Attribute

Atomic piece of data. Owns the values attached to an item. Attributes may have various types; each type is linked to a default input field and display format.
MADCAT manage the following types :

• String
• Text
• Numeric
• Date/time
• File
• Bitmap
• IP Address
• Groups
• Enumerate
• Boolean

The form is generated using the parameters defined in the model. MADCAT creates one field per attribute in the edit form of an item :

Each value of an attribute will be stored in a real XML attribute of the XML element created in the project data :

Advanced user can also create their own types of attribute by using the interfaces of MADCAT. The associated field iand the way the value is stored and formatted are then entirely controlled by a library developed by you. See Types section for more details.

Triggers

Triggers are actions performed automatically when end-user executes a specific action on an item.
Triggers are attached to items in models. Possible triggers are :

• Click : An action is run when the end-user clicks on an item
• Double-click : An action is run when the end-user double-clicks on an item
• Drop : An action is run when the end-user drops an item
• Timer : An action is run periodically. Period is based on the timer definition
• Before create : An action is run when end-users clicks on a button to create a new item (just before the "edit form" opens). The result of the action can cancel the creation
• After create : An action is run when end-users has finished creating an item (just after the "edit form" closes). The result of the action can cancel the creation
• Before edit : An action is run when end-users clicks on the "Edit Item" button (just before the "edit form" opens). The result of the action can cancel the editing
• After edit : An action is run when end-users has finished editing an item (just after the "edit form" closes). The result of the action can cancel the editing
• Before delete : An action is run when end-users clicks on the "Delete Item" button (just before the item is deleted). The result of the action can cancel the deletion
• After delete : An action is run when end-users has deleted an item.

Actions are threads executed by the tools of your workspace. They can be run by clicking a button on the tool bar of MADCAT or activating a trigger. By defaut, MADCAT provides no tools. Only advanced users can create their own tools by using the API of MADCAT.


MADCAT allows the end-user of a workspace to enable/disable a trigger. Future releases of MADCAT will restrict this possibility by using access rights attached to end-users.

Actions

ACTIONS are XML child elements of ITEMS and FOLDERS which indicate the name of the action a user can perform on them.
The actions are implemented in tools. The name specified in the ACTION element must be one of the names defined in a tool definition file of your workspace. If the name refers to an action performed by a tool which is not loaded (unknown action name), the element is discarded without any messages.
This attribute controls the buttons of the tool bar of MADCAT where actions of loaded tools are displayed. When the end-user selects an item in an explorer, only the actions listed with this element in the model of the item are enabled. All the buttons of other actions are disabled. The contextual menu of the explorer is updated as well.