Creating configurations for your Digital Service application

As an application business analyst, you can create configuration settings and configuration functions for your application.

Setting Type	Description
Shared setting	Shared settings are located in one bundle and can be accessed by other bundles. Shared configuration settings have a common storage location and UI. Benefits of Shared setting Data is stored in a single location as key-value pairs and is accessible by any application deployed on BMC Helix Innovation Studio. A unique permission model can be defined for each application even though the setting itself is shared. The shared user interface ensures consistent look and feel of the shared setting across all applications. Limitations of Shared setting Custom UI can't be used to configure the setting. Custom logic can't be leveraged to manage settings. For more information, see Creating Shared Settings.
In-bundle setting	In-bundle Settings leverages record definition and view definition in the bundle. This setting allows the configuration to have custom data and custom UI. Because the record definition and view definition is a part of the bundle, you can create custom logic and behavior within your application to manage the settings. For more information, see Creating In-bundle Settings.
External setting	When your configuration is outside BMC Helix Innovation Studio, you can add a link to the external configuration setting in your bundle. When users click the link, the configuration setting page opens in a web browser. For more information, see Creating External Settings.

To create shared settings

Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
Select the application or library bundle in which you want to create the shared setting.
Click the Configurations tab.
Select New > Shared setting.

In the New configuration window, specify the following properties for the setting:

Property	Description	Example
Component name	Enter a unique name for your setting. The name is displayed on the Configurations tab in your bundle's Workspace.
Enable access from	Select whether you want the setting to be displayed on the Settings menu of your application or on the Administration tab of BMC Helix Innovation Studio, or both.
Component label	Enter the display name of the setting that must be displayed in your application or in BMC Helix Innovation Studio.
Repeat setting	Select one of the following options: ON—If you want the setting to have multiple saved values. OFF—If you want the setting to have one saved value.
Parent setting	Select the parent for this setting. If selected, this setting will be displayed within the selected setting and not in a menu.
Visibility	Select the roles and groups that can view the setting.
First menu	Enter the name of the top level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If multiple settings use the same name for First Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.
Second menu	Enter the name of the second level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If you leave this field blank, no second level navigation item will appear. If multiple settings use the same name for Second Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.

To add one or more fields in the Settings window, click (+) New field and then select the field type.

On the Properties tab, specify the following properties of the field:

Property	Description	Example
Field name	Enter a unique name for the field. The name is displayed in list of fields for your setting.
Field label	Enter the display name of the field that must be displayed in your application or in BMC Helix Innovation Studio.
Data type	The data type is automatically selected based on the field type. for more information about the parameters corresponding to the different field types, see Parameters for field types.
Required	Select this option when you want it to be a mandatory configuration field.
Key field for repeated setting	Select if this field is repeated.

(Optional) To add a field group to a shared setting, click Edit field groups, and then select the field group.
Click Save.

Parameters for field types

The following table lists the parameters corresponding to the different field types:

Field	Parameters
Attachment	Maximum size—Specify the maximum size limit for the attachments.
Boolean	Default value—Set True or False as the default value.
Color	Default value—Set the color you want to keep as default for the field.
Date	Default value—Set the default date value.
Decimal	Minimum value—Enter the minimum decimal value that is required while entering a value in the field. Maximum value—Enter the maximum decimal value that the field will accept while entering a value in the field. Default value—Enter the default decimal value.
Integer	Minimum value—Enter the minimum value that is required while entering a value in the field. Maximum value—Enter the maximum value that the field will accept while entering a value in the field. Default value—Enter the default value.
Secure	Minimum length—Enter the minimum length of characters that are required while entering a value in the field. Maximum length—Enter the maximum length of characters that the field will accept while entering a value in the field.
Selection	Options—Select Edit > Add option, enter a Name and Integer value, and then click Save. Default value—From the list, select an option as the default value.
Text	Minimum length—Enter the minimum length of characters that are required while entering a value in the field. Maximum length—Enter the maximum length of characters that the field will accept while entering a value in the field. Default value—Enter the default value.

To create in-bundle settings

You can create an in-bundle setting for your application or library by using a view definition in BMC Helix Innovation Studio.

Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
Select the application for which you want to create an in-bundle setting.
Click the Configurations tab.
Select New > In-bundle setting.

In the New In-bundle setting window, specify the properties for the setting.
The following table provides information about the properties:

Property	Description	Sample values
Component name	Enter a unique name for your setting. This name is displayed on the Configurations tab in your bundle's Workspace.	Tenant activation
View	Select a view definition from the list.	<View definition> For example, Approval Console
Enable access from	Select whether you want the setting to be displayed on the Settings menu of your application or on the Administration tab of BMC Helix Innovation Studio, or both.	Application
Component label	Enter the display name of the setting that must be displayed in your application or on BMC Helix Innovation Studio.	Activating tenants
Permissions	Select the roles and groups that can access the setting. You can add permissions to groups or application roles. You can select roles from multiple applications deployed on the system.	Administrator group
First menu	Enter the name of the top level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If multiple settings use the same name for First Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.	My settings
Second menu	Enter the name of the second level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If you leave this field blank, no second level navigation item will appear. If multiple settings use the same name for Second Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.	Tenant settings

Click Save.

Example

If you enter the sample field values, the in-bundle setting in the application is displayed as shown in the following image:

To create external settings

Create the configuration settings on an external page and then add a link in your application that points to the external page. When users click the link, the page is opened in a new tab of the web browser.

Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
Select the application or library bundle for which you want to create an external setting.
Click the Configurations tab.
Select New > External setting.

In the New external setting window, specify the properties for the setting.
The following table provides information about the properties:

Property	Description	Sample values
Component name	Enter a unique name for your setting. The name is displayed on the Configurations tab in your bundle's Workspace.	Google Settings
External link	Specify the URL that is launched when the user clicks the setting.	http://www.google.com
Enable access from	Select whether you want the setting to be displayed on the Settings menu of your application or on the Administration tab of BMC Helix Innovation Studio, or both.	Application
Component label	Enter the display name of the setting that must be displayed in your application or on BMC Helix Innovation Studio.	Google Settings
Permissions	Select the roles and groups that can access the setting. You can add permissions to groups or application roles. You can select roles from multiple applications deployed on the system.	Administrator group
First menu	Enter the name of the top level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If multiple settings use the same name for First Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.	External Settings
Second menu	Enter the name of the second level navigation item that must be displayed in the left hand navigation of the Settings menu. If you leave the field blank, no second level item will be displayed. If multiple settings use the same name for Second Menu, then all those settings will be displayed under the same navigation item.	Level 2

Click Save.

Example

You want to give an external link to Google website. If you enter the sample field values, the external setting in the application is displayed as shown in the following image:

Example scenarios of configuration settings for an application

Examples

Example 1: Define properties that can be accessed by all users of an application

Consider that you want to define a singular set of properties that affect all users who use the Task application. For example, you can define the following properties:

AutoCloseCompleteTask (Boolean)
AutoCloseDays (Integer)
NotifySubmitterOnClose (Boolean)

These settings can be defined so that only the users having Task Config permission can access and populate these properties. The properties, in turn, influence the business process and application behavior. After you define the properties, users can access them in different ways such as on the Administration tab of BMC Helix Innovation Studio.

You can then define a process that searches for these settings and values, and follow different business processes based on the content. This makes the application data configurable.

The following image shows an example of settings for the Task application:

Example 2: Specify a set of properties that can be defined for each user of an application

Consider that you want to define ShowFullName (Boolean) property. After you define the setting, it can be repeated for multiple users for defining application settings stored at an individual user level, as shown in the following image:

Example 3: Specify a set of properties that can be defined and restricted based on data other than group

Consider that you want to define a property based on multiple types of a ticket status. For properties that are repeated in the settings, you can define a parent-child relationship between the settings, as shown in the following image. This means that you define a dependency of one setting on another setting.

In this example, Setting1 and Ticket Id are configured as the parent settings for the TicketStatus setting.

Where to go from here

Use the information in the following table to navigate to the topic relevant to your goal.

Action	Reference
Extend the service objects and customize their behavior.	Creating-a-custom-service-in-Java
If you have completed all tasks of developing your application, package and test the application.	Getting-your-code-based-application-ready-for-use