Question

Behavior change Request - Dynamic field linked to a text field

Laserfiche Version 10 Ideas Web Client

Updated November 4, 2016

asked on October 27, 2016

In Laserfiche V10, we have the possibility to link database values to a text field or a DropDown List field by the means of the Dynamic Fields configuration. I am often using this, to allow peoples to see, let say here for example, the list of suppliers (from an existing database).

When this configuration is done, no matter if the Dynamic Fields is linked to a Text Field or a DropDown List Field, it looks like behaving the same.

What I would like to see from Laserfiche is to allow a slightly different behavior. It would be nice to let users start typing a word in that field and any corresponding entries that matches what's typed will show up, and the user would be selecting the appropriate item listed.

This field behavior is already working is WebAccess V10.1.2, in the Search for field Area on a dropdown list field. This is the exact same behavior that I would like to see. Even when typing a word that is listed at the end of a line, that item will also show up. This is that behavior I would like to see for every Dynamic or dropdown Fields.

Also, because that Dynamic field is linked to a text field, this could also mean that I would like to allow, either selecting something from that list, or input his own information, as opposed to a Dynamic Field linked to a DropDown List field where it would not allow manual entry.

This field behavior would have to be present in the LF Client as in WebAccess, in the Document viewer and in the Document Import metadata area as well.

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replied on October 27, 2016

The setting in this post should produce most of the behavior you described (though it does not show suggestions when typing a word that is listed at the end of the line).

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replied on October 28, 2016

Hi Daniel,

I tried using MaxDropDownLength with Web Access 10.1.2, and the attribute works fine for me. Are you sure you set the limit in the attribute low enough? Did you set it on specific user account, or the Everyone group? Note that Web Access caches attributes from the everyone group for 30 minutes, which can make it appear as if the attribute isn't actually working (resetting IIS or recycling the app pool is a workaround to immediately see the behavior).

If you still can't get the attribute to work, please open a case with Support. Make sure to export attributes from a sample user and attach them to the case.

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replied on October 28, 2016

Hi,

I have tried with that user attribute "[Settings]MaxDropDownLength" and no change in behavior.

All my dropdown fields are still showing up as default drop down fields and can't type any characters in those fields, I can only select values.

Is there any other option or attribute that needs to be changed?

I am using Client version 10.1.1 and WebAccess version 10.1.2

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replied on November 1, 2016

Hi,

I was able to make your suggestion work with the attribute set to a value, but it is not completely behaving as I have requested in my initial post.

if in the dropdown list, there are less items listed than the MaxDropDownLength value, then the DropDown list will work as a dropdown list. This is ok.

But when the number of items present in the dropdown list is more than the set value, you can start typing BUT... it will only list items that starts with what you are typing and doesn't show other items that may contain what you are typing somewhere else in the string. I have also discovered that this behavior (that doesn't work as I want) is happening when I use Internet Explorer browser. However, it does work when I use Chrome. so this might be a bug here.

Also, my initial request was to allow users to input something in the list field even if the value is not present in the list. That can't be none right now. So this is something that I would like to see in a next version. This behavior should be allowed if a Dynamic Field is set onto a Text Field, but not available if a Dynamic field is set to a DropDown field.

Let me know if you want me to create Support Case and attach a video and some screen captures.

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replied on November 4, 2016 • Show version history

Hi Daniel,

The filtering that we do in the Advanced Search dialog works differently that the filtering done in the Metadata pane for dynamic fields with MaxDropDownLength. In the Search dialog, we load all the values for a List or Dynamic field into the browser and use the browsers default filtering behavior. This is why the behavior differs in IE11 from Chrome and Firefox- it has different behavior for filtering on the HTML element we use in the search dialog.

For Dynamic fields in the metadata pane, we do the filtering Web Server side. That being said, the filtering behavior in this case could be improved. I filed a request to make the filtering smarter for Dynamic fields in this situation. That change request has ID SCR150976 for your reference.

The request to add values to Dynamic fields from the UI is an interesting one. There are some implementation details we'll have to work out, but I can see how it would be useful to certain customers. I added it to our backlog of features to work on.

It's very unlikely that we'll be able to implement these requests in the time frame for the Laserfiche 10.2 release, but we'll look into them going forward.

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replied on November 4, 2016

Hi Daniel,

When you request to "allow users to input something in the list field even if the value is not present in the list", would you expect the new value to become available in the list for future entries (i.e. automatically added to the database) or do you simply want to apply the field value for that document only without affecting the values available in the dropdown list?

The latter is possible using the desktop Client (but not yet in Web Access) if you set "Restrict Values" to False in the dynamic field settings.

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replied on November 4, 2016

Thanks Ryan for this follow-up, greatly appreciated.

Tessa, for that request, I was more thinking about allowing the text input to be allowed Under some circomstances and mainly on a per field basis, this is why I was refering to Dynamic Fields linked DropDown list versus Text field.

If Laserfiche would allow values to be inserted in list field, then I was more thinking to let a Workflow do the validation and then it could do an insert into that table if its required or perform some logic prior to inserting that value.

There could probably be multiple way and do understand it needs some thinking.

One thing however, not all dropdown fields should allow keying in free text and accepting that value. It can't be an All Field setting.

Regards,

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Behavior change Request - Dynamic field linked to a text field

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