Overview

Wayfast Actions allow executing process or communicating with external systems incluiding databases, APIs or executing DLL methods. In this lesson we will review how to create an action to save data in a table with a Stored Procedure.

Step 1: Create a Table

Open SQL Server Management Studio and run the following script:

CREATE TABLE HelloWorld_HR_Candidates (
FirstName    NVARCHAR(128),
LastName  NVARCHAR(128),
Email   NVARCHAR(128),
Age SMALLINT
)
GO

Wayfast database framework will automatically create a set of store procedures.

For this example we will use “spWF_HelloWorld_HR_Candidates_CreateOrUpdate”.

Let’s go back to Wayfast Editor and Update Wayfast DB Model.

Click on “End Task” button next to our active requirement.

A popup is displayed, click on “Synchronize” button. Now the stored procedure created in database will be available to connect with dataset.

Step 2: Setup the page (IN REVIEW)

Before creating an action we need to create a page with the following controls:

1. Inputbox: This control will allow us to insert data into our database

2. Button: This control will trigger the insert and it should be connected to the Action that we are going to create

3. Grid_column: This control will display the values that we have stored into our database

Let’s create a page called “HR_Candidates” with the following details:

Edit the page and add four “Inputbox” controls: FirstName, LastName, Email and Age.

Now let’s add a button to save this fields and a grid with five columns to show saved values including autogenerated IDs.

A popup will be displayed to fill the information related to new control. Complete the “Field” with the fieldname that we are going to identify the control in our page.

Turn to “Layout” tab and establish the place in Application’s page that this new input box will be displayed. In the example, the alignment is next to the previous control created and we define the length that user can input for this field.

At this point, it’s important to follow the structure that we previously defined in “HWD_Roles” database table. In this case, we are going to create 3 inputbox controls for “Name”, “Role” and “Email”. “ID” column table will be logged at the moment that we insert the value in database, so we won’t need to create an inputbox for this value.

Click on “Accept” button in popup to create the “Name” inputbox control and repeat the same step for the other mentioned columns.

Controls section now display the 3 input fields that user can add through the page and also there are 3 “Grid_Column” controls. This columns are going to retrieve the readable information from DB. Keep in mind that we created the Stored Procedure for this purpose in previous lesson.

Finally, we need to create a new “Button” control to trigger the insert value in database.

This button will be named as “Create”. In the example, everytime that user input the “Name”, “Role” and “Email” inputboxes and then click on “Create” button, the new value are going to be added in “HWD_Roles” table.

 Turn to Layout tab and establish the order to display this control. We are going to place it next to the inputboxes. Click on “Submit” button

How to add Actions in Controls?

Wayfast allow us to create a new action at the same time that we create the control. Now that we have “Create” button, let’s edit the this control and create a new action. In the “Edit Control” popup, click on “Actions” tab

Click on “New Action” button

Select “Action Group” as “Stored Procedure” type for the reasons that we described previously in this document. After we select the option, Wayfast will display 2 options on “Action” field:

• FORM is used in Wayfast as unique execution in the whole page. 

• LIST is an action that can be executed as many times that it’s requested. Mostly this is needed when the page has multiple registries in grid views.

Search the “SP_HWD_Roles_Insert” Stored Procedure created in database at the beginning of this lesson. Add “&InpName”, “&InpRole” and “&InpEmail” parameters that are connected to the Column’s table “Name”, “Role” and “Email”. In Wayfast, we associate the entry parameters using an “&” sign instead “@” sign.   

After completing the required fields, clicks on “Submit” button, the new action is linked to the “Button” control.

How to update Database with an Action?

One of the common scenarios in the interaction between dataset and actions is the one where the database is updated with new input values but it's not reflected on screen at the moment that was triggered. Let’s analyze what we need to check and how the new action is connected to the Dataset.

Focus on “Dataset” section and click on “Edit” icon related to the corresponding dataset.

A popup is displayed with dataset information. Turn to “Data Binding” tab

Focus on “Dataset Refresh Binding” field and search by the “Button” control that trigger the insert into our database. Then click on “Add Relationship” button. This interaction will update the input data on page in real time.  

Let’s check the results in the example.

How the Application works after all the definitions?

Now that the page is setup with Dataset, Controls and Actions, we can verify that the interaction is working as expected. Wayfast allow us to make a preview by click on “Preview” button at the top right corner

Layout is displayed on screen with the input fields created and the button to add the new values in “HWD_Roles” table on database.

Following this instructions, we can easily build and connect any form page to fill information in minutes.

Click on “Preview” button to verify how the application is depicted in developer environment.  

@Name, @Role and @Email are connected to the inputbox controls and the grid_column controls previously created in Wayfast.

Let’s try this interaction, fill the input fields available

Click on “Create” button.

Notice that the entry is displayed on screen after clicking on “Create” button. This is possible due to the “Dataset Refresh Binding” setting that was added in Dataset to post the information written in DB. This setting make a post-back that execute again the dataset to retrieve the new entry.

In few minutes, we setup a form to store all the information that we want in database and what is better, this new data is available in real time on the frontend for all the users.

Recap

In the first part, we revised the preconditions to create pages with a basic structure (dataset and controls) and then we learnt how to create new actions that can be related to these Controls previously added. In the second part, we verified how the interaction is executed in the application and how this can be edited to adjust the interaction regarding what we display and what we insert in the database.