Adding a generic directory
A new generic directory can be added by clicking [Add] in the Directories button group. The form of generic directory contains the following elements:
Figure 22 Generic dictionary form.
Group – name of the group a given directory is assigned to. This field is not editable
Name – directory name in the system language. It can be composed of any sequence of characters (letters or digits) providing broader description about the added object instance. In the field aside, it is possible to give the generic directory name in foreign languages
Note: It is not possible to add several generic directories with the same name.
Value Type – in this field, the format (type) of directory values is specified. Value type is selected from a predefined, non-editable list. Available options are: Text, Real Number, Integer, Logic Value, Natural Number, Date, e.g. is Integer type is selected, it will not be possible to enter in a given directory a value different than the integer. By default, value type is set to Text, but it can be changed
Upon inserting the first value, the selection of value type becomes uneditable (the filed is greyed out) and it can no longer be changed. Changes can be made not until all the directory values are deleted.
Note: Value type can be changed until the first value is inserted in a directory.
System – this parameter allows the user to determine whether a given directory must be the system directory or not
Values of the directory being added can be defined at once in the Directory Values panel. In this panel, a list of all values of given directory is displayed.
Adding generic directory values
A new value can be added to a generic directory upon prior selection of the directory on the tree and clicking [Add] in the Values button group. After clicking on this button, a new row will appear on the list of values. The list itself is composed of the following columns:
Figure 23 List of generic directory values.
Value – value name can be composed of any sequence of characters (letters and digits). In case of value types different than Text, value can be selected with the use of arrows. Values of Date type can be selected using the built-in calendar. Value type is selected when creating or editing given generic directory
Description – field for providing description to the added directory value
Active – this parameter indicates the activity status of given value in the system. When adding a new value, this parameter is checked, by default
Default – this parameter determines whether given value is a default value
Note: It is not possible to add a value which already exists in the database in a given language.
Inserting of translations
Providing of translations is very useful in certain situations, i.e. when a document must be issued in a different language than the language in which data used on that document was inserted, e.g. feature values (registered in Polish but translated into English) assigned to an item that was added to a purchase invoice being issued in English version will be presented on the document in English. In case of missing translations, the feature values will be presented in the system language (in this example – in Polish).
Translation can be provided when adding a new directory or editing already registered one. It is possible to translate both the name of a directory and the directory values.
Translating of generic directory name
To translate a directory name, the name must be first provided in the system language and then translated into a target language selected from a drop-down list that is available by the Name field. Upon selecting the target language, translation of the directory name must be entered again in the Name field (the name in the system language then disappears).
Translation in another language can be provided upon the selection of a language. The entered translation can be removed by deleting it from the Name field.
Translating of generic directory values
Translation of directory values is entered in the directory edit window. It refers only to the directories with values of Text type. All specified values are displayed in the Directory Values panel.
Translating of directory values is similar to translating of directory name.
The system controls the removal of translations and does not allow to save the value after its translation in the system language has been deleted. If a value is translated only in the system language, then after deleting that translation, saving the value is blocked.
Note: Translation provided in the system language cannot be deleted.