Home
Developing
Learn how to develop schemas by using the HCL Compass Designer.
Developing Schemas
You can develop or modify schemas with the HCL Compass Designer.
Working with Forms
You must create a record form for each record type in your schema. You can also define a submit form for each record type.
Form controls
You use controls to display fields on a HCL Compass form.
Form controls
Form controls are available for inclusion on HCL Compass forms.
Parent/Child control
Use a parent/child control to set up a form that enables users to link associated records. The parent/child control is used with REFERENCE_LIST field type.

Developing
Learn how to develop schemas by using the HCL Compass Designer.
- Developing Schemas
  You can develop or modify schemas with the HCL Compass Designer.
  - Understanding the functions of the HCL Compass schema developer
    This topic provides an overview of the tasks typically performed by a schema developer.
  - Overview of the HCL Compass Designer interface
    The HCL Compass Designer includes several different windows, or views, that you will use to perform your schema development tasks.
  - HCL Compass schemas
    This topic explains the concept of a HCL Compass schema.
  - Customizing a schema
    To modify how change requests are handled, you need to use the Designer to customize the records and fields of a schema.
  - Schemas and packages
    This topic explains the concept of using schemas and packages in HCL Compass.
  - Packages and integrations
    This topic explains the concepts of HCL Compass packages and integrations.
  - Test Management and Requests
    You can use the Compass TestManagement and Requests feature to create and track test plans and add approval processes to the record.
  - Working with Forms
    You must create a record form for each record type in your schema. You can also define a submit form for each record type.
    - Creating forms
      You must create a record form for each record type in your schema. You can also define a submit form for each record type.
    - Working with pages on forms
      Pages allow you to organize the controls on a form.
    - Reusing record forms
      This topic explains the options for reusing common forms in your schema repository.
    - Form controls
      You use controls to display fields on a HCL Compass form.
      - Adding form controls using the control palette
        You can add controls to a form by using the control palette. The control palette provides a visual cue as to the type of control you are adding.
      - Adding controls using the Field List
        You can add controls to a form by using the Field List.
      - Selecting controls in forms
        Use the Selection tool to select one or more controls and to move or change the size of controls.
      - Editing the properties of field controls in forms
        After adding a control to a form, you can edit the properties of the control, including selecting the field to associate with the control and specifying display attributes for the control.
      - Deleting form controls
        If you no longer need a form control, you can delete it.
      - Changing the tab order of form controls
        You can change the tab order to reflect the order in which you expect your users to use the controls.
      - Form controls
        Form controls are available for inclusion on HCL Compass forms.
        ActiveX control
        The ActiveX control provides a way to incorporate any registered ActiveX control into a form. For example, you might use an ActiveX control to access and update an external database.
        Attachment control
        An attachment control displays a list of attached files and includes a set of controls for users to add, remove, or view attached files. You associate an attachment control with an attachment field, that is, a field whose type is ATTACHMENT_LIST.
        Check-box control
        A check-box control is a two-value control that you can use for Boolean values or for any field that has only two values.
        Combo-box control
        A combo-box control combines an editable text field with a list box. When opened, the combo box shows the list of choices associated with the particular field.
        Drop-down list box control
        A drop-down list box control displays a list of possible values for a particular field. Clicking the control displays the list of values associated with the field, and the user chooses one of the values.
        Drop-down combo box control
        A drop-down combo box control combines an editable text field with a drop-down list box. When displayed, the combo box displays the currently selected choice for the particular field. The user selects a new choice from the drop-down list or types a new choice.
        Duplicate base control
        The duplicate base control displays the ID of the record of which this record is a duplicate. This control is a special type of text box control because you cannot associate a field with it. Instead, the contents of this control are updated when this record is marked a duplicate of another record.
        Duplicate dependents control
        The duplicate dependents control displays the IDs of any records that are duplicates of this record. This control is a special type of list-box control because you cannot associate a field with the control. Instead, the contents of this control are updated when one or more records are duplicates of this record.
        Group box control
        A group box control is a decorative control used to visually group one or more other controls. You do not associate a field with a group box control, but you can assign a label to the control. Typically, the label of a group box control identifies the purpose of the enclosed controls.
        History control
        A history control shows the actions that were applied to a record. This control is a special type of list view, each item of which contains information about a single action taken on the record. The action history of a record is displayed in the history control of the form. You cannot associate a field with the history control.
        List box control
        A list box control displays a list of possible values for a particular field. The number of entries in the list change only if you run a choice-list hook. If the number of entries in the list exceeds the size of the list, a vertical scroll bar along the right edge of the control is added.
        List view control
        A list view control displays the records that are associated with a field whose type is REFERENCE LIST. One of the primary uses of this control is to display the parent of a parent/child relationship. If you want to use a list view to link related records, use the parent/child control instead.
        Option button control
        Used in groups, option button controls represent a set of mutually exclusive choices. You must create each option button in the group separately and assign it the same group name. Only one label for is created each group of option buttons that have the same group name.
        Parent/Child control
        Use a parent/child control to set up a form that enables users to link associated records. The parent/child control is used with REFERENCE_LIST field type.
        Picture control
        A picture control displays a static image on a form.
        Static text box control
        A static text box displays a text string that cannot be edited.
        Text-box control
        A text-box control displays a field value as an editable text string. When the field behavior is optional or mandatory, users can modify the field by editing the contents of a text-box control. To display a simple text string that never changes, use a static text-box control.
  - Creating a security model
    This topic provides an overview of the process to create a security model.
  - Using hooks to customize your workflow
    This topic provides guidelines for using hooks to implement your workflow.
  - Record locking
    When multiple users attempt to simultaneously update a record, the database locking model ensures that the update from each user succeeds as a unit, but each update overwrites the previous update.
  - Customizing the Web
    The Designer provides many ways to customize the underlying schema and functionality that the HCL Compass Web client accesses.
  - HCL Compass email
    This topic provides a description of the supported HCL Compass Web client email features.
  - Importing and exporting data
    This topic describes how to import and export data between HCL Compass databases, and how to import data into a HCL Compass database from another defect tracking system.

Parent/Child control

Use a parent/child control to set up a form that enables users to link associated records. The parent/child control is used with REFERENCE_LIST field type.

A parent/child control has a list view control and three push buttons, which are associated by means of a unique list view ID. If you change the ID of the list view, you must also update the push buttons.

To determine which fields of a referenced record are displayed in a parent/child control, you must add columns to the list view, as follows:

Right-click in the header bar and click Add Column.
Right-click a column and click Properties to edit the column name and the field that it references. Each column refers to a particular field of the referenced records.

The property sheet for a parent/child control has three pages: General, Extended, and Context Menu Hooks.

General page

The following table lists the properties of the General page.

Property: Description
Field Name: Select the field to associate with the control.
Label: Enter a label for the control. By default, the label is the name of the selected field.
X: The horizontal starting point of the control in pixels.
Y: The vertical starting point of the control in pixels.
Width: The width of the control in pixels.
Height: The height of the control in pixels.

Extended page

The Extended page contains a single field for entering the ID of the parent/child control. This ID must be unique among any other list view or parent/child controls in that page and must be the same as the list view ID for the associated buttons. If you change the ID of the list view, you must also update the push buttons.

Context Menu Hooks page

The Context Menu Hooks page displays the list of available record hooks and the hooks that are currently associated with this control. To associate a hook with the control, select the hook in the Available column and click Add. To dissociate a hook, select the hook in the Selected column and click Remove. Hooks that are associated with this control are displayed in the control pop-up menu in the HCL Compass Client. To run one of these hooks, users must right-click the control and select the name of the hook.