Dropdown Box (SAP Library - Web Design API)

Dropdown Box

Definition

Web item that allows you to display and select contents in a dropdown box.

Use

You can determine the content of the dropdown box as follows:

● Characteristic values for filtering

Using the Dropdown Box Web item, you can easily filter one or more connected data providers by a characteristic value. When you select an entry from the dropdown box, the connected data provider is filtered according to this value. If a different method is used to select a filter value for the characteristic in the dropdown box, the current filter value appears in the dropdown box.

● Selection of query views

By selecting an entry from the dropdown box, you can switch, in one step, from a data provider and its display (in a table, for example) to another data provider that may be displayed in a different way (in a chart, for example).

● Fixed options list

When you select an entry from the dropdown box, an associated command from the Web Design API is executed.

Structure

The following is a parameter list for the Dropdown Box Web item, arranged according to the various parameter groupings.

Display

Parameter	Description
Width in pixels (WIDTH)	You use this parameter to determine the width of the Web item.
Height in pixels (HEIGHT)	You use this parameter to determine the height of the Web item.
Visibility (VISIBILITY)	You use this parameter to determine whether the Web item is visible in the Web application.
With tray (WITH_TRAY)	You use this parameter to determine whether the Web item has a symbol that enables it to be expanded and collapsed in the Web application. For more information on this parameter, see Parameter Tray.

Internal Display

Parameter

Description

Maximum text length (TEXT_MAXLENGTH)

You use this parameter to determine the maximum text length for the values.

Maximum number of displayed values in filter Web items

(ENTRIES_MAXCOUNT)

You use this parameter to determine the maximum number of values that are displayed in the dropdown box.

Behavior

Parameter	Description
Activate navigation (INTERACTION_ALLOWED)	You use this parameter to determine whether navigation and other interactions are possible, in the Web application, for example.

Data Binding

Parameter

Description

Data binding type (DATA_BINDING_TYPE)

Default value: “CHARACTERISTIC_SELECTION”

Characteristic/structure member

CHARACTERISTIC_SELECTION

Selection of query views

QUERY_VIEW_SELECTION

Fixed options list

STATIC_OPTION_LIST

You use this parameter to determine the content of the entries in the dropdown box: In the dropdown box, you can set characteristic values for filtering, a selection of query views and their graphical presentation or a fixed options list that you have defined.

Additional parameters must be set, depending on the data binding type. See the subsequent tables.

When you have selected CHARACTERISTIC_SELECTION under data binding type, you need to set the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
Data provider (DATA_PROVIDER_REF)	You use this parameter to assign a data provider to the Web item. The Web item gets the data and metadata that it needs to generate the output and commands from this data provider. We recommend that you keep to the conventions supported by the Web Application Designer when specifying names: The name should be a maximum of 30 characters long and consist of characters “A-Z”, “0-9” and “_”, but cannot start or end with “_”. Adhering to these conventions facilitates the upgrade to future SAP releases.
Characteristic (CHARACTERISTIC)	You use this parameter to select the characteristic by technical name.
Read mode (DATA_READ_MODE)	You use this parameter to determine which values from the master data table are transferred to the Dropdown Box web item as filter values. (M): All values from the master data table. In some circumstances, values that do not appear in the data provider under the current filter conditions and that produce the result “No Suitable Data Found” upon filtering, are also displayed However, under certain conditions this process is the fastest. (D): Values that are basically posted, whereby the current drilldown status is not fully taken into consideration. (Q): Only values that are also posted in the data provider under the currently valid filter conditions are displayed. Under certain circumstances it can take a long time. Read mode for Web items to set filter values: The “master data” read mode may lead to many unposted values being displayed; the “posted values” read mode may be slow.
Label (LABEL_VISIBLE)	You use this parameter to determine whether the long text of the characteristic is written as a label in front of the dropdown box.
Entry display ALL (ALL_VALUES_ENTRY_INCLUDED)	You use this parameter to determine whether the All entry is displayed as a selection option in the dropdown box.
Affected data provider (LINKED_DATA_PROVIDER_REF_LIST)	Under this parameter, you create a list of data providers to which all commands are sent. For each entry in the data provider list, you choose a data provider under the Affected Data Provider parameter (LINKED_DATA_PROVIDER_REF). Note that you cannot create data providers in the parameter dialog, you have to create them beforehand.

For more information on the use and functions of the Web item for selecting characteristic values, see Structure link Web Items for Setting Filter Values and Hierarchical Filter Selection Web Item.

When you have selected QUERY_VIEW_SELECTION under data binding type, you need to set the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
Data provider (DATA_PROVIDER_REF)	You use this parameter to assign a data provider to the Web item. The Web item gets the data and metadata that it needs to generate the output and commands from this data provider.
Specific list of query views (SPECIFIC_LIST_OF_QUERY_VIEWS)	You use this parameter to determine whether a specific list of query views or the list of all query views is displayed for the assigned query. You have to set the following for each entry in the dropdown box: Initial state (INITIAL_STATE) Query (QUERY) Query view (QUERY_VIEW) InfoProvider (INFOPROVIDER) You determine the initial state in which you search for a query, a query view or an InfoProvider and the relevant technical name of the object, using the open dialog. Reusable Web item (REUSABLE_WEB_ITEM) You also determine the Web item with which the data provider is displayed. To do this, you need to have saved the required Web item as a reusable Web item. If you do not specify anything, the target Web item (TARGET_ITEM_REF) will be used for visualization (see below). Selection description (SELECTION_TEXT) Here, using the text input dialog, you determine the text that appears on the entry in the dropdown box. See Text Input Dialog. Action (command triggered) (ACTION) Here, using the command wizard, you determine if and with which command from the Web Design API, the entry in the dropdown box should additionally be linked. See also Command Wizard.
Target Web item (TARGET_ITEM_REF)	You use this parameter to determine the Web item that is initially used for displaying data, and that you have previously inserted into the Web template.
Alphabetically ordered (ORDERED_ALPHABETICALLY)	You use this parameter to determine whether the dropdown box entries appear in alphabetical order.
Filter values retained (FILTERS_RETAINED)	You use this parameter to determine whether the filter values are retained in the dropdown box upon changing the query view.
Action (command triggered) (ACTION)	Here, using the command wizard, you determine if and with which command from the Web Design API, the entry in the dropdown box should additionally be linked. Note that when you select a query view from the dropdown box, the following command sequence takes effect: ... 1. Switching the Web item and the data provider. 2. Executing the defined Web API command specified under the parameter Action (Command Triggered) (ACTION) for selecting the query view. 3. Executing the defined Web API command, defined under the parameter Action (Command Triggered) (ACTION) for an entry from the dropdown box (see under parameters Specific List of Query Views (SPECIFIC_LIST_OF_QUERY_VIEWS)).

For more information on the use and function of the Web item for the query view selection, see Query View Selection with a Dropdown Box.

When you have selected STATIC_OPTION_LIST under data binding type, you need to set the following parameters:

Parameter

Description

Fixed options list (STATIC_OPTION)

You use this parameter to set the entries for the fixed options list. To do this the following parameters must be set:

Entry description (SELECTION_TEXT)

Here, using the text input dialog, you determine the text that appears on the entry in the dropdown box. See Structure link Text Input Dialog.

Action (command triggered) (ACTION)

Here, using the command wizard, you determine if and with which command from the Web Design API the entry in the dropdown box is linked. See also Command Wizard.