Syntax Information 

The configuration files are XML-based and use named rows and indentations, where each named row will contain various attributes for the definition to work, or to allow additional capabilities. In summary:

1. Label Row to represent the first column. Shares attribute requirements with other columns. (In 2024x FD02 this may be multi-attributed)

2. Columns section to contain other columns and any multi-valued columns.

3. Column rows for each column definition

   1. For attribute column define: 

      1. DataIndex – Attribute name 

      2. dicoType – type it belongs to

      3. entity – whether it is an instance or reference attribute

      4. For multi-valued columns – create Attribute rows and use name instead of dataIndex.

   2. For special columns, appropriate name and displayType must be set:

      1. BI Essentials

      2. Relations (based on RelationsColumnMapping.xml)

      3. DocMfmt – Document displaying Attached Documents attributes (based on DocumentColumnDisplayAttributeConfig.xml)

      4. URL – columns linked to commands like maturity state, revision, and owner

      5. NonEditable for locked attributes – for the engineering items, this is sometimes required to have the attribute properly displayed.

   3. Additional attributes may be defined:

      1. minWidth – Column Width

      2. display (“true” or “false”) – Useful to create a “minimum” essential attribute display while still providing options to users through “Display Columns”

      3. A custom tooltip (based on TooltipConfig.xml)

See the user documentation on Items View for Process Management for more information on definition of attributes used within the XML and the next section for an examples.

Define Column Configurations

The customization of the Manufacturing Items View in Manufacturing Items Management (ProcessColumnConfig.xml) will be used as an example for creating a custom view, creating new relations columns, and custom tooltips. 

The configuration files for views are very similar and the same logic can be applied to them.

Samples and base configuration files can be found within the server files (see user documentation) or retrieved from ITEROP zip file.

The following column types will be set. 

1. Label

2. Instance/Reference attributes

3. Multi-valued Column: Extension of attribute column; when one attribute is shared among many types all can be contained to a single shared column

4. URL: Selection opens the linked command (owner, maturity state, revision)

5. Relation: Shows information based on connections between objects. Opens the Relations Panel.

   1. See section for Custom Relation Columns by modifying RelationsColumnMapping.xml

6. BIEssentials: Active when the BI Essential it is associated with is activated. Hard coded.

7. ToolTip: An addition to any column, provides attribute information based on ToolTipConfig.xml file.

   

Attribute Display Columns

The label, attributes, and multi-valued attribute columns, the row attributes will be similar:

Tooltip Addition & TooltipConfig.xml

A Tooltip will show attribute information when a user hovers their mouse over a specific column. To properly use a column with a tooltip, you must upload an additional configuration file called TooltipConfig.xml. Once a tooltip has been defined, it can be linked to a column attribute as shown in the previous image.

URL Columns

What is available for a URL Column is hard coded, check user documentation for details on the specific options available for the web application you are using.

Otherwise, the definition is the same as other attributes, generally URL attributes belong to the BusinessTypeattribute, which does not need to be explicitly set as the dicoType.

BIEssentials Columns

Available BI Essential Columns are hard coded, check user documentation for availability and exact name and displayType information.

Relation Columns & RelationsColumnMapping.xml

The relations columns are based on connections between two objects in the database, for example, scope links, implement links, alternate parts, and manufacturing responsibility. 

• Please be aware that there may be a performance impact based on the number of items in your session and how many relations you are loading at once. Ensure you test your use-case before deploying it for a customer.

• It provides an efficient and quick way to view and filter important connection information without having to individually select items.

• Selecting a hyper link in a relations column will launch the relations panel

Note: The filter option available within the web apps does not unload any data from your session, only hiding it. This is important to consider for operations such as Change Impact Management and Create/Update Mfg Item Structure.

Like the tooltip configuration, a separate file RelationsColumnMapping.xml is used to define which link and attributes should be displayed in the column configuration file with displayType set to “Relation”.

RelationsColumnMapping.xml Syntax

The RelationsColumnMapping.xml file must be uploaded to your parameter set to enable this capability. The syntax for this file can be seen below:

1. Connects the relation configuration to the column’s configuration file. Defines the name of the column

2. Defines the link type, can have multiple links shown on a single relation column.

3. Defines what object the attributes should come from.

   1. Type – Displays attributes of linked object

   2. Relation – Displays attributes of link. Note, more testing is required for this, see point 5 for workaround using relation entity attributes.

4. Only if source is Type. Connections are defined as having a “To” and “From” object which is chosen based on the direction attribute. 

   1. Can be either To, From, or Both. 

5. Controls what attributes (from object or link) are shown in the relation column for each relation.

   1.  E.g., from above definition:

      

   2. For relation sources, you may also set the source as Type and use entity=”relation” in the attribute definition. This switches the relation from an object to a connection.

   3. The example below provides the relation description for the mfg responsibility and substitute links. 

      1. 
      2. 

   4. Mixing relation and reference/instance attributes but can lead to some unexpected behaviour. Notice both relationships now show the To Object name and relation name. 

      1. Chance that this is a bug with the relation attribute_source variable. Will be updated accordingly

6. RelationsDisplayAttributes section defines the default attributes to be displayed by type and display icon for objects.

   1. 

Other Relations

Some of the available Relation Links can be found in the xml file under the relation “ALL”:

Note: This is NOT an extensive list, for example, manufacturing substitutes (DELFmiMfgSubstituteCnx) and Manufacturing Responsibility (DELMfgResponsibilityCnx) are also valid connections. If you use a connection type that is not listed here, please let me know and I will append it to the document.

Document Column & DocumentColumnDisplayAttributeConfig.xml (WIP)

Similar to ToolTipConfig and RealtionsColumnMapping, the DocumentColumnDisplayAttributeConfig.xml file defines what attributes will be displayed in a document column. Multiple Document columns are available.