Bookshelf v7.5.2: Understanding User Interface Controls

Product Administration Guide > Customizable Product User Interface >

Understanding User Interface Controls

A user interface control determines how an object is displayed for selection. For example, a radio button control, displays a list of items with a button for each one. You choose a control as part of adding an item to a group in the Product UI Designer.

The Product UI Designer provides several types of UI controls:

Combo Box. A combo box is a drop-down menu. Items are hidden from view until you click the down-arrow to open the menu and make selections. There are two types of combo box:

Single selection. The user can select only one value from the drop-down menu.

Multiple selection. The user can select multiple values from the drop-down menu using an Add Item button.

Check Box. Items display as a list. Each item has a check box next to it. When you select an item, a check mark appears in the check box. You can select more than one item.

Radio Button. Items display as a list. Each item has a button next to it. When you select an item, a dot appears in the button. You can select only one item. If you select another item, the previous item's button clears, and the current item displays a dot in the button.

Quantity Box. A box displays next to the item in which the user enters or edits the quantity. The user then clicks elsewhere in the page to update the quantity.

Text Box. A read-only box displays next to the item. The box contains the value of the displayed item. Use this UI control to display the current value of resources or linked items.

Edit Box. A text box displays next to the item. The text box contains the value of the displayed item. You can edit the value. Use this control when you want users to be able to manually enter or edit attribute values.

Keep in mind the following factors when choosing a user interface control:

For items added from a relationship, what are the cardinalities? If the minimum and maximum cardinality for the relationship is 1, this means only one item can be selected. The radio button or single-selection combo box can be used because it allows only one selection. If the relationship cardinality allows more than one selection, you must choose a UI control that allows multiple selections such as a check box or multiple-selection combo box.

For attribute items, select a UI control that matches the attribute type. For LOV attributes use a combo box. For a range of values attribute or a single-value attribute, use a quantity box or text box.

For resource items and for linked items, use a text box.

Table 19 describes the specific UI controls available in the Product UI Designer. In the Multiple Items column, Yes means that the UI control allows selection of more than one item from a list. No means you can select only one item.

For all controls, excluded items display unavailable. For example, if you assign a radio button control to a relationship, excluded items display with the radio button grayed out so that it cannot be selected.

You can revise this so that excluded items do not display at all. You do this by assigning the predefined Excluded UI property to an item. You assign the Excluded UI property in the User Interface Property Designer.

Table 19. Product UI Designer UI Controls
UI Control Type	Select Multiple Items?	Description
Combo Box	No	Selected item highlighted.
Combo Box with Add Button	Yes	Selected item highlighted. Unselected items have Add button.
Combo Box with Price	No	Selected item highlighted. Displays price.
Combo Box with Price and Quantity	No	Selected item highlighted. Displays price. Allows user to enter quantity.
Combo Box with Add Button and Price	Yes	Selected item highlighted. Unselected items have Add button. Displays price.
Combo Box with Update Quantity button	No	Selected item highlighted. User can specify a quantity for the selected item.
Check Box with Price	Yes	Displays item price.
Check Box without Price	Yes	Price not displayed.
Radio Buttons with Price	No	Displays item price.
Radio Buttons without Price	No	Price not displayed.
Quantity Box	User enters quantity	Update Quantity button displays next to item name.
Quantity Box with Price	User enters quantity	Displays item price. Update Quantity button displays next to item name.
Text Box with Price	No	Read-only. Displays item price.
Text Box	No	Read-only.
Combo Box for Attribute	No	Selected item highlighted.
Edit Box for Attribute	No	Displays value of attribute. Can be edited.
Radio Button for Attribute	No	User can select one attribute value.
Text Box for Attribute	No	Read-only. Displays value of attribute.
Linked Item	No	Read-only. Displays value of linked item.
Resource	No	Read-only. Displays value of resource.