Multi-control

This field type inserts the controls specified by an sql query into the normal flow of controls on the page.

If the multi-control is in temp table mode then its data will be saved in a temp table like this:

CREATE TABLE #xxx
(
	/* The value from the Id column when the multi-control created the controls,
		or field name if the multi-control did not use the Id column, but
		using an explicit Id column is strongly recommended. */
	Id nvarchar(MAX) NOT NULL,

	/* The control's value. */
	Value nvarchar(MAX) NULL,

	/* This column only exists if the multi-control contains controls that
		return binary data, for example the File control. For those controls
		Value will be NULL and ImageValue will contain their data. */
	ImageValue varbinary(MAX) NULL,
	
	/* This column only exists when the ImageValue column is used and 
		multi-control contains a control type that returns a filename.
		For example, the File control uses file names but the Signature
		control does not. */
	ImageValueFileName nvarchar(MAX) NULL,

	/* This column only exists when the ImageValue column is used. */
	ImageValueContentType nvarchar(MAX) NULL,

	/* This column only exists for backwards compatibility. Ignore it.
		It will be present when the multi-control contains a File control. */
	ImageValueContentSize int NULL,

	/* This column only exists when the multi-control contains controls
		that return their data in a temporary table, for example the
		multirow control. */
	TableName sysname NULL
)
Start value: Value that is passed to the stored procedure specified in the SQL field as the parameter @id. It is also passed to the insert / update procedure of the newedit.aspx page.
Return value: Two modes are supported:

In the temp table mode all data from the controls is passed to a temporary table. The start value is returned to the insert / Update procedure. The name of the temporary table is also passed to the insert update procedure in a parameter called <fieldname>TableName.

In the classic mode a '¤' separated list of values is passed as a parameter.
Supported in: NewEdit

SQL

SQL Call: Control specifications (mandatory)

Return one row for each control to insert.

Optimize your code by creating field information with common properties instead of assigning all properties dynamically. Reference this field information using the FieldInfoId column and use dynamic field information for customizing the remaining properties.

Using FieldInfoId is also helpful when you encounter properties that can only be set on field information and can't be assigned dynamically.

May modify database: No

Parameters

@id string
Value supplied from the database record being edited or default value of the field depending on the action parameer to newedit.aspx.

Resultset: Control specifications

Return field information for the controls to insert.
Table count: repeated exactly once
Row count: zero or more rows
Columns
FieldName optional string
The name of the field if referring to it from other controls.You should avoid using special characters in the fieldname column. If you need to pass complex data to the insert/update procedure then use the id-column instead.
id optional string
A custom id value identifying this control. This is passed back as the column Id if the temporary table mode is used.
Value optional string
Start value of the control. Only applicable in edit and duplicate modes. In new mode the default value is used as start value.
AllowHtml optional bit
Allow HTML.
ButtonJavaScript<xxx> optional string
Inserts a button next to the control that is used to execute the JavaScript supplied here. <xxx> is an arbitrary text that can be empty if only one button is required.
ButtonJavaScript<xxx>_Label optional string
The label for the JavaScript button <xxx>.
CellAlignment optional string

The alignment of grid columns and InfoSQL values.

Possible value Description
center Only applicable to grid columns.
left
right
ColumnTooltip optional string
Sets the tooltip on the column title. Only supported by the Grid component.
DefaultValue optional string
The default value for the control or if prefixed by 'SQL:' the sql to run to determine the default value.
DefaultValueSql optional string
SQL that evaluates default value for field. Can contain other fields for value dependency.
Description optional string
The description for the field.
EnabledJavaScript optional string
Javascript that controls the enabled status of the field. The control is only enabled if the expression specified here evaluates to true. The expression is evaluated every time the value of a dependent control is changed. This is only available to control types for which the enabled javascript field is visible in the user interface.
FieldGroupId optional int
The field group to use.
FieldInfoId optional int
ID of field information to base the dynamic field on. All properties not explicitly overridden by dynamic field information will be copied from this field. The referenced field must be found in the menu item's field tables.
FieldLabel optional string
If present the field label is used as the heading for fields instead of the field name.
FieldType optional string
The name of the control type to use. It is usually recommended to use FieldInfoId instead unless the column is used to make fields hidden or uneditable.
Possible value Description
boolean checkbox Legacy alias. Use "checkbox" instead.
boolean dropdown
chart
checkbox
checkbox tree
colorpicker
date
datetime
dropdown
file
file upload area
heading
heading with checkbox
hidden
html Legacy alias. Use "html editor" instead.
html editor
info text
listbox
multi-autosearch
multi-listbox
multi-picker
multirow
password
picture
radio buttons
radio cards
signature
textarea
textbox
textbox with autosearch
textbox with autosuggest
textbox with dropdown
textbox with popup
time
uneditable text
Height optional int
The height of the control.
IgnoreOnSave optional bit
Do not pass the field value to the insert/update procedure.
InfoSqlLayout optional string
Where the label is shown in relation to the contents in InfoSQL.
Possible value Description
Default Inherit layout from menu item.
LabelAbove Full width, label above.
LabelLeft Label to the left.
NoLabel Full width, no label.
Standard Deprecated. Use LabelLeft instead.
MandatoryJavaScript optional string

JavaScript that controls the mandatory status of the field, this overwrites nullchoice if set. This is only available to control types for which the mandatory JavaScript field is visible in the user interface.

MaxDate optional date
Only applicable to the Date and Datetime controls.
MaxLength optional int
If the control is a textbox or textarea, limits how many characters are allowed in it.
MinDate optional date
Only applicable to the Date and Datetime controls.
NullChoice optional bit
Specifies whether the control allows null values.
NumberOfDecimals optional int
The number of decimals to display for numeric values.
OnChangeJavaScript optional string
Javascript run when the value of the control has changed.
OutputFormat optional string
Special formatting to be applied when the field is displayed.
Possible value Description
Hyperlink
MailToLink
PhoneLink
Placeholder optional string
Text shown when the field is empty.
Sql optional string
The SQL that determines the control's behavior. (Refer to control documentation for more information)
TextDirection optional string

Which direction the script is written in. Not to be confused with the CellAlignment property.

Possible value Description
default System default. Not useful unless you are trying to override an already explicit text direction on existing field information.
ltr Left-to-right (for example English)
rtl Right-to-left (for example Arabic)
ThousandDelimiter optional string
The thousand grouping delimiter for numeric values.
TimePickerFrom optional string
Only applicable to the Time and Datetime controls.
TimePickerTo optional string
Only applicable to the Time and Datetime controls.
Width optional int

The width of the control.

At one point, this was a pixel value. Back when Softadmin used Verdana 10px, and before fields had width-categories. Now, it is just a value that is converted to a width category.

The possible values listed below are just suggestions. For example, both 1 and 30 will be converted to shortest, and both 500 and 9999 to longest.

Possible value Description
150 Medium-long
30 Shortest
300 Long
500 Longest
60 Short
90 Medium short
VisibleJavaScript optional string
JavaScript that controls the visibility of the field. The control is only visible if the expression specified here evaluates to true. The expression is evaluated every time the value of a dependent control is changed.

Examples

Simple multi-control

CREATE PROCEDURE Example.Question_MultiControl
	@Id		int = NULL
AS
BEGIN
	SELECT
		-- Name that can be used to reference the field in visibility, defaultvalue and SQL fields
		'MultiControlTable' + CONVERT(varchar(100), Q.QuestionId) AS [FieldName],
		Q.QuestionHeading AS [FieldLabel],
		Q.QuestionId AS [Id],
		Q.DefaultChoice AS Value,
		-- All non dynamic field info properties should come from the field info.
		123 AS FieldInfoId,
		-- Any properties that needs to be set dynamically.
		A.AnswerSql AS SQL
	FROM
		Example.Question Q
		CROSS APPLY Example.Question_AnswerSql(Q.QuestionId) A
	ORDER BY
		Q.SortOrder;
END;

Multi-control from table data

Example multicontrol procedure. In the example an input field per row in MultiControlTable will be created and if there is a corresponding value in MultiControlTable it will populate the field.

The [FieldName] column is only needed if you have dependencies.

CREATE PROCEDURE Example.MultiControlTable_MultiControl
	@Id		int = NULL
AS
BEGIN

	SELECT
		-- Name that can be used to reference the field in visibility, defaultvalue and SQL fields
		'MultiControlTable' + CONVERT(varchar(100), MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeId) AS [FieldName],
		MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeName AS [FieldLabel],
		MCTT.Description,
		-- Id value passed to InsertUpdate procedure in Id column to identify value
		MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeId AS [Id],
		MCT.Value,
		-- Use "SQL: " an in regular field info to run a SQL statement
		MCTT.DefaultValue,
		MCTT.CanAllowNullValues AS [NullChoice],
		-- The different field types in Softadmin are valid choices
		CASE
			WHEN MCTT.IsDropdown = 1 THEN
				'dropdown'
			WHEN MCTT.IsHeading = 1 THEN
				'heading'
			WHEN MCTT.IsTextbox = 1 THEN
				'textbox'
		END AS [FieldType],
		-- SQL statement for field types that require it
		MCTT.SQL,
		MCTT.Height,
		MCTT.Width,
		-- Visibility field
		CASE
			WHEN MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeId = 4 THEN
				'{MultiControlTable3}=="test"'
		END AS [VisibleJavascript]
	FROM
		-- One field per row in Example.MultiControlTableType
		Example.MultiControlTableType MCTT
		-- Get value from Example.MultiControlTable if it exists
		LEFT JOIN Example.MultiControlTable MCT ON
			MCT.MultiControlTableTypeId = MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeId AND
			MCT.RowId = @Id
	ORDER BY
		MCTT.MultiControlTableTypeName

END

Best practice

Name of stored procedure

The stored procedure should be named "<Schema>.<TableMultiControlGetsRowsFrom>_MultiControl".