Package com.smartgwt.client.docs.serverds

Class SimpleType

java.lang.Object
com.smartgwt.client.docs.serverds.SimpleType
public class SimpleType extends 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 XML Schema, 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 Details

    • readOnlyDisplay

      public ReadOnlyDisplayAppearance readOnlyDisplay
      Default readOnlyDisplay for fields of this type.

      For more sophisticated management of read-only behavior, see readOnlyEditorType.

      Default value is null

    • groupingModes

      public Map groupingModes
      A set of key-value pairs that represent the names and titles of the grouping modes available to values of this type, for use in components that support grouping.

      Some types provide a set of builtin groupingModes, as covered here.

      Use setGroupValueFunction() and setGroupTitleFunction() to implement custom grouping logic for each of the grouping modes you provide.

      Default value is null

    • inheritsFrom

      public Identifier 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

    • name

      public Identifier name
      Name of the type, used to refer to the type from field.type.

      Default value is null

    • validOperators

      public OperatorId[] validOperators
      Set of search-operators valid for this SimpleType.

      If not specified, the inherited type's operators will be used, finally defaulting to the default operators for the basic types (eg, integer).

      Default value is null

      See Also:

    • 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

    • canFilter

      public Boolean canFilter
      Default value for DataSourceField.canFilter for fields of this type.

      This impacts client-side behavior only and may be used to explicitly enable editing in filter interfaces, even if editing is disabled.

      This property is set to true for the "sequence" SimpleType by default.

      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

    • valueMap

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

      Default value is null

    • defaultGroupingMode

      public String defaultGroupingMode
      In components that support grouping, the default mode from the available groupingModes to use when grouping values of this type.

      Default value is null

    • canEdit

      public Boolean canEdit
      Default value for DataSourceField.canEdit for fields of this type.

      This impacts client-side behavior only and is a way to simply disallow editing of this field type by default within editors.

      This property is set to false for the "sequence" SimpleType by default.

      Default value is null

    • exportFormat

      public FormatString exportFormat
      FormatString used during exports for numeric or date formatting. See DataSourceField.exportFormat.

      Default value is null

      See Also:

    • 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

    • fieldProperties

      public DataSourceField fieldProperties
      These are properties that are essentially copied onto any DataSourceField where the property is applied. The supported properties are only client-side properties.

      Default value is null

    • defaultOperator

      public OperatorId defaultOperator
      The default search-operator for this data-type.

      Default value is null

      See Also:

    • format

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

      Default value is null

      See Also:

    • validators

      public Validator[] validators
      Validators to apply to value of this type.

      Default value is null

      See Also:

  • Constructor Details

    • SimpleType

      public SimpleType()