Fluid Related Content

Related content on fluid pages can be based on either an explicit related content service definition (using the PeopleSoft Tile URL type) or on a content reference definition. As with other anonymous services, the latter does not allow for additional URL parameters while the explicit service definition does. Fluid related content can be configured at:

  • The component level as related information displayed in the right frame.

  • The page level as embedded related content within a specific page.

    Note:

    In addition, simplified analytics are configured at the page level.

Fluid Attributes Fields Utilized by Fluid Related Content

Fluid related content relies on a content reference definition regardless of whether the service type is specified as a Service (an explicit service definition) or as a Grouplet (an anonymous service). The Fluid Attributes page of the content reference definition determines key characteristics of fluid related content. The following fields are used by either embedded related content, related information, or both. Fields marked with an N and all other fields on the Fluid Attributes page are ignored.

Important:

Tile definitions also use the fields of the Fluid Attributes page to determine important characteristics of the tile. In some cases, the fields and values used by a tile definition can be compatible with reuse of that definition for embedded related content. In other cases, these fields and values will be incompatible with embedded related content. In such cases, you will need to create a separate content reference definition to use the same component as embedded related content.

Field Embedded Related Content Related Information

Image Name

Y

Y

Interactive

Y1

Y

Height

N

Y

Autosize

N

Y

Dynamic Tile Content

Y

Y

URL Type: PeopleSoft Component

Y

Y

Node Name

Y

Y

Menu Name

Y

Y

Market

Y

Y

Component Name

Y

Y

Page Name

N

N

Grouplet ID2

Y

Y

Additional Parameters

Y

Y

URL Type: PeopleSoft Generic URL

Y

Y

Node Name3

Y

Y

Portal URL3

Y

Y

URL Type: PeopleSoft Script

Y

Y

Node Name

Y

Y

Record (Table) Name

Y

Y

Field Name

Y

Y

PeopleCode Event Name

Y

Y

PeopleCode Function Name

Y

Y

Additional Parameters

Y

Y

URL Type: Non-PeopleSoft URL

Y

Y

Node Name3

Y

Y

Portal URL3

Y

Y

Footnotes:

  1. While embedded related content can be defined as interactive, you should be aware of the limitations. See the following section, “Limitations with Interactive Grouplets,” for more information.

  2. The grouplet ID is ignored when the definition is defined to be interactive; the entire component is rendered instead.

  3. The node name is optional. If the node is not specified, then the Portal URL field must contain the full URL; otherwise, the Portal URL field can contain a partial URL.

Sizing Fluid Related Content

Note the following for sizing embedded related content:

  • Embedded related content ignores the size and alternate size settings on the Fluid Attributes page of the content reference definition.

  • Embedded related content is sized by the style specified in the group box definition in Application Designer. If no style is specified, then the embedded related content consumes the default size, which depends on the container or page. See Fluid User Interface Developer’s Guide: Working with Embedded Related Content for more information.

Note the following for sizing related content in the Related Information panel:

  • The pst_rc-general style is delivered for styling items in the Related Information panel. Create custom styles based on this delivered style rather than modifying the delivered style itself.

  • The width of items in the Related Information panel is fixed by the width of the frame itself.

  • Items in the Related Information panel have a minimum height of 1 tile unit. When autosize is selected in the content reference definition, there is no maximum height for the item.

Limitations with Interactive Grouplets

If you choose to create an interactive grouplet—for example, by defining interactive embedded related content or programmatically with the SetGroupletType method—you need to be aware of the following limitations:

  • Most significantly, interactive grouplets can lose data changes when:

    • The component used is a multi-page component. For example, if a change is made on the first page of the component, the user navigates to another page within the component, and then returns to the first page, that page is refreshed and any changes made there are lost.

    • The interactive grouplet is located within an expandable group box. When the group box is expanded or collapsed, a server trip is triggered, the interactive grouplet is refreshed, and any changes are lost.

    • The interactive grouplet is located within a scroll area or grid that is modifiable (for example, rows can be added, deleted, or hidden). When the scroll area or grid is modified, a server trip is triggered, the interactive grouplet is refreshed, and any changes are lost.

    • A FieldChange event is triggered within the interactive grouplet and then a modal window is opened. When the modal window is closed, the page is refreshed and any changes are lost.

  • In addition, FieldChange events do not fire within an interactive grouplet in the same manner that they fire elsewhere in PeopleSoft applications. Specifically, a FieldChange event will fire automatically within an interactive grouplet only if the user changes focus to another field within the interactive grouplet or the user presses the Enter key within the field with the associated FieldChange PeopleCode program. If the user moves to another field outside the interactive grouplet, no FieldChange event is fired. (The converse is now also true. If a FieldChange PeopleCode program is associated with a field outside of the interactive grouplet, no FieldChange event is fired when the user changes focus to another field inside the interactive grouplet.

  • Finally, to prevent data integrity errors in the component buffer during a user’s session, you must not provide access to the same fluid component as a grouplet or in a “modeless” manner and then again in a “standalone” manner.

Due to the stated limitations, there are a few scenarios that are appropriate for interactive grouplets:

  • When the interactive behavior is completely self-contained within the interactive grouplet and there are no field changes or interactivity required on the main page containing the interactive grouplet.

  • When the interactive behavior is limited to a search that is performed on the value entered in an edit box and the search is invoked by the user pressing the Enter key or clicking a Go-like button.

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