Creating Custom Subpages for Drop Zones

Considerations for Creating Custom Subpages

Consider the following when creating custom subpages for dynamic injection into drop zones:

  • The records and fields defined on your subpage will be loaded into the component buffer along with the records and fields defined on the page containing the drop zone.

    • However, the fields from your subpage that are dynamically added to the component buffer at runtime are not available in the component’s search record or its add search record.

    • In addition, the fields from your subpage that are dynamically added to the component buffer at runtime are not available in component interfaces by default. The existing component interfaces for the component needs to be redesigned or to be newly created if the fields from the custom subpages are to be used. After that, if any drop zone configuration changes are made or if there are any record field changes in the subpages, then the component interfaces need to be built again. See Component Interfaces: Drop Zones in Component Interfaces.

  • Multiple updatable tables are allowed at level 0 only.

  • If you add a grid or scroll area to the subpage, you must add a horizontal rule after it to reset the level to 0.

  • Unlike when a subpage is added directly as a page control on a main page definition, with this sort of dynamically injected subpage you cannot perform a record name substitution (that is, identify a from record on the subpage and a to record from the main page as described in Understanding Subpages).

  • Record field PeopleCode defined on your subpage runs as part of the events in the component processor flow. If your implementation requires other scenarios or PeopleCode events, (for example, page Activate, PreBuild, PostBuild, component record, or component record field events), then you must use PeopleCode event mapping to avoid customizing delivered components and pages. See Portal Technology: Mapping Application Class PeopleCode to Component Events for more information.

    Note:

    While drop zones can be added to pages in unregistered components, unregistered components do not support event mapping.

    If you add a subpage to any unregistered component page, the component is considered dropzone-configured.

Creating a Fluid Subpage Definition

To create a fluid subpage definition:

  1. In Application Designer, select File, New.

  2. Select Page (Fluid) in the New Definition dialog box, and click OK.

  3. Select PSL_SIMPLE_SBP to create a fluid subpage.

  4. Click Choose, and then enter the name for your custom subpage in the Save As dialog box.

  5. Indicate whether you’d like to save the PeopleCode associated with the layout page for your new page (Yes/No).

    Note:

    Typically, click Yes to include any PeopleCode from the layout page.

  6. Open the Page Properties dialog box.

  7. On the Use tab, select Subpage to specify this as a fluid subpage.

  8. Add page controls on your subpage definition.

Creating a Classic Subpage Definition

To create a classic subpage definition:

  1. In Application Designer, select File, New.

  2. Select Page in the New Definition dialog box, and click OK.

  3. Open the Page Properties dialog box.

  4. On the Use tab, select Subpage to specify this as a classic subpage.

  5. Insert a container that encompasses the full extents of the page definition. All other page controls inserted on your custom classic subpage must be enclosed by this container. You can use either a group box or a frame as this container.

  6. Apply styling and settings to the container per your requirements. In some circumstances, you may want a title and borders on the container:

    For a group box container:

    Important:

    Do not select Drop Zone Group Box on the Use tab. This setting pertains only to the drop zone itself, which is found on the main page.

    • Clear the label text on the Label tab.

    • Set the Label Style to PAGROUPBOXLABELINVISIBLE.

    • If the drop zone appears in a classic plus component, set the Body Style to PSGROUPBOXCONTAINER to remove margins, padding, and the label from the container.

    • Select the Adjust Layout for Hidden Fields check box.

    • Optionally, select the Hide Border check box.

    For a frame container:

    • Clear the label text on the Label tab.

    • Set the Style to PSGROUPBOXCONTAINER.

    • If the drop zone appears in a classic plus component, set the Body Style to PSGROUPBOXCONTAINER to remove margins, padding, and the label from the container.

    • Select the Adjust Layout for Hidden Fields check box.

    • Optionally, select the Hide Border check box.

  7. Add page controls on your subpage definition.

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