Working with Objects
- Maciej Zabielski
- Agnieszka Siemiatycka
- 1 Adding Objects
- 2 Delete Objects
- 3 Edit Objects
- 4 Editing Multiple Objects at Once
Also read:
Adding Objects
Objects can be added in multiple locations. The addition of an object in a specific view is always determined by the data perspective used. The data perspective will dictate which classes of objects can be added in a specific view.
Add from Tree View:
Adding from Grid View:
Delete Objects
Select objects to be deleted:
Select a Delete menu option
Review objects to be deleted and confirm:
Depending on the versioning mode, an object will be deleted permanently or just marked as deleted.
When working in a Draft, a newly added object will be deleted permanently after the Delete operation is confirmed.
Existing objects will only be marked as deleted. They will not be visible in the current Draft or published version, but they will still be available in previous versions.
Warning when objects about to be deleted are linked to multiple "parent objects"
Understanding the Multi-Link Warning System
When you delete an object in the system, any child elements connected to it (such as other objects or documents) are typically deleted as well. However, some child elements might be linked to multiple "parent objects" in different locations within your data structure. Our new warning system helps you identify these situations to prevent unintentional data loss.
How It Works
The system analyzes what we call the "delete tree" - the hierarchy of objects that will be affected by your deletion action. It specifically looks for child elements that have connections outside this delete tree, meaning they would still have valid links elsewhere in your data structure after the deletion.
Examples to Clarify
Scenario 1: Complete Branch Deletion
Imagine a document linked to a building, a floor, and a space - all within the same hierarchical branch:
Building → Floor → Space: Document (linked to all three)
If you delete the building, no warning appears because all parent objects of the document (building, floor, and space) will be deleted. Since all the document's connections are within the delete tree, there's no risk of unexpected data loss.
Scenario 2: Partial Branch Deletion
Now imagine you choose to delete only the floor:
Building → Floor → Space: Document (linked to all three)
The system will trigger a warning because the building remains undeleted. The document has a connection outside your delete tree (to the building), and you might want to preserve this link. The warning lets you make an informed decision about whether to proceed with the deletion.
Benefits
This warning system helps you:
Avoid accidentally removing documents from locations you didn't intend to affect
Maintain important connections between your data objects
Make more informed decisions during deletion operations
Delete Object User Interface
When objects are added to the delete list, the system automatically checks for multi-linked objects that have connections outside of your current delete tree.
The main view includes a "Multi-link” status column with two possible indicators:
Warning Symbol: Indicates there are links outside of the current delete tree
Green Check Mark: Indicates no such external links were found
This visual system helps you quickly identify which deletions might affect data in other parts of the system before you proceed:
No warning present for selected object:
For object that have the warning, you can inspect details by using “Check subtree links” function:
When you use this function, the system opens a detailed window titled "Objects with Multiple Links."
This window provides comprehensive information about objects that have connections outside your delete tree:
List of identified objects
View column to locate the object in the main interface
Location column with possibility to view all locations of the object
Object details (ID, name, class)
Category - we can have two options here:
Subtree - meaning the object is not directly on the delete list, but was identified somewhere in the delete subtree.
Direct - meaning the object is directly listed on the delete list
Locations - number of identified locations outside of the delete tree
Excluded - a flag showing if the object is excluded from the delete operation
When object is selected, users can also see all locations outside of the delete tree listed.
Excluding Objects from Being Deleted
Objects can be excluded from the delete operation in two ways:
Individual exclusion: You can select specific objects to be excluded from deletion.
Bulk exclusion: You can exclude all multi-linked objects at once.
Bulk Exclusion Feature
On the main delete view, you'll find a button labeled "Exclude all multi-linked." When clicked, this button automatically adds all identified objects that have links outside of the delete tree to the exclusions list. This provides a quick way to protect all potentially problematic objects in a single action.
Exclusions List
The main delete view displays a distinct list of objects that will be omitted during the delete operation.
This list gives you a clear overview of what will be preserved even as related objects are deleted.
This exclusion system ensures you can safely remove the objects you want while protecting objects that may have important connections elsewhere in your data structure.
Edit Objects
Object can be edited from multiple views. To name a few options:
Editing from Tree View
Editing from Grid View
Editing from Properties View
Editing from Search View
Editing Form
For all editing operations same editing form is used:
The edit form will validate the input based on field type and specific field rules.
Field rules may necessitate accurate entry of particular dependent values. For more details, please see Field Validation Rules.
Access to specific fields is also managed by Field Level Security (FLS).
Editing Multiple Objects at Once
We have introduced a new mode that allows editing multiple objects of the same class. This new function can be accessed through Tree View, Grid View, and as a context menu for editing objects linked to spots.
Regardless of the source of the function, it uses the same dialog for editing and follows the same rules.
Editing from Tree View
Firstly, select two or more objects that you want to change. Utilize the Ctrl or Ctrl+Shift keys for multi-selection.
Right-click on any of the selected objects.
A context menu with the "multi-edit" option will be displayed.
Please note that the selection must consist of objects of the same class. Otherwise, the option will be grayed out.
Editing from Grid View
To edit multiple records, start by selecting them using the "check selection" option in the grid.
Then, access the Object menu and choose the Multi-edit function.
Grid View enables the editing of objects from grouping tabs. For instance, multiple document classes can be edited from the Document tab.
In this scenario, a general schema for Document will be utilized, allowing only common properties to be updated.
Editing from Viewer
While in Select/Object mode (default), select a number of spots on the drawing (two or more).
Right-click on any of the spots to display the context menu.
Choose the Multi Edit function. Please note that the default objects linked to selected spots must be of the same class.
Common Multi-Edit View
All the editing functions mentioned above will result in displaying a common multi-edit view.
Specifics of Using Multi-Edit View:
The system will compare all objects and provide a common set of properties.
You can expect the following results:
<Multiple Values>: Shown as a field background, this indicates that objects do not have the same value in that field. You have the option to enter a common value assigned to all objects or use the Clear button to remove the value from all objects.
Empty Field: This means that none of the objects have a value in that field.
Specific Value: This indicates that all objects share this particular value in that field.
Required fields will not be validated unless you want to use the clear function. The clear function will be disabled for required fields.
Field validation rules will only run for modified fields. In specific cases when dependent field validation rules are set, client-side validation might not be triggered. If the rule is not met when values for a specific object are checked, server rejection of updates might occur.
The reset button rejects your unsaved values but does not remove the "clear" flags.
After the values are saved a simple report is shown describing if all selected objects were successfully updated.
