Defining a New Custom Action Model

Customization > Action Customization > Windchill Action Framework > Defining a New Custom Action Model

Action models are defined in an XML file that follows the structure based on <WT_HOME>/codebase/config/actions/customActionmodels.dtd.

Here is a simple example of an action model definition used for the folder browser toolbar:

<model name="folder_list_toolbar">
<action name="list_cut" type="object"/>
<action name="list_copy" type="object"/>
<action name="fbpaste" type="object"/>
<action name="pasteAsCopy" type="saveas"/>
<action name="list_paste_sharing" type="folder"/>
<action name="list_delete" type="object"/>
<action name="CONTAINERMOVE" type="pdmObject"/>
<action name="PAGERELOADINGMULTICHECKOUT" type="folder"/>
<action name="WFADDTOWORKSPACE" type="folder"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="create" type="folder"/>
<action name="create" type="document"/>
<action name="createMulti" type="document"/>
<action name="createPartWizard" type="part"/>
<action name="createMultiPart" type="part"/>
<action name="add_link" type="bookmark"/>
<action name="create" type="problemReport"/>
<action name="create" type="changeRequest"/>
<action name="create" type="changeNotice"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
</model>

The type is a way to create a name space as well as packaging for actions related to a specific object or functional area. In the above example, the type “document” creates a unique name space for actions that apply to wt.doc.WTDocument.

It is also possible to create an action model which itself references another action model. The folder browser Actions menu contains a submodel for the New group of actions. For example, the action model for the New group of actions might be defined as follows:

Then, in the action model for the Actions menu, include the submodel “folder_file_new”:

See the figure below for how this appears in the user interface:

Model Attributes

Details about these parameters can also be found in the <WT_HOME>/codebase/config/actions/customActionmodels.dtd.

Parameter	Default Value	Possible values	Req?	Description
name			Yes	This is the name by which the action model is referenced. This can be any combination of alpha-numeric characters. Most action model names include the component that they are used in. Your action models should have a prefix specific to your company to prevent collisions with other action models delivered with the product.
menufor		Any valid class name.	No	Specifies which action should be highlighted by default. This is only applicable if the model is used as a third-level navigation menu.
defaultActionName	First action in the model is used by default	Action name for one of the actions in the model.		Specifies which action should be highlighted by default. This is only applicable if the model is used as a third-level navigation menu.
defaultActionType	First action in the model is used by default	Object type of one of the actions in the model.
resourceBundle				Class name for the resource bundle to use for the properties of the action models that are to be localized.
incremental	The presence of this parameter is interpreted as incremental=true		No	This parameter is applicable only for customizing an OOTB action model. It is used to indicate that this action model definition is to be merged with an existing action model. For example: <model name="relatedDocPartDescribesToolBar" incremental="">

When you use the incremental attribute in the action model element, no other attribute other than name is allowed. An incremental attribute is mandatory when you want to update an OOTB action model definition. Do not use the incremental attribute with new action model definitions.

Action Attributes in an Action Model definition

Details about these parameters can also be found in <WT_HOME>/codebase/config/actions/customActionmodels.dtd.

Parameter	Possible Values	Req?	Description
name	Name of any action defined in an custom-actions.xml file	Yes	This is the name of an action defined in an custom-actions.xml file.
type	Name of any objecttype defined in an acustom-actions.xml file	Yes	This is the name of an object type defined in an custom-actions.xml file.
shortcut	true false	No	This determines whether an action is displayed as a shortcut icon in the toolbar.
insertAt	number	No	This is the position where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertAfterActionName	Name of an action	No	This is the position after the action or submodel, where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertAfterObjectType	Name of the object type of the above action	No	This is the name of the object type associated with the above action.
insertBeforeActionName	Name of an action	No	This is the position before the action or submodel, where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertBeforeObjectType	Name of the object type of the above action	No	This is the name of the object type associated with the above action.

For more information, see Positioning Attributes for Actions or Submodels.

Icons in the actions menu (or menu bar menus) for any icon which is not contained in a toolbar somewhere else in the system will be hidden.

The name of the model is used by the actions framework to determine whether it is a toolbar. Therefore, the name of a model used as a toolbar must contain “toolbar.”

If the toolbar model naming convention is not followed, the icons will not be displayed as expected. However, the functionality will not break.

Commonly used shortcut actions (recommended maximum up to five) can be configured to appear on a toolbar shortcut area using a shortcut attribute. Example configuration for folder browser table:

An action is a shortcut action only in the context of that specific model. Note that icons for actions in the menus are be displayed for actions that also display in the toolbar.

SubModel Attributes

Details about these parameters can also be found in <WT_HOME>/codebase/config/actions/customActionmodels.dtd.

Parameter	Possible Values	Req?	Description
name	Name of any action model.	Yes	This is the name of an action model defined in an custom-actionModels.xml file. An example of where an action model with submodels is used is for the Actions > New menu on the Folder Contents table.
insertAt	number	No	This is the position where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertAfterActionName	Name of an action	No	This is the position after the action or submodel, where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertAfterObjectType	Name of the object type of the above action	No	This is the name of the object type associated with the above action.
insertBeforeActionName	Name of an action	No	This is the position before the action or submodel, where the new custom action should be inserted in the existing list of actions or submodels.
insertBeforeObjectType	Name of the object type of the above action	No	This is the name of the object type associated with the above action.

For more information, see Positioning Attributes for Actions or Submodels.

Sample Code

The following is sample code for an action model that configures a subtype:

<model name="sample change request actions" menufor="WCTYPE|
wt.change2.WTChangeRequest2|org.default.www.SampleChangeRequest">
<action name="view" type="object"/>
<action name="SETLIFECYCLESTATE" type="pdmObject"/>
<action name="createSubscription" type="subscription"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="reviseChangeItems" type="change"/>
<action name="editCapabilityPackage" type="capabilityPackage"/>
<action name="create" type="approach" />
<action name="create" type="capabilityImplementationProject" />
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="sandboxAddToProject" type="object"/>
<action name="SBAddToPrj" type="sandbox"/>
<action name="removeShare" type="object"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="ManageSecurity" type="accessPermission"/>
<action name="renameObjectWizard" type="object"/>
<action name="delete" type="object"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="separator" type="separator"/>
<action name="discuss" type="forum"/>
<action name="copy" type="object"/>
</model>

Where org.default.www.SampleChangeRequest is the name of the subtype entered in the Type and Attribute Management utility.

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