com.smartgwt.client.docs.serverds

Class SimpleType

java.lang.Object

com.smartgwt.client.docs.serverds.SimpleType

public class SimpleType
extends java.lang.Object

An atomic type such as a string or number, that is generally stored, displayed and manipulated as a single value.

This class is not meant to be created and used, it is actually documentation of settings allowed in a DataSource descriptor (.ds.xml file), for use with Smart GWT Pro Edition and above. See com.smartgwt.client.docs.serverds for how to use this documentation.

SimpleTypes can be created at any time, and subsequently referred to as a field type in DataSources and DataBoundComponents. This allows you to define validation, formatting and editing behaviors for a type to be reused across all DataBoundComponents.

The SimpleType class also allows data to be stored in some opaque format but treated as simple atomic values as far as Smart GWT components are concerned by implementing getAtomicValue() and updateAtomicValue() methods. For example, if some record has a field value set to a javascript object with the following properties:

  { stringValue:"A String", length: 9 }
  

this value could be treated as a simple string by defining a SimpleType with inheritsFrom set to "text" and a custom getAtomicValue() method that simply extracted the "stringValue" attribute from the data object. DataBoundComponents would then display the string value, and use it for sorting and other standard databinding features.

Note that the term "simpleType" is used in the same sense as in http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-0/, and XMLTools.loadXMLSchema() will create new SimpleType definitions.

When using the Smart GWT Server, SimpleTypes can be defined server-side, and should be defined server-side if validators are going to be declared so that the server will enforce validation. To define server-side SimpleTypes using Component XML you should create file {typeName}.type.xml in the following format:

    <SimpleType name="{typeName}" inheritsFrom="{otherSimpleType}" 
                   editorType="{FormItemClassName}">
      <validators>
        <!-- validator definition just like DataSourceField -->
      </validators>
    </SimpleType>
  

.. and place this file alongside your DataSource files (.ds.xml) files - in any of folders listed in project.datasources property in server.properties.

SimpleTypes can be loaded via DataSourceLoader or loadDS JSP tags and should be loaded before the definitions of any DataSources that use them (so generally put all SimpleType definitions first).

Define validators in the server-side type definition, for example:

    <SimpleType name="countryCodeType" inheritsFrom="text">
      <validators>
        <validator type="lengthRange" min="2" max="2"
          errorMessage="Length of country code should be equal to 2." />
        <validator type="regexp" expression="[A-Z][A-Z]"
          errorMessage="CountryCode should have only uppercase letters." />
      </validators>
    </SimpleType>
  

For client-side formatters, add these to the type definition after loading it from the server, for example:

 SimpleType.getType("independenceDateType").setShortDisplayFormatter(new SimpleTypeFormatter() {
 public String format(Object value, DataClass field, DataBoundComponent component, Record
 record) {
          if (value == null) return null;
          return "<i>" + (((java.util.Date) value).getYear() + 1900) + "</i>";
        }
      });
    

Note that formatters must be added to the SimpleType definition before any DataBoundComponent binds to a DataSource that uses the SimpleType.

An example is here.

Field Summary

Fields

Modifier and Type	Field and Description
FormItem	editorType Classname of the FormItem that should be the default for editing values of this type (eg "SelectItem").
FormItem	filterEditorType Classname of the FormItem that should be used to edit values of this type if it appears in a filter row.
FormatString	format FormatString for numeric or date formatting.
java.lang.String	inheritsFrom Name of another SimpleType from which this type should inherit.
java.lang.String	name Name of the type, used to refer to the type from field.type.
FormItem	readOnlyEditorType Classname of the FormItem that should be used to display values of this type when a field is marked as canEdit false and the field is displayed in an editor type component like a DynamicForm.
Validator[]	validators Validators to apply to value of this type.
java.util.Map	valueMap List of legal values for this type, like DataSourceField.valueMap.

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Constructor and Description
SimpleType()

Method Summary

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Field Detail

inheritsFrom

public java.lang.String inheritsFrom

Name of another SimpleType from which this type should inherit.

Validators, if any, will be combined. All other SimpleType properties default to the inherited type's value.

Default value is null

format

public FormatString format

FormatString for numeric or date formatting. See DataSourceField.format.

Default value is null

See Also:

ExportFormatting overview and related methods

filterEditorType

public FormItem filterEditorType

Classname of the FormItem that should be used to edit values of this type if it appears in a filter row.

May be overridden by DataSourceField.filterEditorType.

Default value is null

valueMap

public java.util.Map valueMap

List of legal values for this type, like DataSourceField.valueMap.

Default value is null

name

public java.lang.String name

Name of the type, used to refer to the type from field.type.

Default value is null

readOnlyEditorType

public FormItem readOnlyEditorType

Classname of the FormItem that should be used to display values of this type when a field is marked as canEdit false and the field is displayed in an editor type component like a DynamicForm.

May be overridden by DataSourceField.readOnlyEditorType.

Default value is null

editorType

public FormItem editorType

Classname of the FormItem that should be the default for editing values of this type (eg "SelectItem").

You can create a simple custom FormItem by adding default FormItem.icons that launch custom value picking dialogs (an example is in the QuickStart Guide, Chapter 9, Extending Smart GWT). By setting simpleType.editorType to the name of your custom FormItem, forms will automatically use the custom FormItem, as will grids performing inline editing.

Default value is null

validators

public Validator[] validators

Validators to apply to value of this type.

Default value is null

See Also:

Validation overview and related methods

Constructor Detail

SimpleType

public SimpleType()