Configure Merge Actions for Individual Fields

Use the mApp Action context menu in the Business Object Editor within a mApp Solution to configure merge actions for individual Business Object fields. You can also use the Field Properties window to configure merge actions for individual fields, as well as for field properties.

Good to know:

• You can only configure separate merge actions for individual Business Object fields and field properties if the Business Object is set to Merge in the Business Object Properties window (mApp page). If the Business Object is set to any other option, or if Include in mApp is cleared, then you cannot configure separate merge actions for individual field properties.
• If you are configuring merge actions for Business Object fields that were previously applied as part of a Protected mApp™ Solution, the main differences are:

  • You see a shield icon next to each content-protected field.
  • If a Business Object field is content-protected, it cannot be deleted. This includes menu, context menu, toolbar, and related buttons.
  • Default fields in a content-protected Business Object cannot be edited in any way but you can add new fields and then edit or delete them.
  • When a Business Object is content-protected, you can increase its field length from the default and decrease it back to the original default length.
  • You can use a content-protected Business Object property field in a Full Text Search by selecting the check box on the Search Results page.
  • See Protected mApp™ Solutions.

To configure merge actions for individual Business Object fields:

1. Add a Business Object to a mApp Solution using the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard.
2. In the Object Manager within the mApp Editor, select the Business Object from the Object tree, and then select the Edit Business Object task in the Structure area.
   Note: You can also select Business Object on the mApp Editor toolbar to open the Business Object Editor.

   The Business Object Editor opens, displaying the list of fields with a mApp Action column to show which fields you selected to overwrite and which ones you selected not to overwrite (blank in the mApp Action column) in the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard. If you set the Business Object to Merge in the Business Object Properties window, then the selections made in the Defaults section (Default Behavior for Fields drop-down list) are also reflected in the mApp Action column.

   

3. Configure separate merge actions for individual fields (using the mApp Action context menu):
   1. Select a field, right-click in the mApp Action column, and then hover over mApp Action to open a context menu.

      Note: The mApp Action context menu is only available if the Business Object was set to Merge.

   2. Select a merge action for the field from the context menu:
      • Make no changes to field: Select this option to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the mApp Solution definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
      • Import field if not already there: Select this option to import the field if it does not already exist in the target system. If it already exists, the field is not imported when the mApp Solution is applied.
      • Overwrite field: Select this option to have the mApp Solution definition overwrite the existing definition in the target system.
      • Conditionally merge field properties: This option is grayed out on the context menu because merging a field requires selecting separate merge actions for individual field property merge areas. This is done using the Field Properties window (see step 5).
      • Remove field from target system: Select this option to have the field removed from the target system.
      • Field is reference-only: Select this option to include the field in the mApp Solution for informational purposes only (the definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied). You should rarely (if ever) need to do this manually, as the system automatically adds definitions as necessary for reference only.

      The selected action shows in the mApp Solution status column (blank if you selected Make no changes to Field).

4. Configure separate merge actions for individual fields (using the Field Properties window):
   1. Select a field in the Business Object Editor, and then select Field Properties.
   2. Select the mApps page.

      

   3. Define general mApp Solution properties for the field:
      • Include in mApp: Select this check box to include the field in the mApp Solution. Clear this check box to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the field is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).

        Note: This check box is automatically selected if some or all of the fields were set to overwrite when the Business Object was added to the mApp Solution (using the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard), or if you selected anything besides Make no changes to field in the mApp Action context menu.

      • References: Select this button to open the References window and view all of the other definitions being used by the field.
   4. Define options (merge actions) for how the definition will be merged into a target system:

      Note: These options are only available if Include in mApp is selected.

      • Import to target system: Select this option to import the definition into a target system. Then, select a merge action based on whether or not the definition is already present in the target system:

        If already present: In the drop-down list, select a merge action to define how the definition is imported if it already exists in a target system:

        • Overwrite: Select this option to have the mApp Solution definition overwrite the existing definition in the target system.
        • Don't Import: Select this option to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the mApp Solution definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
        • Merge: Select this option to define separate merge actions for each individual area of a definition.

        If not present: In the drop-down list, select a merge action to define whether the definition is imported if it does not currently exist in the target system:

        • Import: Select this option to import the mApp Solution definition into the target system if does not already exist.
        • Don't Import: Select this option to skip importing the mApp Solution definition into the target system if it does not already exist (the mApp Solution definition will not be added to the target system).
      • Remove from Target System: Select this option to remove the definition from a target system.
      • For Reference Only: Select this option to include the definition in the mApp Solution for informational purposes only (the definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
      • Import/Remove Based on Condition: Select this check box to import or remove the definition based on a condition. Then, select the ellipsis to open the mApp Conditions window and define mApp Solution conditions.

        Note: The action you selected from the mApp Action context menu is automatically selected.

5. Configure separate merge actions for individual field property merge areas:
   1. In the Options area of the Field Properties window, select Import to Target System .
   2. Select Merge as the merge action for the field from the If Already Present drop-down list.

      

   3. Define individual merge actions for each merge area:

      In the Merge Areas Grid: For each merge area, select a merge action in the Merge Action column drop-down lists:

      • Overwrite: Select this option to have the merge area overwritten in the target system when the mApp Solution is applied.
      • Do Not Overwrite: Select this option to leave the merge area unchanged in the target system when the mApp Solution is applied.

        Tip: Select Uncheck All to set all merge areas to Do Not Overwrite. Select Select All to set all merge areas to Overwrite.

      On the remaining pages of the properties window: Select mApp next to each of the merge areas to define merge actions for individual properties:

      1. Define merge actions for General field properties.
      2. Define merge actions for Field process and procedure help properties.
      3. Define merge actions for Field behavior properties.
      4. Define merge actions for Field validation/auto-population properties.
      5. Define merge actions for Field advanced properties.

   4. Select OK.

      The selections you made in the Options area are reflected in the Business Object Editor Grid.

6. Prepare the mApp Solution for Distribution (File > {Prepare mApp for Distribution), or save the mApp Solution (File > Save mApp to Disk) to continue making other changes.