How to enable "Create an instance with reference" functionality in your App

As a developer, you may want to give users the ability to copy all the information from a previously completed request/form instance to a new instance similar to using a template. However, certain key items like status fields, workflow fields, and others should not be copied as the new form instance will be in an incorrect state. This article demonstrates how to enable "Create an instance with reference" functionality in your FAB application.

Procedure

Step 1

Define an OData Service for the Search Help. Using the Entity Set Designer in FAB, build the Entity Set as follows:

Step 2

In the Data Provider Class, in the GET_ENTITYSET method, include the following code:

      WHEN 'ReferenceSet'.         me->get_referenceset(           IMPORTING             et_entityset = et_entityset         ).

Step 3

Create a new method called GET_REFERENCESET and use the same signature as the GET_ENTITYSET method:

METHOD get_referenceset.     DATA: lt_instances TYPE TABLE OF /iqx/formhd_inst,           ls_instance  TYPE /iqx/formhd_inst,           ls_filter    TYPE /iwbep/s_mgw_select_option,           ls_seloption TYPE /iwbep/s_cod_select_option,           lr_search    TYPE RANGE OF /iqx/search_value_short,           ls_search    LIKE LINE OF lr_search,           lv_project   TYPE /iqx/form_name,           lv_uname     TYPE uname. FIELD-SYMBOLS: <fs_results> TYPE any.     FIELD-SYMBOLS: <fs_any> TYPE any.     DEFINE move_field.       UNASSIGN <fs_any>.       ASSIGN COMPONENT &1 of STRUCTURE <fs_results> to <fs_any>.       if <fs_any> is ASSIGNED.         <fs_any> = &2.       endif.     END-OF-DEFINITION. DEFINE _read_filter_low.       CALL METHOD me->read_filter_low_value         EXPORTING           i_field = &1         IMPORTING           e_value = &2.     END-OF-DEFINITION. READ TABLE gt_filter WITH TABLE KEY property = 'ProjectName' INTO ls_filter.     IF sy-subrc IS INITIAL.       LOOP AT ls_filter-select_options INTO ls_seloption.         lv_project = ls_seloption-low.         CLEAR ls_seloption.       ENDLOOP.     ENDIF.     READ TABLE gt_filter WITH TABLE KEY property = 'SubmittedByUname' INTO ls_filter.     IF sy-subrc IS INITIAL.       LOOP AT ls_filter-select_options INTO ls_seloption.         lv_uname = ls_seloption-low.         CLEAR ls_seloption.       ENDLOOP.     ENDIF.     IF lv_uname IS INITIAL.       lv_uname = sy-uname.     ENDIF.     READ TABLE gt_filter WITH TABLE KEY property = 'Attribute1' INTO ls_filter.     IF sy-subrc IS INITIAL.       LOOP AT ls_filter-select_options INTO ls_seloption.         ls_search-sign = ls_seloption-sign.         ls_search-option = ls_seloption-option.         ls_search-low = ls_seloption-low.         APPEND ls_search TO lr_search.         CLEAR ls_search.       ENDLOOP.     ENDIF. * Retrieve the FAB instances     IF lv_project IS NOT INITIAL.       SELECT * FROM /iqx/formhd_inst INTO TABLE lt_instances                WHERE zform_name EQ lv_project AND status NE space                AND status NE c_status_draft AND status NE c_status_start                " AND submitted_by_uname EQ lv_uname                AND deleted EQ abap_false ORDER BY submitted_timestamp DESCENDING.     ENDIF.     LOOP AT lt_instances INTO ls_instance WHERE attribute1 IN lr_search.       APPEND INITIAL LINE TO et_entityset ASSIGNING <fs_results>.       move_field 'ProjectName' ls_instance-zform_name.       move_field 'Instance' ls_instance-zinstance.       move_field 'SubmittedByUname' ls_instance-submitted_by_uname.       move_field 'SearchField1' ls_instance-search_field1.       move_field 'SearchValue1' ls_instance-search_value1.       move_field 'SearchField2' ls_instance-search_field2.       move_field 'SearchValue2' ls_instance-search_value2.       move_field 'SearchField3' ls_instance-search_field3.       move_field 'SearchValue3' ls_instance-search_value3.       move_field 'SearchField4' ls_instance-search_field4.       move_field 'SearchValue4' ls_instance-search_value4.       move_field 'SearchField5' ls_instance-search_field5.       move_field 'SearchValue5' ls_instance-search_value5.       move_field 'SearchFieldDate1' ls_instance-search_field_date.       move_field 'SearchDate1' ls_instance-search_date.       move_field 'SearchFieldDate2' ls_instance-search_field_date2.       move_field 'SearchDate2' ls_instance-search_date2.       move_field 'SearchFieldAmount' ls_instance-search_field_amount.       move_field 'SearchAmount' ls_instance-search_amount.       move_field 'SearchFieldCurrency' ls_instance-search_field_currency.       move_field 'SearchCurrency' ls_instance-search_currency.       move_field 'Attribute1' ls_instance-attribute1.       CLEAR ls_instance.     ENDLOOP.   ENDMETHOD.

Step 4

Do all other required steps to register/enable the OData service.

Step 5

Add an Input Control with Custom Search Help and JavaScript.

Notable properties:

  • Assign a Bound Field if you want to record which instance was copied from and to pass the value into the Search Help.

  • Add a Custom Search Help for the Input control. Your definition could look something like this:

Note that in this example, SearchValue4 was used - you may choose to use a different search parameter if your form fills that value.

  • Add an ‘Action on Change’ property to call a Script, you may refer to the code snippet below. This script in turn calls the FAB Action to create the reference copy, and on success, clears the relevant data model, attachment and process flow fields to ensure that the new instance starts in the correct state.

Note that you may choose to call this Script from a button click or other user interaction. The clearing of the variables will be form-specific.

onCopyReference: function(evt) { var that = this; var oValue = evt.getSource().getValue(); var oDescription = evt.getSource().getDescription(); var oPlanVersion = getField('Summary/PlanVersion'); var oCostElement = getField('Summary/CostElement'); var oDepArea = getField('Summary/DepreciationArea'); var oFormName = getField('Summary/FormName'); var oProcessFlow = getField('FABProcessFlow'); var oWorkflow = getField('Workflow'); var payload = {}; var actionParameters = { showBusyDialog: true, busyDialogMessage: "Copying from request..", showSuccessMessage: false, successFunction: successFunction }; function successFunction(evt, results) { setField('AttachmentsTable', []); setField('Header/InternalOrderCreated', ''); setField('FABProcessFlow', oProcessFlow); setField('CopyInstance', oDescription); setField('CopyInstanceText', oValue); setField('Summary/FormName', oFormName); setField('Summary/PlanVersion', oPlanVersion); setField('Summary/CostElement', oCostElement); setField('Summary/DepreciationArea', oDepArea); setField('Workflow', oWorkflow); }; fabPerformAction("CopyReference", payload, actionParameters, null); },

Step 6

Implement FAB Action. In the Implementation Class, PERFORM_ACTION method, include a call to the Function Module that will copy the reference instance data for you:

CASE i_action.             WHEN 'CopyReference'. "Note that this Action name (CopyReference)is the same name as used in the JavaScript shown above in the fabPerformAction(..) call         DATA lv_instance TYPE /iqx/instance.         FIELD-SYMBOLS: <fs_instance>  TYPE any.         ASSIGN COMPONENT 'COPYINSTANCE' OF STRUCTURE cr_data TO <fs_instance>.          IF <fs_instance> IS ASSIGNED.           lv_instance = <fs_instance>.         ENDIF.         CALL FUNCTION '/IQX/CREATE_DATA_FROM_REF_FORM'           EXPORTING             i_instance = lv_instance           CHANGING             cr_data    = cr_data             ct_results = ct_results.