Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Stuart Dobson — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:35:21 GMT

You are a legend

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Beth Massi — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:14:12 GMT

@Stuart - check out this post: blogs.msdn.com/.../saving-data-across-one-to-one-relationships.aspx

HTH,

-Beth

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Stuart — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:11:13 GMT

Hi Beth

I'm really struggling with One to Zero...One relationships master/detail. My child record (of which there CAN be one of) is greyed out, so I presume I need some javascript code to add the new child record to my master record, and I'm not really sure where to start.

Any help much appreciated

Loving your work ;)

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Beth Massi — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:25:58 GMT

@Michael - Can I ask you what you heard the limitations were here? Regardless of whether you use an external datasource or the intrinsic datasource LightSwitch is very good at detecting schema changes and adjusting screens for you automatically. For instance if you design a screen with a field that is a string and indicate that it is an email address you get the email address editor on the screen. If you then change the database to store an integer instead, the screen will automatically change the control to a plain textbox automatically for you. Similarly, if you delete a column from an entity, all the controls for that field will be deleted across all your screens. So it actually handles schema changes at design time very well.

It's very easy to test this, just fire up a new project, model an entity, create a screen then delete a column from the entity -- the screen will automatically adjust. (If you add a field however, it will not be added automatically to screens, you'll need to add it yourself.)

Like any database, once it's deployed into production, and you remove a column or change it's type, you will have to deal with the data loss manually in your own scripts.

HTH,

-Beth

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Michael — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:22:08 GMT

Beth, could you say something about refactoring in lightswitch, here or in an article? I am evaluating lightswitch for a new project which I know will have an evolving data structure. I read around a bit and came to the conclusion that this is a major weak spot with lightswitch as it currently stands. In my case, the project db is an existing sql server db. Luckily, having an attached backend looks to be somewhat better than having an intrinsic backend when it comes to changing data structures, but it still looks/sounds pretty messy, according to what I've read in posts from the most advanced lightswitch developers.

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

marcelo — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:04:17 GMT

Beautiful! Will we see Tile List for silverlight anytime soon?

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Suneel — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:05:25 GMT

Hi Beth, It's a nice end to end example. What's the best way to check whether user has permission to perform task or not, to show or hide control depending on that.

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

Beth Massi — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:50:49 GMT

@joshbooker - Yes you are correct. The business types for email and phone will render as the HTML5 input types.

@alon - You can define filtering/searching like normal using the query designer and the HTML client screen designer will pick up any parameters, etc just like in the SL client. I'll write up a follow up to show you how you can do that.

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

alon — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:27:17 GMT

Hi Beth,

beutiful work and looking very Professional !!!

But, when we move from silverlight to html client where is the charm search bar ?

or should it be for phones and tablets ?

also in phones can be many records to search from.

waiting for your next articles...

Thanks

re: Master-Detail Screens with the LightSwitch HTML Client

joshbooker — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:09:40 GMT

Nice Article. I see unique icons in the designer for the phone, email & date controls. Does this mean LS v3 will render HTML5 input types like <input type="email" instead on only text type for those business type respectively? The View Contact Screen lloks like it has links...does v3 render a <a href='mailto... or<a href=tel:...> links as well? That would be swell!