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| ====== Searching for Data using Forms ====== | ====== Searching for Data using Forms ====== |
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| Another way of retrieving data in the Operation Mode is using forms to search for business objects (see [[docs:2000_concepts:0400_data_entry_and_editing:0100_forms|Business Object Forms]]). The idea is that the user is presented with a blank form of a business object. She can enter values in any field of the form, and when the form is submitted //**AwareIM**// will search for instances of this business object using the entered data. To do this //**AwareIM**// automatically builds and runs a query. When building a query //**AwareIM**// constructs a query condition for every value entered by a user and connects them using the ''AND'' operator. Blank fields are ignored. | Another way of retrieving data in the Operation Mode is using forms to search for business objects (see [[2000_concepts:0400_data_entry_and_editing:0100_forms|Business Object Forms]]). The idea is that the user is presented with a blank form of a business object. She can enter values in any field of the form, and when the form is submitted //**AwareIM**// will search for instances of this business object using the entered data. To do this //**AwareIM**// automatically builds and runs a query. When building a query //**AwareIM**// constructs a query condition for every value entered by a user and connects them using the ''AND'' operator. Blank fields are ignored. |
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| For example, let's say we have a ''Customer'' business object with the following attributes: ''FirstName'', ''LastName'', ''DOB'', ''Address'' and ''TelephoneNo''. If the user enters "John" in the ''FirstName'' field of the form and "Smith" in the ''LastName'' field //**AwareIM**// will find all customers with the first name "John" and the last name "Smith". | For example, let's say we have a ''Customer'' business object with the following attributes: ''FirstName'', ''LastName'', ''DOB'', ''Address'' and ''TelephoneNo''. If the user enters "John" in the ''FirstName'' field of the form and "Smith" in the ''LastName'' field //**AwareIM**// will find all customers with the first name "John" and the last name "Smith". |
| |''OR''|Either of the conditions is included, for example ''<5 OR >20''| | |''OR''|Either of the conditions is included, for example ''<5 OR >20''| |
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| <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> If the user enters data into the field of a [[docs:2000_concepts:0200_basics:0400_reference_attributes|reference attribute]] //**AwareIM**// will search through the related instances.</callout> | <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> If the user enters data into the field of a [[2000_concepts:0200_basics:0400_reference_attributes|reference attribute]] //**AwareIM**// will search through the related instances.</callout> |
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| To configure an operation that will invoke a search using forms as explained above the configurator has to tick the “Using form” checkbox on the query property editor – see [[docs:2500_config_apps:1100_add_edit_queries|Adding/Editing Queries]]. | To configure an operation that will invoke a search using forms as explained above the configurator has to tick the “Using form” checkbox on the query property editor – see [[2500_config_apps:1100_add_edit_queries|Adding/Editing Queries]]. |
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| <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> When you use form-based queries it is also possible to specify query conditions when defining a query. These conditions will be used as //extra// conditions and will be automatically added to the query after the user enters data into the query form.</callout> | <callout type="primary" icon="true" title="note"> When you use form-based queries it is also possible to specify query conditions when defining a query. These conditions will be used as //extra// conditions and will be automatically added to the query after the user enters data into the query form.</callout> |
| Advantages and disadvantages of using form-based search versus defining queries that require user input. | Advantages and disadvantages of using form-based search versus defining queries that require user input. |
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| If you want users to be able to enter their search criteria dynamically at run time, you have two configuration options at your disposal – configure [[docs:2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0110_queries_user_input|queries requiring user input]] or using business object forms to search for data. Which one is better? There are advantages and disadvantages of using either method: | If you want users to be able to enter their search criteria dynamically at run time, you have two configuration options at your disposal – configure [[2000_concepts:0600_data_retrieval:0110_queries_user_input|queries requiring user input]] or using business object forms to search for data. Which one is better? There are advantages and disadvantages of using either method: |
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| * Using forms often requires less configuration effort, as you don't need to configure a query (in some cases, however, you may want to configure a special form) | * Using forms often requires less configuration effort, as you don't need to configure a query (in some cases, however, you may want to configure a special form) |