WebFlow Transition Builder

WebFlow Transition Builder

In this topic ...

Quick Tips
Specifying Inputs
Executing a Transition
Related Topics ...

Overview: Controlling Application Flow
How to Use the WebFlow Step Builder

We can control the application flow b etween steps for linear as well as non-linear processes by using the WebFlow Transition builder.

Quick Tips

Builder call order matters -- If a transition builder call transits to a step, add the corresponding step builder call before the transition builder call. We can re-order builder calls using drag and drop in the Builder Call List.
Disabling a WebFlow Step builder call -- Like any other builder call, you can profile a WebFlow Step builder to be enabled or disabled for a given profile. If you disable a WebFlow Step builder call, the WebFlow Transition builder calls that reference it are also disabled. Any artifacts related to the disabled builders are removed from the WebApp.

This behavior also applies when you manually Disable a WebFlow Step builder call in the Builder Call List.

Specifying Inputs

The WebFlow Transition builder takes the inputs described in the table below. For help on inputs common to many or all builders such as those in the Properties and HTML Attributes input groups, see "Using the Builder Call Editor ."

Input Name Description
Name Enter a name for this builder call. The Designer displays this name in the Builder Call List.
Type of Transition Specify whether the transition is to another step or to an Action List which you specify in the WebFlow Transition builder call.
Directly to a Step The name of the step to which this transition goes.
Transitional Actions Select the action or actions to be executed when this transition happens.
Trigger Type Specify how you want to execute this transition by choosing one of the following options:

User-action triggered -- This transition gets executed when a user clicks on a link, button, etc. on the page. When you choose this option the builder call prompts you to choose the control type and configure it.
Event triggered -- This transition gets executed when a particular event is fired. When you choose this option, the builder call editor prompts you to specify the event name for which the transition will listen.
Called Explicitly -- This transition gets executed by another builder call such as an Action List, Method, or one of the action control builders (Button, Link, etc.). If you choose this option, the WebFlow Transition builder call adds a method to the WebApp, GoToTransitionName, which we can call to execute this transition.

PageLocation Use the Page Location input to specify the page or pages on which this builder call will act.
See "Locating Control Builders on Pages " for detailed documentation about the Page Location Chooser and page location syntax.
Control Type Specify the type of HTML control you want to add to the page. When the user clicks on the specified control or performs the specified event, the transition from the current step to the next step occurs.
Possible choices for the control type are one of the following builder calls:

Link -- Adds a link to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the text for the link with the Link Text input.
Button -- Adds a button to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the text for the button's label with the Label input.
HTML Event Action -- Adds an event handler to the model that listens for the specified HTML event. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the HTML event for which the event handler will listen with the Event Name input.
Image Button -- Adds an image button to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the various images to use for the button with the Image Sources input group.
Form Submit Action -- Adds an "Action" attribute to the form that specifies the action to call when the user submits the form.

Action Type Defines the behavior of the of the action. Choose an action type based on the action that will process the onClick event and if you want to process any form inputs as part of that action.
Submit form and invoke action - Choose this option if the specified action is a method in the model or LJO and that method processes the inputs to the form on which the button resides.
Link to a model action - Choose this option if the specified action is a method in the model or LJO (including Service Calls) Acts as a simple link, transferring control directly to the specified URL. The specified action cannot process any form inputs.
Action Specify the model action to execute when the user clicks on the Link, Button, Image Button, submits the form, or performs the event for which the HTML Event Action listens.
Event Name For Event-triggered transitions. Specify the event that will trigger this transition using the select box. You may choose from any of the System or Page events or any of the events defined by an Event Declaration builder call.
Arguments
(optional) Input Mappings We can pass arguments to the specified action by adding argument names and the value to be passed to it. Use the Reference Chooser to specify input values or values returned by methods or service calls as the value to be passed to an argument for the specified action. See "Passing Arguments to Actions " for more information.
Input Mappings are only supported for the User-action triggered Trigger Type.
Advanced
(optional) Target The window or frame which will display the results of the action. If you do not set this value, the current window/frame will be the target.
Valid entries for the Target value include...

_self - Display results in the frame containing the form. If the Target setting is not specified, _self is the default.
_blank - Display results in a new browser window.
_parent - Display results in the frameset above the frame containing the form.
_top - Display results the topmost frameset.
We can also specify the name of a Frame in the current frameset.

All of these targets are relative to the form being processed, not the control itself.
(optional) Rendering Mode If you know that the specified action returns a specific page, set Rendering Mode to "Normal."
If you do not know the specific page that gets returned, set Rendering Mode to "Return Outermost page after running action". For example, use this setting when creating a builder.
(optional) Break Containment Enable this check box if you want to replace the contents of the target window with the contents of the URL returned by the action.

Executing a Transition

A transition's Trigger Type value determines how it gets executed. User-action triggered and Event triggered transitions get executed when the user interacts with the specified control or upon the occurrence of a specified event. If you specify "Called Explicitly" as the Trigger Type for the transition, the WebFlow Transition builder call adds a method to the WebApp that allows you to execute the transition. The method is called GoToTransitionName and we can call it just as you call any other method in the WebApp.

Input Name	Description
Name	Enter a name for this builder call. The Designer displays this name in the Builder Call List.
Type of Transition	Specify whether the transition is to another step or to an Action List which you specify in the WebFlow Transition builder call.
Directly to a Step	The name of the step to which this transition goes.
Transitional Actions	Select the action or actions to be executed when this transition happens.
Trigger Type	Specify how you want to execute this transition by choosing one of the following options: User-action triggered -- This transition gets executed when a user clicks on a link, button, etc. on the page. When you choose this option the builder call prompts you to choose the control type and configure it. Event triggered -- This transition gets executed when a particular event is fired. When you choose this option, the builder call editor prompts you to specify the event name for which the transition will listen. Called Explicitly -- This transition gets executed by another builder call such as an Action List, Method, or one of the action control builders (Button, Link, etc.). If you choose this option, the WebFlow Transition builder call adds a method to the WebApp, GoToTransitionName, which we can call to execute this transition.
PageLocation	Use the Page Location input to specify the page or pages on which this builder call will act. See "Locating Control Builders on Pages " for detailed documentation about the Page Location Chooser and page location syntax.
Control Type	Specify the type of HTML control you want to add to the page. When the user clicks on the specified control or performs the specified event, the transition from the current step to the next step occurs. Possible choices for the control type are one of the following builder calls: Link -- Adds a link to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the text for the link with the Link Text input. Button -- Adds a button to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the text for the button's label with the Label input. HTML Event Action -- Adds an event handler to the model that listens for the specified HTML event. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the HTML event for which the event handler will listen with the Event Name input. Image Button -- Adds an image button to the page. The builder call editor prompts you to specify the various images to use for the button with the Image Sources input group. Form Submit Action -- Adds an "Action" attribute to the form that specifies the action to call when the user submits the form.
Action Type	Defines the behavior of the of the action. Choose an action type based on the action that will process the onClick event and if you want to process any form inputs as part of that action. Submit form and invoke action - Choose this option if the specified action is a method in the model or LJO and that method processes the inputs to the form on which the button resides. Link to a model action - Choose this option if the specified action is a method in the model or LJO (including Service Calls) Acts as a simple link, transferring control directly to the specified URL. The specified action cannot process any form inputs.
Action	Specify the model action to execute when the user clicks on the Link, Button, Image Button, submits the form, or performs the event for which the HTML Event Action listens.
Event Name	For Event-triggered transitions. Specify the event that will trigger this transition using the select box. You may choose from any of the System or Page events or any of the events defined by an Event Declaration builder call.
Arguments
(optional) Input Mappings	We can pass arguments to the specified action by adding argument names and the value to be passed to it. Use the Reference Chooser to specify input values or values returned by methods or service calls as the value to be passed to an argument for the specified action. See "Passing Arguments to Actions " for more information. Input Mappings are only supported for the User-action triggered Trigger Type.
Advanced
(optional) Target	The window or frame which will display the results of the action. If you do not set this value, the current window/frame will be the target. Valid entries for the Target value include... _self - Display results in the frame containing the form. If the Target setting is not specified, _self is the default. _blank - Display results in a new browser window. _parent - Display results in the frameset above the frame containing the form. _top - Display results the topmost frameset. We can also specify the name of a Frame in the current frameset. All of these targets are relative to the form being processed, not the control itself.
(optional) Rendering Mode	If you know that the specified action returns a specific page, set Rendering Mode to "Normal." If you do not know the specific page that gets returned, set Rendering Mode to "Return Outermost page after running action". For example, use this setting when creating a builder.
(optional) Break Containment	Enable this check box if you want to replace the contents of the target window with the contents of the URL returned by the action.