xref: /trunk/main/offapi/com/sun/star/form/DataAwareControlModel.idl (revision ffd38472365e95f6a578737bc9a5eb0fac624a86)

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#ifndef __com_sun_star_form_DataAwareControlModel_idl__
#define __com_sun_star_form_DataAwareControlModel_idl__

#ifndef __com_sun_star_form_FormControlModel_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/form/FormControlModel.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_form_XBoundComponent_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/form/XBoundComponent.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_form_XLoadListener_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/form/XLoadListener.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_form_XReset_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/form/XReset.idl>
#endif

#ifndef __com_sun_star_beans_XPropertySet_idl__
#include <com/sun/star/beans/XPropertySet.idl>
#endif

//=============================================================================

 module com { module sun { module star { module form {

//=============================================================================

/** is an abstract service for specialized <type>FormControlModel</type>s
    which are data aware and thus can be bound to a data source.

    <p>The connection between a data-aware control model and a form whose data the
    control should display is made by parentship relations. The parent of a data-aware
    control model (see <type scope="com::sun::star::container">XChild</type>, inherited
    via the <type>FormControlModel</type> and <type>FormComponent</type> services) has
    always to be a <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">DataForm</type>.</p>
 */
published service DataAwareControlModel
{
    service com::sun::star::form::FormControlModel;

    /** makes it possible to transfer the data of the model to the connected data field.
        <p>
        This interface is optional, if a component doesn't support it, it has to forward
        the changes of its value to the field it is connected to immediately (means whenever a user
        interaction changes its content).
        </p>
     */
    [optional] interface com::sun::star::form::XBoundComponent;


    /** must be implemented in order to recognize when the containing form of the model connects
        to its data source (loads its data). After loading the form, the model may bind to its
        related field source.<br/>
        This interface will seldom be used directly from outside.
     */
    interface com::sun::star::form::XLoadListener;


    /** Each <type>DataAwareControlModel</type> should be resettable for setting default values.

        <p>In the context of a control model which is data-aware, the semantics of <em>default value</em>
        (see <type>XReset</type>) is as follows:<br/>
        If (and only if) the control is valid bound to a column of its <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">DataForm</type>, and the form
        is not positioned on a new record (see <member scope="com::sun::star::sdb">RowSet::IsNew</member>), then
        <member>XReset::reset</member> does not reset the model's value to its default value, but uses the
        underlying column value.<br/>
        In all other cases, the model is reset to the default value as specified by the respective property.</p>

        <p>For an example, have a look at the <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">TextField</type>. It inherites
        the <member scope="com::sun::star::awt">UnoControlEditModel::Text</member> property from the underlying
        service, and additionally specifies the <member scope="com::sun::star::form::component">TextField::DefaultText</member>.
        </p>

        <p>In the context of a <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">DataForm</type>, controls are
        automatically reset when one of the following applies
        <ul><li>The form is reset by invoking its <type>XReset</type> interface.</li>
            <li>The form moves to a new record.</li>
            <li>The changes in the current record of the form are undone</li>
        </ul>
        </p>
    */
    interface com::sun::star::form::XReset;

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /** specifies the name of the bound database field.

        <p>This property makes sense in the <em>context</em> of the control model only. Normally, a control model
        is a child of a <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">DataForm</type>, which is bound
        to a higher level object such as a table or query - more general, a result set.<br/>
        This member here describes the column of this result set which the control should act for.</p>

        <p>Not every control model can be bound to every database column. Usually, super services of the
        <type>DataAwareControlModel</type> restrict the column types they can be used with.</p>

        @see DataAwareControlModel::BoundField
     */
    [property] string DataField;

    /** determines whether or not input into this field is required, when it is actually bound to a database field.

        <p>If this property is set to <FALSE/>, then the form runtime will not check the control/model for
        <NULL/> values before submitting data to the database. Usually, if a control model is bound to
        a database field which cannot be <NULL/>, and the model itself does not have a value, then the database
        update is prevented, showing an error message to the user. To disable this behavior on a per-control
        basis, use the <code>InputRequired</code> property.</p>

        @since OpenOffice 3.1
    */
    [optional, property] boolean InputRequired;

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /** references to the cursor field to which the control is bound.
        <p>Applies only if the form the control model belongs to is loaded and the control is valid bound.
        The referenced field supports the <type scope="com::sun::star::sdb">Column</type> service.
        </p>
        @see DataAwareControlModel::DataField
     */
    [readonly, property] com::sun::star::beans::XPropertySet BoundField;

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /** references to a control model within the same document which should be used as a label.
        <p>Any user interface action which needs to refer to the control is assumed to use this
        property.<br/>
        A very common design method for forms is to group a data aware control with a label control,
        with the latter describing the content of the former. For instance, you may have a
        <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">TextField</type>, which is bound to the e-mail
        column of your data source. Then you will probably add a
        <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">FixedText</type> whose label is "E-Mail",
        and associate it with the TextField by setting it as <member>LabelControl</member>.<br/>
        Now if you imagine a component offering data search in a form, this component will examine
        the <member>LabelControl</member> property, find the <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">FixedText</type>,
        examine its label, and use this label to refer to the <type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">TextField</type>.
        </p>
        <p>When setting the property, a number of constraints apply:
        <ul>
            <li>The object which is to be set has to support the following interfaces
                <ul><li><type scope="com::sun::star::awt">XControlModel</type></li>
                    <li><type scope="com::sun::star::lang">XServiceInfo</type></li>
                    <li><type scope="com::sun::star::beans">XPropertySet</type></li>
                    <li><type scope="com::sun::star::container">XChild</type></li>
                </ul>
            </il>
            <li>It has to be a part of the same document as the model whose property is to be modified.</il>
            <li>Additionally, the support of a special service, indicating that the model is of the right type,
                is required. Which kind of service is in the request depends on the type of the control model.<br/>

                For instance, text fields (<type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">TextField</type>) can be
                labeled by label controls only (<type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">FixedText</type>),
                and radio buttons (<type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">RadioButton</type>) can be labeled
                by group boxes (<type scope="com::sun::star::form::component">GroupBox</type>) only.
            </li>
        </ul>
        </p>
     */
    [property] com::sun::star::beans::XPropertySet LabelControl;

};

//=============================================================================

}; }; }; };

#endif