FIELD EXTENSIBILITY IN SERVICE INTERFACES AND FORMS MESSAGE TYPES
A program and corresponding method allow for the enablement of customizable extension fields into a form template, independent of the field type of the extension field. New extension fields corresponding to section headers of the form template can be created and added to a user interface. A new extension field can drive the form template and be added to all applicable section headers in the form template from the user interface.
1 . A method for adding a customized extension field to a form template by an application displayed on a monitor, the method comprising:
running the application in an adaptation mode, wherein the application is executed by a processor;
selecting a section of the form template to add the customized extension field;
inputting data by a user corresponding to a business context and a field type of the customized extension field;
upon selecting the form template to add the customized extension field to, generating a preview of the form template in a viewing pane with the customized extension field;
enabling visibility of the customized extension field based on a chosen visibility setting; and
automatically authorizing addition of the customized extension field to other sections of the form template if the customized extension field is applicable to the other sections.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the customized extension field is visible in the form template in all instances.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the customized extension field is visible in the form template only if data exists for the customized extension field.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the customized extension field is not visible in the form template.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the preview of the form template is a PDF file.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein changes to the visibility of the customized extension field are shown after refreshing the application.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling visibility settings of other displayed extension fields of the selected section.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
selectably switching to one of the other sections of the form template; and
adding the customized extension field to the switched section of the form template, if the switched section is permitted to add the customized extension field.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
using a reference field to add the customized extension field, the reference field pointing to a user interface and a corresponding business object.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
searching a plurality of business objects for the customized extension field.
11 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
reading the reference field and creating runtime artifacts for the application that are stored locally.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the runtime artifacts are deleted and regenerated when changes are made to the customized extension field or the corresponding business object.
13 . A computer readable medium having a program which is executable by a processor for performing a method for adding a customized extension field to a form template, the method comprising:
selecting a section of the form template to add the customized extension field;
inputting data corresponding to a business context and a field type of the customized extension field;
upon selecting the form template to add the customized extension field to, generating a preview of the form template in a viewing pane with the customized extension field;
enabling visibility of the customized extension field based on a chosen visibility setting; and
authorizing addition of the customized extension field to other sections of the form template if the customized extension field is applicable to the other sections.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the customized extension field is visible in the form template in all instances.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the customized extension field is visible in the form template only if data exists for the customized extension field.
16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the customized extension field is not visible in the form template.
17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the preview of the form template is a PDF file.
18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein changes to the visibility of the customized extension field are shown after refreshing the application.
19 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
controlling visibility settings of other displayed extension fields of the selected section.
20 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
selectably switching to one of the other sections of the form template; and
adding the customized extension field to the switched section of the form template, if the switched section is permitted to add the customized extension field.
21 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
using a reference field to add the customized extension field, the reference field pointing to a user interface and a corresponding business object.
22 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
searching a plurality of business objects for the customized extension field.
23 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising:
reading the reference field and creating runtime artifacts for the application that are stored locally.
24 . The method according to claim 23 , wherein the runtime artifacts are deleted and regenerated when changes are made to the customized extension field or the corresponding business object.