Customized Pane Editor

You use this program to create your own views in SYSPRO using various graphical components such as graphs, listviews and web applications.

The views can be defined using built-in templates or constructed using scripting.

Menu and Toolbar

Field Description
Save This saves the details you entered or changed.
Save and Exit This saves the changes you made and exits the program.

If you are adding a new customized pane, then the pane is added to the current docking pane layout in the position indicated at the Initial docking position field.
Preview Previews the selected object type.

Edit Script

This loads the Script Editor program to maintain the script for the selected object.
Edit Window Title

This enables you to maintain the window title of the customized pane.

Be careful about changing window titles of customized panes after they have been created, as this could cause the associated script to fail.
Design Form

This is enabled when you select the Object type - Form. It loads the Form Design program to design a full-featured form.

A form in a customized pane has the same look-and-feel and behavior as the standard forms used throughout SYSPRO.

Pane Properties

Field Description
Window title The title of the window required for your customized pane.
Object type

Select the type of object you want to add as a new pane.

You cannot change the object type once the customized pane has been saved.
Script file name This indicates the name and location of the script file associated with the customized pane.

The first six letters of the filename relate to the SYSPRO program name in which it resides.

If the pane is being created for an operator, the script file will be stored in the SYSPRO \Base\Settings folder. If the pane is being created for a role, the script file will be stored in a Role folder under the SYSPRO \Base\Settings folder (e.g. Role_xxx where xxx indicates the role number).

Script file language

This displays the language in which the script has been written.

Views

This lets you select the data source for the customized pane using the Data Sources program.
Allow paging

This is selected by default to allow paging within the customized pane, but can be disabled.
Rows to return

This lets you select the number of rows you want to return on the customized pane.

If you select 5000, i.e. the maximum number of rows, then the paging icons won't be displayed on the customized pane.
Initial docking position The position on the screen where you want to initially place the new pane.

If you select Float, then the customized pane is made floating (not docked) when initially created.

You cannot change this field once the customized pane has been saved.
Form attributes

This is only enabled when the Object type is Form.

This indicates whether you can change values against the form (i.e. editable) or if the form can only display information.

This displays the custom code linked to the key field of a form that was created using the Insert Associated Pane->Custom form function (e.g. STK for stock codes, CUS for customers, ORD for sales orders, etc.).

This code is also available using the CustomFormType variable within the CustomizedPane section of the Variables pane of the Script Editor.

This name is generated by the system and cannot be changed. If the Design Form screen has been used to create the form, then this field indicates the name and location of the XML used to build/store the design.
Pane Caption

Displays an icon with the heading of the customized pane.

The icon you want to associate with the customized pane

Displays a toolbar in the customized pane, to which you can add buttons.

Apply a XAML theme to the section immediately below the toolbar (if one is to be shown). Placeholder %1% will be populated with the contents of the Window title field.

This option is only available for Form or Search Window object types.
Refresh details

This prevents the Onload event from firing when the customized pane loads. Instead, the Onload event only fires when the first OnRefresh event fires.

This improves the loading time of any application that includes customized panes.

For example:

This can be particularly useful when deploying Executive Dashboards as these can be slow to initialize as the Onload event in the associated script for the customized pane is executed while the application is initially loading. It is in the Onload event that the script creates the XCelsius chart and retrieves the data to populate the chart object. This can all take some time to execute depending on the complexity of the script and the amount of data to be processed.

This fires the OnRefresh event automatically for the pane at a set interval.

The time period after which the pane contents of the pane must be refreshed.

The unit of measure for the time period (e.g. minutes or seconds).
Toolbar control 1 - 2 This enables you to add functionality to a customized pane's toolbar.

Each customized pane can have up to two toolbar controls which can be a combination of entry field, button or checkbox. There is also a Refresh button that can be included on the toolbar.

A caption for the control.

The icon to use for the control.

This indicates the type of toolbar control to add (e.g. a button, a check box or an input field).

Scripting can interact with the toolbar controls (e.g. when an operator clicks a toolbar control defined as a button, the macro event associated with this button fires and the script associated with the function is executed).

Object types

Type Description
Graph

This enables you to add a graph to the pane.

Graphs comprise the graph properties themselves (i.e. graph title, legends, etc) and the data required to populate the graph.

The basic properties for a graph are indicated in the design editor, including setting simple conditional attributes (highlight exceptions). However, these properties can be further defined in the graph properties XML.

A list of available standard graph templates that can be inserted into the pane are displayed.

Additional information for a graph is displayed when you hover your mouse pointer over the graph template name.
Listview This enables you to create listviews from the most basic means of displaying rows of data, to those using XAML to render multiple pieces of data per row.

Listviews can be displayed in a data grid (the default) or a form style.

A data grid is used for recurring items (e.g. a list of AR invoices for a customer or inventory warehouses for a stock code).

A form listview is used to display single occurrence information in form style such as all the information on a specific stock code or supplier.

Smart Links work with both data grid and form style listviews. Data grids and form style listviews are editable.

This displays the available standard listview templates that can be inserted into a pane.

Additional information for a listview is displayed when you hover your mouse pointer over the listview template name.
Web browser This enables you to create a customized pane that displays the contents of an existing web page, or displays a web page for which you have built up the HTML code within the customized pane.

Navigating to a specific URL is done either by pointing the web browser to a URL at load time, or by using a script to point to a new URL.

Each time the pane is refreshed it can display a different page, whether this is an existing web page, or built dynamically in the script.

It is also possible to launch standard SYSPRO programs directly from any web page by embedding special code in the HTML page. You can also invoke SYSPRO programs from a web page.

You will be required to indicate the address of the web page you want to initially display.
SRS/Crystal report

This enables you to add a previously-generated SRS report to the pane (hosted in the Crystal report viewer). You can point the report viewer to a crystal report (.rpt) either at load time, or you can use a script to view any report you require.

When you embed a SRS report in a customized pane, the report must already have been generated (i.e. you can view the output of an SRS report in a customized pane, but you cannot actually run the report nor pass it any parameters).

You will be required to indicate the Report file name you want to display in the pane.
PDF Viewer This enables you to add a PDF viewer so that you can display an existing PDF document within the customized pane. You can point the viewer to a PDF document either at load time, or you can use a script to display any document you require.

The name of this document can be built in your code, and you can have a default PDF document that displays when one has not been selected. For example: you could have technical documents for stock codes and the PDF Viewer can be configured to display the relevant document for each stock code.
Rich text notepad This enables you to display the contents of RTF files in the customized pane.

The notepad contents can be supplied directly using a filename, or by supplying the RTF text using script (see Loading an RTF file into the notepad).

Multiple notepads can be applied to any docking pane application in SYSPRO.

One of the benefits of this is that the notepad contents can be modified while in a different SYSPRO application.

For example: The contents of SYSPRO's built-in notepad (on the main SYSPRO menu) cannot be modified while you are running a SYSPRO application. However, this does not apply to the notepad in a customized pane. You could therefore insert a notepad into the main SYSPRO menu layout and have its notes available to read and modify no matter where you are in SYSPRO (the notepad must be floating for this behavior to be effective).

Indicate the name of the RTF file that must be displayed when the pane is initially loaded.

Prevents operators from changing the text in the notepad pane. You typically select this option if you want to display the notepad text in the application for information purposes only.

Automatically saves any changes made to the notepad text in the pane when you exit the application. Also saves any changes made to the text when selecting Save. This option does not apply if you selected the Read only option.

Adds a Save button to the toolbar of the notepad form, enabling the operator to save any changes made to the notepad text in the form. This option does not apply if you selected the Read only option.
.NET User Control This object type enables you to create interactive panes that can communicate with SYSPRO in real time. These controls can also communicate with the business objects via the script to query and post data.

The .NET controls can be made to look exactly like standard SYSPRO panes and, being embedded within the program, the operator will be unable to tell the difference.

.NET applications can be written in any .NET language, VB.NET, C#, Microsoft's .NET Framework, etc.

Select the .NET application at this field.

This displays the assembly namespaces once the assembly name has been selected.

Select the relevant method at this field.
Form This enables you to create a full-featured form to display or capture information.

A form within a customized pane has the same look-and-feel and behavior as the forms used throughout SYSPRO.

The Design Form button enables you to create your fields, specify their type, and group them. Alternatively, you can build the form programmatically in the script, so that the form changes dynamically with the data to be displayed.

You will be required to indicate whether it is an editable form.
Search Window This enables you to embed a search window (similar to those available within SYSPRO) into the pane.

A search window in a customized pane is used to enter search criteria in a form and to enable the search results to be displayed in an associated listview . It therefore contains two panes - one for the selection criteria and one to display the results in a listview.

The search results can be derived from a business object (using the CALLBO mechanism within a script) or any preferred method as long as the returned data is in XML format.

You will be required to indicate the XAML theme to use for captions.
Executive Dashboard This enables you to embed an SWF file (created using XCelsius and a script that provides the XML data to the SWF file) into the pane provided that you are licensed to use Executive Dashboards. Executive Dashboards assist you in producing easily understood visual representations of your data and is typically retrieved using business objects.

Only the standard dashboards located in the \Base\ExecDashboards folder are displayed here. To display customized dashboards that you have created you need to copy them from the Base\ExecCustomized folder to the \Base\ExecDashboards folder.

You can also add dashboards onto your desktop as gadgets (see SYSPRO Desktop Gadgets).

A variety of dashboard types are available. Mouse-over an entry in the listview to view additional information on that dashboard.

Builds the steps on which different financial ratios are calculated. Years and budgets are compared for up to 10 years.

Displays trends of financial ratios between current and previous years, as well as the current year versus the current budget.

Displays timelines of financial ratios for the past two years and current budget performance.

Displays financial ratio trends of the percentages of the past three years including budgets.

Compares the past three years and budget values of financial ratios.

Displays the top and bottom 10 suppliers based on measures, including period detail, for the past three years.

(Displays a scorecard of the top and bottom five suppliers based on the average purchase price, backdated for three years.

Displays %profit, %budget attained, total units and sales values.

Displays expected and actual costs, efficiencies and cost variances for Work in Progress.

FAQs

Follow these steps to create a customized pane that displays a listview of the data returned by a business activity query.

In the SYSPRO Desktop:

  1. Launch the Customized Pane Editor program by right-clicking the heading of a docking pane and selecting the Customized Pane > New option.

  2. At the Object type field, select Business Activity Query.

  3. Select the datasource at the Views field.

  4. You can view the data on the custom listview in the Preview pane.

  5. Select Save and close to save your changes and return to the program from which you launched the Customized Pane Editor.

    The new customized pane is displayed as a standard listview in the program.

  6. You can use hyperlinks in the listview data, add, remove and sequence columns, sort and page through data, and right-click on the column headings for more options.

In the SYSPRO Web UI (Avanti):

  1. Launch the program where you want to add the customized pane.

  2. Select Customize Application from the gear icon.

    The Customize Application window is displayed.

  3. Select the Customized Components option.

  4. Click on Add your own component.

    The Customized Pane Editor is displayed.

  5. At the Object type field, select Business Activity Query.

  6. Select the datasource at the Views field.

  7. Save your changes.

  8. To add the customized pane to web view, select Design Web View from the gear icon.

    The Visual Designer is displayed.

  9. Select Add layout section.

    The Configure new layout section window is displayed.

  10. Select Grid list.

    Select the customized pane you just created and click on Add section.

    You will return to the program for which you wanted to add the customized pane and the new customized pane is displayed as a standard listview in the program.

  11. You can use hyperlinks in the listview data, add, remove and sequence columns, sort and page through data, and right-click on the column headings for more options.

A customized pane that uses a business activity query can also be designed for a role.

There are three ways of loading a RTF file into the notepad:

  1. You can define the initial notepad filename as part of the pane definition.

  2. You can define a notepad filename programmatically using the CustomizedPane variable RTFFileName in the script to point to the notepad file (e.g. CustomizedPane.CodeObject.RTFFileName = "c:\temp\financials.rtf").

    You could define this in the OnLoad or OnRefresh event in the script.

    This is a write-only variable.

    You can check if the contents of the RTF text have changed using the variable: CustomizedPane.CodeObject.RTFChanged. This is a read-only variable and is set to '1' if the RTF content has changed. This is particularly useful when OnRefresh and OnSave events fire, as you can decided whether to save the RTF file or not.

  3. You can stream RTF text directly into the notepad using the variable: CustomizedPane.CodeObject.RTFText.

    This is a write-only variable.

    You could use the Business object COMNOT to retrieve notes for a specific key in the SYSPRO database and to display the notes in the notepad: CustomizedPane.CodeObject.RTFText = XMLOUT.

You can access the contents of the Notepad RTF text when the OnSave or OnRefresh events using the variable: CustomizedPane.CodeObject.RTFTextFileIn.

This is a read-only variable and contains the name of the file on the client machine that contains the actual RTF text. Typically, the filename is \Base\Settings\RTFTextIn.rtf. You can then read the RTF directly from the file, or copy the file to the actual location to which you want to save the RTF text.

Preview

This pane displays a preview of the currently selected object. For example: If the Object type is a graph, you can highlight the graph and select the Preview option from the toolbar to display the selected graph. It also allows you to see the output of templates (using your data) without having to save and exit the customized pane.

Script

This pane displays the script associated with the current customized pane. Although you cannot edit the script here, you are able to view the script without having to call up the Script Editor.

Customized Panes

This listview displays details of the customized panes you created.

You use the Customization Management program to view details of customized panes created using roles.

Toolbar and menu

Option Description
Refresh This retrieves the details about the customized panes and populates the listview.

The panes created for the current operator are not automatically displayed. You need to use this option to show the panes. This was done to improve the performance of the initial loading of the program.
Print This enables you to print the contents of the listview.
Export to Excel This creates an HTML file in SYSPRO's \Base\Settings folder (using the operator code for its name) and opens the HTML file using Excel.
Search This looks through all the columns for all rows and filters out those that do not contain the value being searched. If multiple values are added to the search, all of these values must exist somewhere on the row for it to appear. The search is not case-sensitive.

Notes and warnings

  • A list view toolbar can be customized to define a script event against any button on the toolbar. A button on the listview toolbar can also be dynamically modified (disabled or enabled) or executed using a script.
  • The script function on a normal toolbar can be set to be false so that the button is not executed.

  • All fields can be dragged onto and edited on an editable customized form. They can also be dragged from one customizable form to another.

File considerations

  • Information about customized panes is contained in the following files:

    File Description
    Docking pane layout information The file contains references to each of the customized panes associated with a docking pane layout.

    This is stored in the ADMLSD.DAT/IDX file (located in the \Base\Settings folder on the client machine). If you are using a role-based user interface, then this is stored in the ADMLAY.DAT/IDX file in the \Base\Settings folder on the application server.
    Customized pane information This is stored in the ADMPNL.DAT/IDX file in the \Base\Settings folder on the client. If you are using a role-based user interface, then this is stored in the ADMLAY.DAT/IDX file in the Base\Settings folder on the application server.
    Script for each customized pane This is located in \Work\Vbscripts folder on the application server.

    When a customized pane is added to a docking pane layout, the system creates a unique script name consisting of the docking pane name itself (often the name of the program, such as ARSPEN, followed by the characters LZ) plus a two-digit number starting from 00 upwards.

    For example:

    If you created two customized panes for ARSPEN, you should see two new scripts created: ARSPENLZ00 and ARSPENLZ01.

    When a customized pane is deleted, the script, the record in ADMPNLand the docking pane itself are removed (or ADMLAY, if role-based user interface is in use).

    In addition, if the customized pane contained a listview object then the listview settings record (located in \Base\Settings\ADMLSR.DAT, or ADMLAY file), is also removed.

    For a graph object, the graph settings XML record in the \Base\Settings folder is deleted.

Program access

  • You can access this program by right-clicking the heading of a docking pane and selecting the Customized Pane > New or Customized Pane > Properties option.