A choice field provides several predefined options to choose from, and only one option can be selected.
In the SimpleOne interface, choice fields are displayed in two ways:
Drop-down list
Radio buttons
Create a choice field
This column database value can contain all kinds of symbols. If the string length is not set, it is limited to 80 symbols.
When creating a Choice column, in addition to the mandatory fields, you need to fill in the following fields:
| Field | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Column type | Y | Specify the Choice column type. |
| Mandatory | N | Select this checkbox to make the field mandatory (applicable for Choice columns with Choice type = Dropdown with -- None --). |
| Type Specification tab | ||
| Choice table | N | Specify a table that has a column with choice options. |
| Choice field | Y | Specify a particular column of the Choice table that contains choice options. |
| Choice type | Y | Define whether the option None is applicable for the field. Available options:
If the Dropdown without --None-- is selected, the Default Value tab becomes mandatory. |
| Extra attributes | N | Enter the text below to apply the radio button style to the choice field: choice_decorator=radio
|
| Default Value tab | ||
| Default value | N | The value of a choice option to be populated automatically by default. Check the value of a field in the Choice options (sys_choice) table. The field is mandatory if the Choice type is Dropdown without --None-- (specify a default value). |
| Use dynamic default | N | Select this checkbox if you need the value to generate dynamically. |
| Dynamic default | N | Select the script from the Dynamic Default Values (sys_default_value_dynamic) table, so its execution result will be automatically calculated and entered into this field. This value will be the default value for the column specified. This field appears only when the Use dynamic default checkbox is selected.
|
Sources for choice options
There are three ways to define a set of choices for the drop-down lists:
- by inheriting values from a parent table (if the current table is a child of another one).
- by creating a set of records for this field in the Choice Options (sys_choice) table.
- by defining a source table and its column in the Type Specification tab.
In the second case, you may need to create a different set of choices if the column is inherited and has predefined options. See Column Override to learn more.
In the third case, the available options are taken from a particular column of a source table. In the example below, the choice table Role contains a column Name and some records where Name is not empty. The choice options will be values of the Name column in this table.
Create a choice option
Before creating a set of options for a particular table and column, make sure that this column is already created (navigate to System Settings → All Columns).
To create a choice option for a column table, perform the following steps:
- Navigate to the choice column, for which you need to create a set of options.
- In the Related Lists area, select the Choice tab.
- Click New and fill in the fields.
- Click Save or Save and exit to apply the changes.
You can also open the form the following way:
- Navigate to System Settings → Choice Options.
- Click New and fill in the fields.
- Click Save or Save and exit to apply the changes.
Note that in this case, you will need to fill in the Table and Column fields manually.
Choice option form fields
| Field | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Table | Y | Specify the table to which this choice option is related. Select the same table for the translated choice version as for the original one. |
| Column | Y | Specify the column to which this choice option is related. Select the same column for the translated choice version as for the original one. |
| Title | Y | Type the title of the option. |
| Language | Y | Specify the two-symbol name of the language (ru, en, and so on). |
| Value | Y | Specify the value of the option. |
| Order | Y | Enter the number to define the option order in the choice list. Options are arranged in ascending order. |
A quick way to create several options for the same column is to use Make a copy:
- After saving a choice option, change the Title, Value, Order fields values.
- In the hamburger menu
, select Make a copy. A copy of the current choice option record will be created and saved.
When creating a choice field option, it is recommended to set text values in the Value field to increase code readability. For example, it can be incoming, or active, or failed values for Incoming, Active, and Failed choice options, respectively.
As for task states, it makes sense to make values numeric; this can help with selection construction in code.
Choice list translation
To create a translation for the choice options, complete the following steps:
- Navigate to System Settings → Choice Options.
- Open the option for which you need to create a translation.
- Enter the translation in the Title field and specify the language in the Language field.
- Click Make a copy. A copy of the current choice option for the specified language will be created and saved.
Note that the Value field has to remain unchanged.
If some choice options are not localized, the choice lists containing untranslated options will display them in English by default, regardless of the current user locale.
