Custom Widgets

A widget as defined by the OJBC Console is a control used to collect data for a field in an object during the Create or Edit operations . Examples of widgets include the Text, File, TextArea, AutoIncrement, Collection, and Reference widget.

You may associate widget's with data types or field descriptor's.

Briefly, field association is accomplished by modifying the ui_repository.xml file. 

	<field-descriptor name="body">
	    <!-- customize the widget for the field -->
		<widget-descriptor id="textarea">
		
		  <!-- configure optional properties on the widget -->
			<widget-param>
				<name>rows</name>
				<value>10</value>
			</widget-param>
			<widget-param>
				<name>cols</name>
				<value>40</value>
			</widget-param>
		</widget-descriptor>
	</field-descriptor>
Read more about how to do this in the Widget Tutorial as well as the configuration section on the ui_repository.xml

Available Widgets

Default Widgets

  • Text Field Widget

    • The default widget for most data types.

    Optional Attributes
    name datatype description
    size Integer passed thru to the html
    maxlength Integer passed thru to the html

  • Auto Increment Widget

    • The default widget for any field that is labeled as auto-increment=true in the repository.xml

  • Date/Time Widget

    • The default widget for a DATE, TIME, or TIMESTAMP based field in repository.xml


    Optional Attributes
    name datatype description
    format string specifies the SimpleDateFormat "format" string that should be used to collect the date or time.

  • Collection Widget

    • The default widget for any field that is associated with a collection descriptor in repository.xml (1-n, m-n)

  • Reference Widget

    • The default widget for any field that is associated with a reference descriptor in repository.xml (n-1)

  • Reference Widget

    • The default widget for any field that is associated with a reference descriptor in repository.xml (n-1)

  • File Widget

    • The default widget for any field that is associated with a BINARY, VARBINARY or LONGVARBINARY data type in the repository.xml (n-1)

    Optional Attributes
    name datatype description
    formFile.fileName string specifies the attribute name of the field to insert the filename from the multipart/form-data.
    formFile.contentType string specifies the attribute name of the field to insert the content type from the multipart/form-data.
    formFile.fileSize string specifies the attribute name of the field to insert the file size of the multipart/form-data.

    Optional Widgets

  • Hidden Widget

    • A No-Op widget. This widget will not provide any user interface to gather the information and will use an HTML hidden value to transmit whatever value already exists.

  • Text Area Widget

    • Displays an HTML text area. This is useful for providing a better user interface for fields that require a lot of text.

    Optional Attributes
    name datatype description
    rows Integer passed thru to the html
    cols Integer passed thru to the html

  • Uid

    • Generates a UID. This widget does not provide a user-interface, but instead generates a UID on create. Extend this wiget to provide your own UID implementation.

  • CreateDate

    • Generates a Create Date. This widget does not provide a user-interface, but instead generates a timestamp on create.

  • ModifiedDate

    • Generates a Modified Date. This widget does not provide a user-interface, but instead generates a timestamp on create and/or update.

    Copyright © 2003 Alexander Bibighaus et al. All rights Reserved.