Configuring Contextual Properties

Create context definitions and associate context values and contextual properties to control which properties are available for a node.

Considerations

  • Contexts definitions are defined on the node type.
  • The controlling property must meet these criteria:
    • It must be a String property with the Context subtype. The subtype is set at the node type override level. See Editing Property Parameters.
    • It cannot have a derived or inherited value.
  • Controlling properties can be used by only one context definition within a node type.
  • Contextual properties can be used in multiple context values within a single context definition, but they cannot be used in more than one context definition within a node type. For example, for the context Education Level, you can add the contextual property Graduation Date to the context values GED, High School, and College. But you can't use that Graduation Date contextual property in another context definition within the same node type.
  • A controlling property cannot also be configured as a contextual property.
  • Only contextual properties associated with the current context value are displayed and validated in a viewpoint.
  • Hidden contextual properties are ignored during validations and request processing, but any existing values are preserved. For validations, this includes system checks (such as Required) and trigger properties in custom validations.
  • Viewpoint downloads, extracts, and Universal exports include contextual property columns, but return values only for contextual properties that are active for the current context.
  • Imports and loads in Replace or Reset mode process all contextual property values regardless of the active context.

Creating the Controlling Property

  1. Create a property with the String data type and the Basic subtype. See Creating Properties Manually.

    Note:

    Since contexts are configured at the node type level, you cannot select the Context subtype for the property until you add it to a node type.
  2. From the property inspector, in Applications and Node Types, click Add and add the property to a node type.
  3. Click Edit, and in Subtype select Context.
  4. Click Save.

Configuring the Context Definition

  1. Inspect the node type that you added the controlling property to.
  2. On the Context tab, click Edit, and then click Add to add a context.
  3. Click the Enabled checkbox to enable the context.
  4. Enter a unique Name and, optionally, a Description.
  5. In Controlling Property, use the dropdown to select the property that controls the context. The property must have the String data type with the Context subtype.

    Note:

    A property cannot be used as the controlling property in more then one context.
  6. In the Context Values section, add one or more context values. For each value, specify:
    • A unique Value
    • A unique Label
  7. In the Contextual Properties section, click Add.
  8. For each contextual property:
    1. Select the applicable Context Value.
    2. Select the property that should be displayed when that value is selected. A property can be used in multiple context values, but it cannot be used in another context definition.
  9. Repeat the previous step until all contextual properties have been assigned. Not all context values have to have properties.
  10. Save the node type.

After the configuration is saved, the controlling property determines which contextual properties are displayed. When users change the value of the controlling property, the property pane is automatically updated to show only the properties associated with the selected context value.