The Preference capability allows you to define a view of repository record data by selecting which attribute values to display, the attribute display order, and which (if any) linked relationships to show. A Preference establishes how record data will be displayed in the Repository View, Inline Editor, and the Detail Editor.
Preferences are named and saved so they can be used again later. A Preference can only be used with the repository it was created for.
Users can create their own Preferences, share their Preferences, select a Preference to use, edit Preferences, delete Preferences, save Preferences, select a Preference to be their Default Preference, and select a Favorite Detail Editor Preference.
If no Preference has been designated as the Default Preference or the Favorite Detail Editor Preference, when a repository or record is opened, all record attributes will be displayed. Multi-language attributes will only display the value for the session language.
If no Preference has been selected, the only value of a multi-language attribute that will be displayed is the variant for the session language. For example, if you are logged in using Spanish, the Spanish value will be displayed. In order for any other language variants of a multi-language attribute to be displayed, they must be included in the selected Preference.
In a repository view, if a preference is used that only includes attributes that are in the snapshot table, the repository view loads much more quickly than if a preference is used that includes one or more attributes that are not in the snapshot table. Preferences that include at least one attribute that is not in the snapshot table retrieve all attribute values from the database in XML format, rather than reading attribute values from the snapshot table. However, when preferences are used in a repository view that only have attributes from the snapshot table, attribute values are retrieved from the snapshot table, not from the XML database. If the snapshot table is not current and does not accurately reflect the database, incorrect attribute values may be displayed. Only use all-snapshot table attribute preferences if your snapshot tables are typically current.
Use a Preference in a Repository View
To use a Preference while viewing a repository:
- Open the desired repository in a Repository View. To do so, open the Feature sidebar, select the desired folder, and select the desired repository.
- When a repository is opened, it will be displayed as defined in the Default Preference. If no Default Preference has been selected, all record attributes will be shown.
- Expand the Preference dropdown in the activity bar.
- Select the desired Preference. The repository will be displayed according to the format defined in the selected Preference.
- To stop using a Preference, expand the Preference dropdown in the activity bar and select No Preference.
Add or Edit a Preference
Save a Preference
If the user activates a Preference, then changes the display options for the Repository View (such as the sort order, List View, or column width), the user can save the changed display options to the active Preference.
To save a preference, expand the Preference dropdown in the Repository View's activity bar and select Save Preference. The changes made to the active Preference will be saved and applied in future uses of the selected Preference.
Delete a Preference
To delete a Preference for a repository or record:
- Open the desired repository in a Repository View. To do so, open the Feature sidebar, select the desired folder, and select the desired repository.
- Expand the Preference dropdown in the activity bar. Select the desired Preference.
- Expand the Preference dropdown in the Repository View's activity bar and select Delete Preference.
- A Confirm window will appear that asks if you want to delete the preference. Select Yes. The Preference will be deleted and the view will revert to the Default Preference.
An alternative method of deleting a Preference is through the Edit Preference window:
- Open the desired repository in a Repository View. To do so, open the Feature sidebar, select the desired folder, and select the desired repository.
- Expand the Preference dropdown in the activity bar.
- The Edit Preference window will appear.
- Select the Delete buttons on any tab. A Confirm window will appear that asks if you want to delete the selected preference. Select Yes and the active Preference will be deleted. The view will revert to the Default Preference.
Set Default Preference
A repository's Default Preference is the view used when the repository is first opened in a Repository View. If no Favorite Detail Editor Preference is active when a repository is opened, the Default Preference will be active in the Detail Editor and Inline Editor as well.
To establish a Preference as the Default Preference for a repository:
- Select a Preference and open it in the Add/Edit Preference dialog, (see Add or Edit a Preference).
- On the Details tab, select Set As Default.
- Move to the Link Relation tab and select Apply to save your changes to the Preference, select Cancel to exit without saving your changes to the Preference, or select Delete to delete the Preference.
Preference in Detail Editor
The Favorite Detail Editor Preference defines how record data will be displayed in the Detail Editor and the Inline Editor. When a record is opened in the Detail Editor, it is displayed according to the Favorite Detail Editor Preference. If no Preference has been designated as the Favorite Detail Editor Preference, the record will be displayed as defined in the repository's Default Preference. If no Default Preference has been selected, all record attributes will be shown.
While in the Detail Editor, the user can use Preferences but not manage them. Preferences can be chosen or disabled, but not edited, added, deleted, saved or resized.
To establish a Preference as the Favorite Detail Editor Preference:
- Select a Preference and open it in the Add/Edit Preference dialog, (see Add or Edit a Preference).
- On the Details tab, select Set As Favorite for Detailed Editor.
- Move to the Link Relation tab and select Apply to save your changes to the Preference, select Cancel to exit without saving your changes to the Preference, or select Delete to delete the Preference.
Preference in Inline Editor
The Favorite Detail Editor Preference defines how record data will be displayed in the Inline Editor and the Detail Editor. When a record is opened in the Inline Editor, it is displayed according to the Favorite Detail Editor Preference. If no Preference has been designated as the Favorite Detail Editor Preference, the record will be displayed as defined in the Default Preference. If no Default Preference has been selected, all record attributes will be shown.
While in the Inline Editor, the user has the capability to use and manage Preferences. Preferences can be chosen, disabled, edited, added, deleted, saved and resized.