Sending out messages

You can specify whether to send out a message, including the built-in message 0001 - Filter, 0002 - Sort, or 0003 - Parameter, 0004 - Parameters or a user defined message when a specific event occurs on a certain object in a library component. The objects from which messages can be sent out include fields in table/crosstab, labels in the content, geographic maps, parameter controls, the Submit button of parameter form controls, and some chart elements (data markers, legend and category axis).

To send out a message:

1. Do one of the following to display the Send Message - Web Action Builder dialog. See the dialog.

   

   • Right-click a field in a table/crosstab, a label in the library component content, a parameter control, or the Submit button of a parameter form control, select Display Type from the shortcut menu to display the Display Type dialog, select a trigger event from the drop-down list in the Events column and click in the Actions column of the Web Behaviors box to display the Web Action List dialog, then select *SendMessage and click OK.
   • In the Behaviors tab of some chart formatting dialogs, select a trigger event from the drop-down list in the Events column and click in the Actions column, then select *SendMessage and click OK in the displayed Web Action List dialog.
   • Right-click a geographic map and select Geographic Map Wizard from the shortcut menu, in the Marker screen of the Geographic Map Wizard, select a trigger event from the drop-down list in the Events column and click in the Actions column. Then select *SendMessage in the Web Action List dialog and click OK.
2. Select the message you want to send out from the Message drop-down list.
   • 0001 - Filter
     Specifies to send out the built-in Filter message, which will ask the data component that receives the message to filter itself based on the filter condition defined in the message.
   • 0002 - Sort
     Specifies to send out the built-in Sort message, which will ask the data component that receives the message to sort itself based on the sort condition defined in the message.
   • 0003 - Parameter
     Specifies to send out the built-in Parameter message, which will ask the library component in which the data component that receives the message is to re-run itself using the parameter value defined in the message.
   • 0004 - Parameters
     Specifies to send out the built-in Parameters message, which will ask the library component in which the data component that receives the message is to re-run itself using all the parameter values defined in the message.
   • User Defined
     Specifies to send out a user defined message.
3. Define the message as you want.

   For the built in message, you can only change the values for the keys in the Value column. To make the condition dynamic, select the values under the Dynamic Key node.

   For a user defined message,

   1. Specify the ID and Name of the message in the ID and Name text boxes. The ID should be a natural number beyond 1000.
   2. Click to add a message key-value line for the user defined message.
   3. In the Key column, specify a key from the drop-down list or select the <Input...> item from the list and then input a key into the text box.
   4. In the Value column, specify the value of the key from the drop-down list or select <Input...> from the list and then input a value into the text box.
   5. If you choose to input the value by yourself in the above step, you need to specify the data type of the value. If the value is selected from the Value drop-down list, the data type of the value will be automatically displayed in the Data Type column and cannot be changed.
   6. If necessary, click to add a new message key-value line and specify the key, data type and value respectively.

      To delete a message key-value line, select it and click . To adjust the order of the lines, click or .

   Tip: You can also create a blank user defined message by only specifying the ID and name of the message.

4. Click the OK button to confirm the settings.
5. In the dialog you are returned to, add more event lines and repeat the above steps to specify to send out more messages as you want.
6. When done, click OK to finish defining the messages to send out.

In addition to the above method, another more convenient way to send a message is by using the Send Message command. To do this, right-click a field in a table/crosstab, a label in the content, a parameter control, or the Submit button of a parameter form control in a library component, from which you want to send the message, and select Send Message > Filter/Sort/Parameter/Parameters/Customize from the shortcut menu (for the Submit button of a parameter form control, only Parameters and Customize are available).

• If Filter is selected, a built-in Filter message, whose trigger event is Click by default, will be created.
• If Sort is selected, a built-in Sort message, whose trigger event is Click by default, will be created.
• If Parameter is selected:
  • When you specify to send the message from a field,
    • If there is a parameter used in the library component whose bound column is the same as the selected field, a built-in Parameter message, whose trigger event is Click by default, will be created.
    • If the above said parameter cannot be found, the Send Message dialog will be displayed (see the dialog). You can define the message as you want.

      

      To define a message:

      1. In the Events box, check the checkbox ahead of the event on which you want to define message, then select the event by clicking on it to activate the message options on the right.
      2. Refer to the above steps 2 and 3 to define the message.
      3. Repeat the above steps to define more messages on different events.
      4. When done, click OK to close the dialog.
  • When you specify to send the message from object other than a field, the Send Message dialog will be displayed for you to define the message.
• If Parameters is selected, a built-in Parameters message, whose trigger event is Click by default, will be created.
• If Customize is selected, you can define the message by yourself in the Send Message dialog.