Using AWI Combo Boxes

The Automic Web Interface has various types of combo boxes. While some only allow you to select data, the combo boxes to select objects provide many more functions. For example, they display Client 0 objects that are relevant for objects in other Clients. Combo boxes also let you create objects and modify existing objects. All types of combo boxes give you useful tooltips. They support keyboard navigation and provide various search and selection functions that help you quickly filter their contents.

This page includes the following:

Autocomplete

Start typing the name of the entry you want to select in the field at the top of the combo box. The contents of the combo box is filtered with your input. Input fields use implicit wildcards, that is, entering ABCDE filters entries with *ABCDE*.

The same applies to fields that support the input of variables and VARA objects. Both have a specific syntax. When you start typing either { (for VARA objects) or &$ (for variables), the list is filtered. It displays only VARA objects or variables, including the ending #.

For more information, see Variable Names and Retrieving Values .

Single Selection and Null Value

Some single selection combo boxes have an empty line (null value). They behave in one of the following ways:

  • Optional value

    The attribute is optional. Leaving the empty line means that you do not use it.

  • Default value

    The default value is used. For example, if you do not select a Time Zone object when defining a Job, the one assigned to the Client is applied to that Job. If no Time Zone is assigned to the Client, the one in Client 0 is applied to that Job.

  • Populate by other means

    The values are populated when the object is executed, for example through a PromptSet or a script.

Bulk Selection

Lists that allow bulk selection display All in the input field, which means that not selecting anything is the same as selecting all entries.

When you select multiple entries, the first one is displayed in the combo box input field followed by a number. It indicates how many more are selected but not visible when you close the drop-down list. To see all of them, hover your mouse over this field. A tooltip shows the complete list. For performance reasons, it can contain up to 1000 entries.

Selecting Objects

Combo boxes for selecting objects display only the objects to which you have at least read rights. The combo boxes provide many functions that are tailored to your rights and to the context in which they are available. Expand the combo box to access these functions.

  • Select from Folder

    Use this option if you do not remember the name of the object but you know where it is stored. Depending on the type of object in the combo box, one of these dialogs is displayed:

    • Select Agent, where you can use multiple filter criteria to find the Agent you need.
    • Select Object from Folder, where you can navigate through the folder structure in your Client and search for objects.

  • Select Variable

    Many fields and combo boxes in the Automic Web Interface support the input of variables and VARA objects. In combo boxes you have two possibilities to select a variable or VARA object:

    • Expand the drop-down list and click Select Variable to open the variable picker dialog.
    • Start typing the name of the variable or VARA object. The autocomplete function helps you with your selection.

  • Add Object

    Click this option to create an object directly from the combo box. The new object is stored in the root folder of the Explorer in the Process Assembly perspective. The Add Object dialog is pre-filtered. It displays only the object templates that correspond to the type of object that is listed in the combo box.

    The new object is available for selection immediately after you have created it.

  • Select Event from Calendar

    Combo boxes for selecting and assigning Calendar Events to an object contain both Calendar Event entries and the Select Event from Calendar option. Click this option to open the Select Event from Calendar dialog directly from the drop-down list. Then, filter the events using the Calendars in which they are defined. This dialog also allows you to preview the selected event before choosing it.

For more information, see, Inserting Variables/VARA Objects in Objects and Scripts.

Associated Object Functions

The list of objects in the combo box provides the same associated functions to objects that you have in the Explorer in the Process Assembly perspective. Right-click one or more objects to open a context-menu with the available functions.

For more information, see Working with Objects and Bulk Operations and Drag & Drop. See also Opening and Arranging Multiple Views.

Client 0 Objects

Some objects are stored and maintained centrally in Client 0 and are available for selection in the combo boxes of all other Clients. This is useful for objects such as Calendars, Time Zones, Login, Connection, and many more. They are typically managed by system administrators and valid for the entire installation.

Objects from Client 0 display the Client 0 label next to their name. Client 0 objects cannot be edited. You can only open them in read-only mode to check their settings. They also provide fewer associated functions than objects stored in the current Client.

Adding Placeholders

When designing an object, you may want to select another object that does not exist yet. Instead of stopping the current object definition to create the missing object, you can do so directly from within the corresponding combo box.

Start typing the name of the new object. The autocomplete function recognizes that the object does not exist yet and labels it with Placeholder to help you distinguish it from existing objects.

The Placeholder label is removed from the combo box after you have created the actual object.

Tooltips

Hover your mouse over an object in the combo box to display a tooltip with additional information about the object. This is useful for Calendar Events because the tooltip contains the name of the Calendar.

Deleted Objects

Refreshing the list of objects available in the combo boxes can take some time in large installations with many objects. For this reason, if another user deletes an object and you open a combo box before the list has been refreshed, it displays the Placeholder label next to its name.

Color Picker

There are various combo boxes in the Automic Web Interface Interface to select or assign colors. For example, if you open multiple sessions simultaneously, you can assign each session a color. The icon in the browser title displays the selected color, which helps you distinguish sessions at a glance. Or if you are using the VARA to Grid widget in Analytics, you must use different colors to monitor KPIs.

The color pickers provide many colors by default. Some of them allow you to add customized ones.

To select an existing color, do one of the following:

  • Start typing the name of the color. The contents of the combo box is filtered with your input.
  • Type the HEX color code.

To select a custom color, select Add Color.

Keyboard Navigation

Use your keyboard to navigate and work with the contents of the lists:

  • Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll up and down.
  • Use the right and left arrow keys in lists with a tree structure to expand or collapse nodes.
  • Press the space bar to activate or deactivate the checkbox of the selected entry in lists that allow bulk selection.
  • Press Escape to ignore your selection and close the list.
  • Press Enter to confirm your selection and close the list.