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How to handle read only pages

In order to have the most homogeneous pages on Sage X3, some consistency rules have been defined for functions switched from version 6 to read-only pages mode. These rules are summarized in this document.

This document states only normalization rules and assumes that the purpose of switching the work is to display exactly the data that was present in version 6. The development switching code from version 6 to version 7 should carefully read the different pieces of instruction given in the dedicated section of this documentation.

Preliminary general recommendations:

Other rules are summarized as follows:

Facets definition policy

This grid summarizes the recommendations when building representations that correspond to version 6 functions.

  • The displayed description should be the long one.
    • Rule Details
    Function access The menu items giving access to read-only pages must open the page in the same tab and not create a new tab.
    Search policy Carefully define the entities in which a search is useful and avoid indexing too many properties. Normally, only codes and descriptions are indexed. Indexing a date or an amount is possible but should be the exception.
    Query facet Columns defined in a query:
    • All columns included in version 6 left lists must be included.
    • The columns of the primary key must appear first.
    • Default sort order must be on the primary key.
    • A magnifying glass must be present on every reference column for the selection header line. This is automated if a dedicated data type exists. This data type must refer to a class and a representation.
    • The displayed description should be the short one.
    • When the legislation code is present on the table, use the following rules:
      • If the legislation code is in the key, the following fields should be present in this order: the data code first, then the legislation code, then the label associated with the data, and then the other elements.
      • If the legislation code is just a filter, the order should be: the data code first, the label associated with the data, the legislation code, and then the other elements.
    Page links present:
    • Creation and modification links must always be present.
    • Microsoft Excel and Word links must always be present.
    • Microsoft Word mail merge link must be present only if useful, at least on all the business partners representations (customers, suppliers, carriers, and so forth).
    Access to details from the lines:
    • A hyperlink must be directly present on the key value if the key to the detail record has only one component. To be homogeneous with the second case, it should also be present in the action menu.
    • If the key to the detail record has several components, the proposal is the following:
      • If in the context all the components of the key are fixed, except one, the link has to be set on the key element that varies.
      • The link has to be done through the action menu.
    • If the modification is done in Classic mode, use the Pencil icon.
    • Other hyperlinks to fields that are references to other entities can be set up on the query lines.
    Detail facet
    • All the properties of the class must be included in the Detail facet. This includes the information that were displayed through a menu or a right-click, such as texts or valuation information. Don't forget that they can be placed in collapsible sections or on tabs through personalization if the resulting page becomes too big. You should avoid displaying repeated information such as, the hidden fields present in the address grid for business partners.
    • All the properties that are references to other entities must have a hyper-text link to the detail of the entity they are linked to.
    • Always add the Microsoft Excel and Word links on the detail facet.
    • The global List link that returns to the query facet must also be present.
    • To facilitate the transition for version 6 users, create a section in the representation for every screen that is present in the window, and a block for every block previously present in the screens.
    Lookup facet This facet is not mandatory if it is not used in another Edit facet.

    Classes normalization

    The following rules have been defined to ensure a normalization of the classes that will replace version 6 objects. The naming conventions are the following:

    Element Naming rules Examples if relevant
    Class name Use the code of the main table of the object. The 'BPC' V6 object is replaced by the 'BPCUSTOMER' class.
    Child classes linked to a secondary table. Use the table's abbreviation. In 'BPCUSTOMER' class, the 'BPARTNER' embedded instance is coded 'BPR'.
    Properties of the class present in the table. Use the column name in the table to ensure the automatic transfer.
    Collections for array properties that are not child class collections. No normalization rule: use the most meaningful names and avoid unnecessary prefixes. 'DIMENSIONS' can be used to define a collection of dimension codes and dimension types.

    Supervisor services

    The supervisor manages additional services for the development partner. It reduces the number of lines a development partner will have to write if the recommendations provided are followed.

    Issue Recommendation
    Display pictures Displaying binary data such as a picture is managed by the supervisor if you follow the corresponding rules.
    Quantity linked to unit Handling quantity linked to units is now managed by the supervisor. It requires to only reference the unit at the quantity field level.
    Links on properties The links management for properties that references other classes are managed automatically by the supervisor if the data type dictionary is filled. See also the section corresponding to the links definition.
    References Use references when a property in a class is a key of another instance of another class (for example, when a field is a link to another object in version 6 terminology). This is done by creating a dedicated data type associated with the right class.
    In this case:
    • The supervisor will read the short and the long description when reading the class.
    • The navigation hyperlink that brings you to the linked record details will be automated if the Detail representation exists.

    You will have to read the table record manually if other information from the referenced record has to be displayed.
    Don't over-use embedded classes to manage the automatic reading of some column in the linked table record; this can be disastrous from a performance point of view.

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