Table of contents

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Purpose

The Solution Model is a feature since Servoy version 4.1 which allows you to manipulate different kinds of objects on-the-fly through scripting. You can perform actions such as:

• Create objects and set their properties
• Clone objects
• Manipulate properties of existing objects
• Revert objects to its original design-time state
• Remove existing objects

Basic rules and functionality

With the Solution Model you can control different types of objects. Referring to these objects is done through so-called JS Objects and consist of constants, properties and/or functions.

The following list shows the objects which can be controlled by the Solution Model, its corresponding JS Object and from which JS Object it needs to be referenced from in order to use it:

When creating objects you need to make sure that the same object with the same name does not already exists. In this case you need to choose another name or remove the existing object.

By default, changes made by the Solution Model are not persistent and are only valid for the current session in which these changes are made. However, by a special setting (servoyDeveloper scripting access?) the changes are being stored back into the workspace.

Examples

This section shows (simple) examples of how different objects can be controlled with the Solution Model. Per object you will find how to:

• Create an object
• Retrieve an existing object
• Change a property of an object
• Remove an existing object

Calculations

To create a new calculation with name myCalculation on table customers of server example_data which returns 1:

var calculation = solutionModel.newCalculation('function myCalculation() { return 1; }', JSVariable.INTEGER, 'db:/example_data/customers');

To get the existing calculation myCalculation on table customers of server example_data:

var calculation = solutionModel.getCalculation('myCalculation', 'db:/example_data/customers');

To output whether or not this calculation is a stored one:

application.output('Stored calculation: ' + calculation.isStored();

To remove existing calculation myCalculation:

solutionModel.removeCalculation('myCalculation', 'db:/example_data/customers');

Styles

To create a new stylesheet with name myStyle with a default style class for forms:

var style = solutionModel.newStyle('myStyle' 'form { background-color: transparent; }';

To get existing stylesheet myStyle:

var style = solutionModel.getStyle('myStyle')

To add a default style class for fields:

style.text += 'field { background-color: blue; }';

To remove existing stylesheet myStyle:

solutionModel.removeStyle('myStyle');

Global variables

To create a new global variable with name myGlobalVariable of type TEXT:

var globalVariable = solutionModel.newGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable', JSVariable.TEXT);

To get existing global variable myGlobalVariable:

var globalVariable = solutionModel.getGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable');

To change its default value to abc:

myGlobalVariable.defaultValue = 'abc';

To remove existing global variable myGlobalVariable:

solutionModel.removeGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable');

Global methods

To create a new global method with name myGlobalMethod:

var globalMethod = solutionModel.newGlobalMethod('function myGlobalMethod() { currentcontroller.newRecord(); }');

To get existing global method myGlobalMethod:

var globalMethod = solutionModel.getGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');

To make it appear in the menu:

globalMethod.showInMenu = true;

To remove existing global method myGlobalMethod:

solutionModel.removeGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');

Forms

Forms are most commonly used with the Solution Model and have some additional functions. The following basic functions are available for this type of objects:

• Create new forms
• Get existing forms
• Clone an existing form
• Remove an existing form
• Revert an existing form to its original design-time state

To create a new form with name myForm:

var form = solutionModel.newForm('myForm');

To get existing form myForm:

var form = solutionModel.getForm('myForm');

To disable its navigator:

form.navigator = SM_DEFAULTS.NONE;

To clone existing form myForm to cloned form myClonedForm:

var form = solutionModel.getForm('myForm');
var clonedForm = solutionModel.cloneForm('myClonedForm', form);

To remove existing form myForm:

var success = history.removeForm('myForm');
if (success) {
	solutionModel.removeForm('myForm');
}

To revert existing form myForm to its original design-time state:

var success = history.removeForm('myForm');
if (success) {
	solutionModel.removeForm('myForm');
}

...

What It Is

The Solution Model is the blueprint of your developed solution. You can modify its blueprint during runtime, but the object still needs to be actually built to become available to the user. Compare it to building a house and where certain rules apply when you want to make changes to the already built house.

For example, if you want to change the window frames of your house, you can just remove the existing frames and replace them by new ones. However, if you want to change the foundation of your house then you need to completely tear down your house, replace the foundation and then build up your house again. This same analogy also applies to the Solution Model.

In Servoy there are two separate layers; the Solution Model layer (blueprint) and the runtime layer (the built version of the blueprint). In Servoy you can change certain elements within the runtime layer without having to touch the Solution Model layer (like changing the position of a button or the font of a label). However, if these changes are not within the blueprint and the object needs to be recreated according to the blueprint, then these changes will be lost.

It's also possible to create new instances of a form within Servoy (by using the function application.createNewFormInstance()). These are copies of the actual house, rather than copies of the blueprint. It is not possible for the Solution Model to grab the properties of these copies, but only from the original. So when you try to grab the new instance of a form by using the Solution Model, then it will retrieve the original form from which the new instance has been created and not the new instance itself.

Limitations

Even though the Solution Model allows a wide variety of objects that can be manipulated, there are some limitations. The following objects are (currently) not included:

• Aggregations
• Security
• Databases and their structure
• Solutions and modules

Functionality and Basic Rules

The Solution Model has certain types of functions:

With the Solution Model you can control different types of objects. Referring to these objects is done through so-called JS Objects and consist of constants, properties and/or functions.

The following list shows the objects which can be controlled by the Solution Model, its corresponding JS Object and from which JS Object it needs to be referenced from in order to use it:

Components basically work as an umbrella for all objects which are referenced from the JSForm object. By retrieving an object as a component, you can change properties which are shared by all these objects or conveniently clone the object including its referenced objects and properties. Check the examples at components for more information.

When creating objects you need to make sure that the same object with the same name does not already exists. In this case you need to choose another name or remove the existing object.

As explained as an analogy in a previous section, some changes made with the Solution Model have such an impact that on other existing objects, that some of them need to be destroyed and recreated again.

By default, changes made by the Solution Model are not persistent and are only valid for the current session in which these changes are made.

Examples

This section shows some (simple) examples of how different objects can be controlled with the Solution Model. Per object you will find how to:

• Create an object
• Retrieve an existing object
• Change a property of an object
• Remove an existing object

Create

As described in a previous section, the Solution Model includes some factury functions which allow you to create certain layout object which can be used at forms.

To create a new blue line border of width 1 and use that on an existing form:

var border = solutionModel.createLineBorder(1, 'blue');
var form = solutionModel.getForm('myForm);
form.borderType = border;

Calculations

During development, calculations can be created as stored or unstored. As soon as the name of a calculation corresponds with a database column, it automatically becomes a stored calculation. The same rule applies for the Solution Model.

To create a new calculation with name myCalculation on table customers of server example_data which returns 1:

var calculation = solutionModel.newCalculation('function myCalculation() { return 1; }', JSVariable.INTEGER, 'db:/example_data/customers');

To get the existing calculation myCalculation on table customers of server example_data:

var calculation = solutionModel.getCalculation('myCalculation', 'db:/example_data/customers');

To output whether or not this calculation is a stored one:

application.output('Stored calculation: ' + calculation.isStored();

To remove existing calculation myCalculation:

solutionModel.removeCalculation('myCalculation', 'db:/example_data/customers');

Styles

To create a new stylesheet with name myStyle with a default style class for forms:

var style = solutionModel.newStyle('myStyle' 'form { background-color: transparent; }';

To get existing stylesheet myStyle:

var style = solutionModel.getStyle('myStyle')

To add a default style class for fields:

style.text += 'field { background-color: blue; }';

To remove existing stylesheet myStyle:

solutionModel.removeStyle('myStyle');

Global Variables

To create a new global variable with name myGlobalVariable of type TEXT:

var globalVariable = solutionModel.newGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable', JSVariable.TEXT);

To get existing global variable myGlobalVariable:

var globalVariable = solutionModel.getGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable');

To change its default value to abc:

myGlobalVariable.defaultValue = 'abc';

To remove existing global variable myGlobalVariable:

solutionModel.removeGlobalVariable('myGlobalVariable');

Global Methods

To create a new global method with name myGlobalMethod:

var globalMethod = solutionModel.newGlobalMethod('function myGlobalMethod() { currentcontroller.newRecord(); }');

To get existing global method myGlobalMethod:

var globalMethod = solutionModel.getGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');

To make it appear in the menu:

globalMethod.showInMenu = true;

To remove existing global method myGlobalMethod:

solutionModel.removeGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');

Forms

Forms are most commonly used with the Solution Model and have some additional functions. The following basic functions are available for this type of objects:

• Create new forms
• Get existing forms
• Clone an existing form
• Remove an existing form
• Revert an existing form to its original design-time state

To create a new form with name myForm:

var form = solutionModel.newForm('myForm');

To get existing form myForm:

var form = solutionModel.getForm('myForm');

To disable its navigator:

form.navigator = SM_DEFAULTS.NONE;

To clone existing form myForm to cloned form myClonedForm:

var form = solutionModel.getForm('myForm');
var clonedForm = solutionModel.cloneForm('myClonedForm', form);

To remove existing form myForm:

var success = history.removeForm('myForm');
if (success) {
	solutionModel.removeForm('myForm');
}

To revert existing form myForm to its original design-time state:

var success = history.removeForm('myForm');
if (success) {
	solutionModel.revertForm('myForm');
}

Components

Components allow you to retrieve all objects which are referenced from the JSForm object. By retrieving an object as a component, you can change properties which are shared by all these objects or conveniently clone the object including its referenced objects and properties.

To retrieve component with name myButton:

var component = form.getComponent('myButton');

To hide the element:

component.visible = true;

To retrieve all available components on the form:

var components = form.getComponents();

To change the width of all elements to 200:

for (var i = 0; i < components.length; i++) {
	components[i].width = 200;
}

To clone an existing component:

solutionModel.cloneComponent('myClonedComponent', component);

Form Variables

To create a new form variable with name myFormVariable:

var formVariable = form.newFormVariablenewVariable('myFormVariable', JSFieldJSVariable.TEXT_FIELD );

To get existing form variable myFormVariable:

var formVariable = form.getFormVariablegetVariable('myFormVariable');

To change its default value to abc:

formVariable.defaultValue = 'abc';

To remove existing form variable myFormVariable:

form.removeFormVariableremoveVariable('myFormVariable');

Form methods

To create a new form method with name myFormMethod:

var formMethod = form.newFormMethod('function myFormMethod() {controller.newRecord(); }');

Form Methods

To get existing create a new form method with name myFormMethod:

var formMethod = form.getFormMethodnewMethod('myformMethod');

To make it appear in the menu:

globalMethod.showInMenu = true;

To remove existing form method myFormMethod:

form.removeFormMethod('myFormMethodfunction myFormMethod() {controller.newRecord(); }');

...

To create a tree view with name myBeanget existing form method myFormMethod:

var beanformMethod = form.newBeangetMethod('myBeanmyformMethod', 'com.servoy.extensions.beans.dbtreeview.DBTreeView', 200, 200, 300, 300));

To make it appear in the menu:

globalMethod.showInMenu = true;

To get existing bean: myBeanremove existing form method myFormMethod:

form.getBeanremoveMethod('myBeanmyFormMethod');

...

Form Parts

To create a new body:

var bean.anchorspart = SM_ANCHOR.NORTH | SM_ANCHOR.WEST | SM_ANCHOR.SOUTHform.newPart(JSPart.BODY, 20);

To remove existing bean myBeanretrieve the existing body part:

var part = form.removeBean('myBean'getPart(JSPart.BODY);

Buttons

...

To change its background to white:

part.background var globalMethod = solutionModel.getGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');
var button= 'white';

To remove the existing body part:

form.removePart(JSPart.BODY);

Beans

To create a tree view with name myBean:

var bean = form.newButtonnewBean('TextmyBean', 0'com.servoy.extensions.beans.dbtreeview.DBTreeView', 0200, 80, 20, globalMethod);
button.name = 'myButton'200, 300, 300);

To get existing button myButtonbean myBean:

var button = solutionModel.getButtonform.getBean('myButtonmyBean');

To change its height to 30"anchoring to top, left and bottom:

button.height = 30bean.anchors = SM_ANCHOR.NORTH | SM_ANCHOR.WEST | SM_ANCHOR.SOUTH;

To remove existing button myButtonbean myBean:

form.removeButtonremoveBean('myButtonmyBean');

Components

If you want to change properties which are common to all elements, you can do this through components instead of having to retrieve each individual object separately.

...

Buttons

To create a new button with name myButton and text Text and attaching global method myGlobalMethod to it:

var globalMethod = solutionModel.getGlobalMethod('myGlobalMethod');
var componentbutton = form.getComponentnewButton('myButton'Text', 0, 0, 80, 20, globalMethod);

To hide the element:

component.visiblebutton.name = true'myButton';

To retrieve all available components on the formget existing button myButton:

var componentsbutton = formsolutionModel.getComponentsgetButton('myButton');

To change the width of all elements to 200its height to 30:

for (var i = 0; i < components.length; i++) {
	components[i].widthbutton.height = 20030;
}

To remove existing button myButton:

form.removeButton('myButton');

Fields

To create a new text field with name myField with form variable myFormVariable as its dataprovider:

var formVariable = form.getFormVariable('myFormVariable');
var field = form.newField(formVariable, JSField.TEXT_FIELD, 0, 0, 100, 200);
field.name = 'myField';

To get existing field myField:

var field = form.getField('myField');

To change its display type to a text area:

field.displayType = JSField.TEXT_AREA; 

To remove existing field myField:

form.removeField('myField');

...

To create a new label with name myLabel with text Text:

var label = form.newLabel('Text', 0, 0, 100, 20);
label.name = 'myLabel';

To retrieve existing label myLabel

var label = form.getLabel('myLabel');

To change its horizontal alignment to centerget existing label myLabel:

var label = form.getLabel('myLabel');

To change its horizontal alignment to center:

label.horizontalAlignment = SM_ALIGNMENT.CENTER;

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

label

...

myLabel

...

:

...

form.removeLabel('myLabel');

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h5. Portals

To create a new portal with name _myPortal_ based on relation _myRelation_:

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Portals

To create a new portal with name myPortal based on relation myRelation:

var relation = solutionModel.getRelation('myRelation');

...

var portal = form.newPortal('myPortal', relation, 0, 0, 500, 500);

...

To

...

get

...

existing

...

portal

...

myPortal

...

:

...

var portal = form.getPortal('myPortal');

...

To

...

make

...

it

...

resizable:

...

portal.resizable = true;

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

portal

...

myPortal

...

:

...

form.removePortal('myPortal');

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h5. Tab panels

To create a new tab with name _myTabPanel_:

...

Tab Panels

To create a new tab with name myTabPanel:

var tabPanel = form.newTabPanel('myTabPanel', 0, 0, 500, 500);

...

To

...

get

...

existing

...

tab

...

panel

...

myTabPanel

...

:

...

var tabPanel = form.getTabPanel('myTabPanel);

...

To

...

add

...

a

...

new

...

tab

...

with

...

name

...

myTab

...

based

...

on

...

relation

...

myRelation

...

:

...

var relation = solutionModel.getRelation('myRelation');

...

var tab = tabPanel.newTab('myTab', 'Text', myRelatedForm, relation);

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

tab

...

panel

...

myTabPanel

...

:

...

form.removeTabPanel('myTabPanel');

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h4. Relations

To create a new relation with name _myRelation_ between tables _customers_ and _orders_:

...

Relations

To create a new relation with name myRelation between tables customers and orders:

var relation = solutionModel.newRelation('myRelation', 'db:/example_data/customers', 'db:/example_data/orders', JSRelation.INNER_JOIN);

...

To

...

get

...

existing

...

relation

...

myRelation

...

:

...

var relation = solutionModel.getRelation('myRelation');

To

...

create

...

new

...

a

...

new

...

relation

...

item

...

based

...

on

...

fields

...

id

...

and

...

customer_id

...

:

...

relation.newRelationItem('id', '=', 'customer_id');

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

relation

...

myRelation

...

:

...

solutionModel.removeRelation('myRelation')

...

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h4. Value lists

To create a new value list with name _myValueList_:

...

;

Value Lists

To create a new value list with name myValueList:

var valueList = solutionModel.newValueList('myValueList', JSValueList.CUSTOM_VALUES);

To

...

get

...

existing

...

value

...

list

...

myValueList

...

:

...

var valueList = solutionModel.getValueList('myValueList');

...

To

...

set

...

custom

...

values

...

for

...

the

...

value

...

list:

...

valueList.customValues = '1\n2';

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

value

...

list

...

myValueList

...

:

...

solutionModel.removeValueList('myValueList');

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h4. Media

To create new media with name _myMedia_:

...

Media

To create new media with name myMedia:

var media = solutionModel.newMedia('myMedia', plugins.http.getMediaData('http://www.servoy.com/images/logo_servoy.gif'));

...

To

...

get

...

existing

...

media

...

myMedia

...

:

...

var media = solutionModel.getMedia('myMedia');

...

To

...

change

...

its content:

...

media.bytes = plugins.http.getMediaData('http://servoy.com/images/headerimages/open_source.jpg');

...

To

...

remove

...

existing

...

media

...

myMedia

...

:

...

solutionModel.removeMedia('myMedia');

...