Windchill Action Framework

Customization > Action Customization > Windchill Action Framework

The Windchill action framework supports the ability to tailor actions and action models in the system.

Terminology

The key terms used in action framework are given below:

• Action: A single action that is visible in the user interface.

• Action Model: A collection of actions that are represented in the user interface in various forms. For example: Menu, Toolbar.

Solution Elements

Actions and action models are defined in XML files.

Element	Type	Description
custom-actions.xml	XML	Default system XML file for defining actions in the system. Runtime location: <WT_HOME>\codebase\config\actions
custom-actionModels.xml	XML	Default system XML file for defining action models in the system. Runtime location: <WT_HOME>\codebase\config\actions
customActions.dtd	DTD	Default system DTD file for defining structure of *custom-actions.xml Runtime location: <WT_HOME>\codebase\config\actions
customActionmodels.dtd	DTD	Default system DTD file for defining structure of *custom-actionModels.xml Runtime location: <WT_HOME>\codebase\config\actions

• The OOTB Windchill actions and action models can be used as examples of custom action definitions. These files are located in <WT_HOME>/codebase/config/actions directory.

◦ actions.xml and actionmodels.xml contain commonly used actions, such as copy, cut, and common action models.

◦ Additional *actions.xml and *actionmodels.xml files contain actions and action models related to their functional areas. For example, ChangeManagement-actions.xml contains actions related to change management, PartManagement-actions.xml contains actions related to part management.

• Validation of actions determines which of the actions or attributes should be displayed, disabled, or hidden. This can be done via logic encapsulated into a validator.

• PTC supports modularized actions and action models within the system, and provides tools to find what file an action is defined in, or what action models the action is used in. For more information, see Action Customization Tools—Reports.

• The jcaDebug feature supports a debug mode that can be enabled in the user interface to find information about a particular action on a page.

Using the action framework, you can perform the following customization to suit your business needs:

• Add, modify, or remove a custom action.

• Customize an out-of-the-box action to add filter.

• Add, modify, or remove a custom action model.

• Customize an out-of-the-box action model.

Process for Action and Action Model Customization

The process includes four steps:

1. Define the action and/or action model customization.

2. Register the custom actions and action models, as applicable.

3. Validate the customizations.

4. Deploy the customizations.

Prerequisite Knowledge

• XML file structures

• Modular structure for customization package and customization deployment methodologies. For more information, see Code and Configuration Deployment (CCD) Utility.

• Action Customization Tools – Reports. For more information, see Action Customization Tools—Reports.

• jcaDebug. For more information, see Debugging.

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