Use a Child Business Object as a Data Source

Oracle Visual Builder Add-in for Excel supports using child or lower descendant business objects as data sources for your lists of values. The only extra step you'll need to do is configure the required path parameters for the child object. To populate the list of values, the add-in needs to send a GET request that include the full path—including path parameters—to the child business object.

Let's take a look at an example. Suppose you have a hierarchy of business objects for purchase requisitions, where Purchase Requisitions is the parent, Lines is the child, Distributions is the grandchild.

In your integrated workbook, you have a Table layout for Purchase Order Line Distributions that includes a RequisitionDistributionId field the business user uses to enter an appropriate requisition distribution Id. To make this easier, you'd like to create a list of values for this field that displays the available distributions from the Distributions grandchild business object.

When you create this list of values, you'll need to provide the full path to the Distributions business object. You'll do this by referencing the appropriate field in the layout using expressions. See About Expressions.

The collection path for this business object is:

/purchaseRequisitions/{purchaseRequisitions_Id}/child/lines/{purchaseRequisitions_lines_Id}/child/distributions

Note:

The add-in does not support child business objects that use complex keys for the path parameter values since these keys cannot be written using the add-in expression language.

To create this list of values:

1. Navigate to the Business Object Field Editor for the RequisitionDistributionId field, then open the List of Values tab.
2. Enable the list of values, then click the Edit () icon next to the Data Source field to open the Choose a Data Source window.
   
   

   
   Description of the illustration lov-choose-datasource-childbo.png

   
   

   In this image, the available business objects are displayed in a nested tree. To find the business object you want, use the arrows to expand or collapse a node or type in the Filter box to find matching entries.

3. Pick an appropriate data source—in this case, Distributions—then click OK.

   The List of Values tab now includes a new Path Parameters section below the Data Source area:

   
   

   
   Description of the illustration lov-childbo-path-parameters.png

   
   
4. In the Value fields, enter expressions for the required paths that reference the appropriate fields.

   The appropriate fields are:

   Required Path	Referenced Field
   {purchaseRequisitions_Id}	RequisitionHeaderId
   {purchaseRequisitions_lines_Id}	RequisitionLineId

   Assuming these fields are all in the same layout, your expressions would look like this:

   
   

   
   Description of the illustration lov-path-parameter-expressions.png

   
   

   Note:

   These expressions must reference field values in the current business object or any ancestor business object. Those fields must be present in the layouts.
5. Complete the configuration the way you would for a list of values using a top-level business object.