing fields.

8. Save the form.  
   The following message is displayed:
   

   You have specified an id for following fields which is outside the BMC reserved range. Do you wish to continue?
   <Field name>

9. Click OK.
   

To add custom fields to the AST:BaseElement form 

1. In AR System Navigator, double-click Forms under the All Objects option.
2. In the Filtering Options, enter AST:BaseElement as the form name, and click the form name to open the form.
   
   1. Right-click the form.
   2. Click the Add Fields from AST:Attributes option.
   3. In the Add Fields dialog box, select the field that you added from the list and click OK.
   4. Save the form.
      

To add custom fields to the type-specific asset form 

After you add a custom field in the AST:Attributes form, you must add it in the corresponding type-specific asset form AR System. For example, to add a printer-related field, you must add the field to the AST:Printer form.

1. In AR System Navigator, double click on Forms under the All Object option.
2. In the Filtering Options, enter AST:Printer as the form name, and click the form name to open the form.
   
   1. Right-click the form.
   2. Click the Add Fields from AST:Attributes option.
      The field that you have added in the AST:Attributes form appears in the Add Fields dialog box. 
   3. Select the field and click OK.
   4. Save the form.
      

For more information about the asset-specific forms, see Adding custom fields to the Asset View.

Instructions for classic interfaces

Where to go from here

Transferring classic Smart IT configurations and definitions between servers