Dynamic forms (eav)

Dynamic forms are used for:

• extending standard entity attributes with custom, project specific attributes,
• dynamic configurations - e.g. system connector configurations.

Dynamic forms are supported for selected entities:

• SysSystem - linked to the systems
• IdmIdentity - identities
• IdmIdentityRole - assigned roles to identities (respectively assigned to identity contracts)
• IdmIdentityContract - Contractual relationships
• IdmRole - roles
• IdmTreeNode - tree structure items.
• IdmForm - common forms
• VsAccountFormValue - virtual system attributes

Dynamic form instances (values) are saved in the individual tables according to the entity which they are linked to ⇒ which is their owner (e.g. the entity IdmIdentityFormValue, IdmRoleFormValue). Form values are not saved, if null value (by persistent type) is given ⇒ filled values are saved only.

Dynamic form attribute supports data types (persistentType):

• CHAR - one character
• TEXT - strings (long text). Not indexed - SHORTTEXT usage is preferred.
• SHORTTEXT - strings (2000 chars). Indexed.
• INT - integer
• LONG - long
• DOUBLE - saved as bigdecimal
• BOOLEAN - true / false / null
• DATE - date (without time)
• DATETIME - date with time
• BYTEARRAY - byte[]
• UUID - uuid identifier. Indexed.
• ATTACHMENT - attachment (~binary file). Read more about attachments.

with properties:

• readonly
• multi values - Is represented on the front-end by a textarea, where a line is a value (a new line separates the values). This property is supported for persistent types CHAR, TEXT, INT, LONG, DOUBLE and UUID.
• confidential - .The values are stored in an confidential storage). Stored values of these attributes - substitute characters only - are loaded on the front-end. The value can only be changed and determined whether it is filled in. This property is supported for persistent types CHAR, TEXT, INT, LONG, DOUBLE, UUID, BYTEARRAY.
• required - value validation, read more.
• unique - value validation, read more.
• min - value validation, read more.
• max - value validation, read more.
• regex - value validation, read more.
• validationMessage - custom message, when some validation fails, read more.

Dynamic form attribute can be rendered differently on frontend. Face type (faceType) property is used for choosing frontend renderer. Default renderer is chosen by persistent type (e.g. UUID → UUID).

Renderer is frontend component, superclass component AbstractFormAttributeRenderer is used for all renderer implementations. Renderer is responsible for IdmFormValue ⇔ input value transformation.

Renderers are registered in module's component-descriptor.js as single component with attributes:

• id - unique component identifier
• type = form-value - static component type is used for all form-value renderer
• persistentType - which persistent type renderer supports
• faceType - renderer face type ⇒ key. Unique face type should be given (by persistent type). Its optional persistentType is used as default, when no faceType is given.
• component - renderer implementation (AbstractFormAttributeRenderer descendant).
• labelKey - localization key ⇒ renderer name. Its optional, faceType is used, when no labelKey is given.

All component descriptor features are supported. Read tutorial, how to create custom form attribute renderer.

• Adding an interface implementation FormableEntity to the new entity,
• creating a manager implementation by inheriting AbstractFormableService for the new entity,
• creating the entity by inheriting AbstractFormValue, which will represent the values of extended attributes for the new entity (owner),
• creating a repository by inheriting AbstractFormValueRepository for the values of the extended attributes,
• creating the manager by inheriting AbstractFormValueService for the values of the extended attributes.

• issuing a REST endpoint for saving the extended attributes from the FE - e.g. IdmIdentityController - controller has to evaluate security to read / save form values by their owner (e.g. by identity),
• creating a service and redux manager communicating with REST by inheriting FormableEntityManager - e.g. IdentityManager,
• using the component EavForm for filling in and sending the values of the extended attributes from the FE to the BE - e.g. IdentityEav content.

On the FE, there is an agenda of forms - their definition and attributes. Each definition can contain zero or more attributes. To maintain the integrity, an interface UnmodifiableEntity has been created, which allows adding a flag that the entity has been created by the system and cannot be modified (or some of its attributes) and deleted (this logic now needs to be implemented manually into the relevant controllers), for example in IdmFormAttributeController.

It is necessary to be cautious when editing individual form attributes as the logic linked to this form can be rendered non-functional.

Common forms is used for saving internal dynamic forms for: - report filters - long running task properties (comming soon) - authorization policiy properties (comming soon)

Form has to have form definition and owner, which can be an entity implementing FormableEntity interface. One owner can have more forms. When owner is deleted, then all forms have to be deleted to - override owner's service delete method properly. Form can be shared between owners - e.g. report filter can be used as input (properties) for long running task - this is the main reason, why common forms exists, don't use this common forms for storing extended attributes mentioned above (e.g. they will not be shown on frontend).

For form attributes is possible add localization into cs.json and en.json for each module.

Example form code eu.bcvsolutions.idm.acc.entity.SysSystem will be transformed into eu-bcvsolutions-idm-acc-entity-syssystem

Read more in tutorial

For form attribute values is possible to configure prepared validations. Validation are evaluated (on the backend), when form with extended attributes is saved and sent to backend. Simple validations as required, min, max are evaluated on frontend after value is changed.

Value is required.

Value has to be unique.

Value has to be greater than (lesser than) or equal given min (max) values. Real number (38,4) can be configured.

Value has to match given regular expression (java pattern is used).

Custom validation message. If message is not defined, then default message by invalid validation type will be shown.

Code list can be defined and used on frontend forms → defines options for the select box (e.g. used on role detail for the environment attribute). Code lists items could have additional extended attributes. Code list works as decorator only. When whole code list is deleted, then the only impact is raw item codes will be rendered on frontend ⇒ when code list or code list item is not found, then raw value (item's code) is shown instead.

Identity form values can be secured by authorization policies - see how to configure authorization policies, when some identity extended attributes have to be secured.

Attachments can be uploaded for the attributes with persistent type ATTACHMENT. Attachment is uploaded immediately after user selects file from his file system - attachment is uploaded as temporary to server and it's identifier is used as extended attribute value. Extended attribute can be saved then (when whole extended form is submitted).

Attachment can be downloaded from frontend. If attachment is picture (~ attachment mime type starts with image/*), then preview of saved extended attribute's attachment is available directly in extended attribute form. Download and preview is supported for agendas (entity types): identity, role, tree node, contract and contract slice ⇒ role requests (role lifecycle) and identity roles (parameters for the assigned roles) are

Read more about attachments usage in the application (e.g. how to increase maximum file size).

• Form value data migration, when persistent type is changed.
• Attachment renderer: support multiple files, validation support (now is validation on input)
• Created deep copy, when form values are copied ⇒ attachment is linked to two form values and is removed, when the first one is deleted.