Start page / Template development / Rules / Connecting external logic <SCHEDULE/> / Schedule - FormAndMetaDataValueService
Accessing information from other forms
| Contents |
• Examples |
Using the
- FormDataValueService and
- MetaDataValueService
it is possible to access FirstSpirit elements in a rule execution even if these elements are outside the current context.
This means that information from other forms, e.g.:
- form data from another page,
- from metadata forms, or
- from the project settings
can be retrieved and used in the current rule definition.
Using the services
The services are accessed in a rule definition via the <SCHEDULE/> tag, e.g., for data on a form via:
<RULE>
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="A" service="FormDataValueService">
(...)
</SCHEDULE>
</RULE>
or for metadata via:
<RULE>
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="C" service="MetaDataValueService">
(...)
</SCHEDULE>
</RULE>
 |
The mandatory “id” attribute is used to assign a freely selectable identifier in the <SCHEDULE/> tag. This must be unique in the rule definition, e.g.: <SCHEDULE id="A" service="FormDataValueService" .../> <SCHEDULE id="B" service="FormDataValueService" .../> If the service is referenced multiple times within the rule definition, “similar” calls can be avoided by assigning different identifiers in the <SCHEDULE/> sections. |
Tip: The functionality of the rule definitions can be tested during the development process via the “Form” tab in the integrated preview area.
FormDataValueService
The FormDataValueService enables access to the data of a form.
|
Access is only possible if the IDProvider is a DataProvider! |
MetaDataValueService
The MetaDataValueService enables access to the data of a metadata form
(see also Metadata documentation).
|
Access is only possible if metadata is set for the IDProvider! |
Availability and configuration
Both services are directly available in SiteArchitect and in ContentCreator.
It is not necessary to configure or activate the functionality separately.
|
The functionality is only supported in Isolated mode. |
Accessing FirstSpirit elements
The following parameters are used to access a FirstSpirit element (within the <SCHEDULE/> tag):
- ID and Storetype,
- UID and UIDType, or
- GID and Template (for datasets only).
Further parameters are then used to restrict the selection:
- to specific input components (FIELD parameter)
- to content in a specific language (LANGUAGE parameter)
UID and UIDTYPE parameters
UID: Every element in FirstSpirit (apart from a few exceptions, e.g., sections) has a reference name which must be unique for each store. This reference name is also referred to as a UID (unique identifier). To precisely identify an element, the UIDTYPE for the store must also be specified.
UIDTYPE: The UIDTYPE defines the namespace in which the unique identifier (UID) must be unique. Examples of possible values include SITESTORE_LEAF, SITESTORE, PAGESTORE_LEAF, PAGESTORE, TEMPLATESTORE.
(....)
<PARAM name="UID">
<PROPERTY name="PAGE_UID" source="#global"/>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="UIDTYPE">
<TEXT>PAGESTORE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
(...)
ID and STORETYPE parameters
ID: Every element in FirstSpirit has an ID (numerical value) that is unique across the entire project. To access an element, the STORETYPE parameter is required in addition to the ID.
STORETYPE: Specifies the store via which the element is to be retrieved.
Examples of possible values include SITESTORE, PAGESTORE.
(...)
<PARAM name="ID">
<NUMBER>2979302</NUMBER>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="STORETYPE">
<TEXT>PAGESTORE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
(...)
GID and TEMPLATE parameters (datasets only)
GID: Global identifiers (GIDs) are identifiers which are used internally to reference objects. In contrast to UIDs, these are independent of manual changes, such as the renaming of the object.
To access an element, the TEMPLATE parameter is required in addition to the GID.
TEMPLATE: Determining the template of the current FirstSpirit element. The reference name of the template is returned (UID).
(...)
<PARAM name="GID">
<TEXT>5cffda3e-19fa-456b-ad7c-028f452ab363</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="TEMPLATE">
<TEXT>database.templatename</TEXT>
</PARAM>
(...)
Accessing input components
FIELD parameter
Using the FIELD parameter, a single input component is passed using its variable name (name attribute in the form XML definition of the component). The input component is returned as a FormField type object; using the methods of the object, properties and content of the input component of the current element can then be read out.
|
Access is only supported for the input component types that are also supported as parameter types for a service (see documentation on the <SCHEDULE/> tag). |
(...)
<PARAM name="FIELD">
<TEXT>md_layout</TEXT>
</PARAM>
(...)
Accessing content in a language
LANGUAGE parameter
The LANGUAGE parameter can either use the abbreviations of the project languages or the global language properties MASTER and LANG. The definitions look different.
Abbreviations:
are passed as TEXT, e.g:
(...)
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<TEXT>DE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
(...)
Global language properties:
For the current language in which the form is opened:
(...)
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<PROPERTY name="LANG" source="#global"/>
</PARAM>
(...)
For the project's master language:
(...)
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<PROPERTY name="MASTER" source="#global"/>
</PARAM>
(...)
Examples
Example A: Access to metadata at page level and transfer of the value to the current section
Access to metadata at page level (<SCHEDULE/> tag):
Example A enables access to metadata (service="MetaDataValueService"). The input component value (“md_layout”) (via the FIELD parameter) of the “PAGE_UID” page (via the UID and UIDTYPE parameters) is retrieved here.
Use in the current context (<DO/> tag):
This value is saved in the input component (“st_layouttext”) of the current section so that the value can then continue to be used in other rules.
<RULE when="ONLOCK">
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="A" service="MetaDataValueService">
<PARAM name="UID">
<PROPERTY name="PAGE_UID" source="#global"/>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="UIDTYPE">
<TEXT>PAGESTORE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="FIELD">
<TEXT>md_layout</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<PROPERTY source="#global" name="MASTER" />
</PARAM>
</SCHEDULE>
<DO>
<PROPERTY name="VALUE" source="st_layouttext"/>
</DO>
</RULE>
Example B: Access to form data at page level and transfer of the value to the current section
Access to form data at page level (<SCHEDULE/> tag):
Example B enables access to form data (service="FormDataValueService"). The “st_country” input component value (via the FIELD parameter) of the page with ID “2979302” (via the ID and STORETYPE parameters) is retrieved here. The “st_country” input component is a language-dependent combo box with <CMS_INCLUDE_OPTIONS type="database">.
Use in the current context (<DO/> tag):
The language-dependent value of the page is used here to configure the query of an additional input component (“query.countryId”) in the current section:
<RULE>
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="B" service="FormDataValueService">
<PARAM name="ID">
<NUMBER>2979302</NUMBER>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="STORETYPE">
<TEXT>PAGESTORE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="FIELD">
<TEXT>st_country</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<PROPERTY source="#global" name="LANG"/>
</PARAM>
</SCHEDULE>
<DO>
<PROPERTY name="query.countryId" source="st_subsidiary"/>
</DO>
</RULE>
Example C: Access to form data at template level (datasets)
Access to the value of a dataset at template level (<SCHEDULE/> tag):
Example C enables access to data from a database (service="FormDataValueService"). The “cs_title” input component value (via the FIELD parameter) in language “DE” (via the LANGUAGE parameter) of a dataset (via the GID and TEMPLATE parameters) is retrieved here.
<RULE>
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="C" service="FormDataValueService">
<PARAM name="GID">
<TEXT>5cffda3e-19fa-456b-ad7c-028f452ab363</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="TEMPLATE">
<TEXT>database.templatename</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="FIELD">
<TEXT>cs_title</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<TEXT>DE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
</SCHEDULE>
</RULE>
Example D: Access to project properties
Access to project properties from the Global Settings for the project (<SCHEDULE/> tag):
Example D enables access to form data (service="FormDataValueService"). The “gs_maxTextSize” input component value (via the FIELD parameter) of the “PROJECT_PROPERTIES_ID” project setting (via the ID and STORETYPE parameters) is retrieved here.
Use in the current context (<DO/> tag):
This value is saved in the input component (“st_maxTextSize”) of the current section so that the value can then continue to be used in other rules.
<RULE>
<SCHEDULE delay="0" id="D" service="FormDataValueService">
<PARAM name="ID">
<PROPERTY name="PROJECT_PROPERTIES_ID" source="#global"/>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="STORETYPE">
<TEXT>GLOBALSTORE</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="FIELD">
<TEXT>gs_maxTextSize</TEXT>
</PARAM>
<PARAM name="LANGUAGE">
<PROPERTY source="#global" name="LANG"/>
</PARAM>
</SCHEDULE>
<DO>
<PROPERTY name="VALUE" source="st_maxTextSize"/>
</DO>
</RULE>