How to: Create and Install a Form Template (DriveWorks Documentation)

How to: Create and Install a Form Template

Form Templates are useful for creating multiple forms as one task instead of creating them individually for each Project.

Using consistent layouts for forms that can be repeated across the UI ensures an organized and professional image that customers recognize and find user-friendly.

The file extension for Form Templates is .drivefort

Forms are declared in the XML where you will need to specify the name of the Form, schema and all its Properties.

Form Templates need to contain all relevant reference images and any other additional files to display a description in the 'Pick Form Template' wizard.

You should also declare which Controls you need included in your Form.

The first part of a Form Template lists the information within the Template, specifically the:

Name
Description
Type
Product Family
XML Schema

Then, each aspect of the Template should be specified:

Aspect	Consideration
Controls	When declaring a Control, you need to specify its type, name and each Property within it. You must do this for every Control you add. When creating a Control, you must specify whether the Property is Static or Dynamic, as a result of this you will need to use tags to declare what is populating the Property.
Constants	Constants are simple to declare requiring minimal information, only the name and value is needed.
Variables and Variable Categories	Variables and Variable Categories can be created with XML Templates. You can create all your Variables at top level or create Variable Categories.
Simple Tables	Simple Tables can be created using standard XML Table structures surrounded by Simple Table tags that also state the Table name.
Calculation Tables	Both Column and Cell rules need to be declared. Additionally you should state the name and number of rows in the Calculation Table tag. We recommend adding an equal amount of Static Values.
Specification Macros	Specification Macros, are essential to any DriveWorks implementation. You need to declare the Name of your Specification Macro and any Specification Macro Tasks that you want to include in your sequence. To find the type we recommend utilizing the DriveWorks SDK Documentation. Currently, it isn't possible to create Conditions in a Specification Macro from a Template. When you create a Task, the navigation nodes automatically connect in the order that they've been created. You can add extra connections but cannot remove automatic connections.

Create a Form Template

Follow the steps below for creating a Form Template:

First, create a new folder, renaming it with your TemplateName (This is your Content folder).
The folder name and XML name (created in the next step) must match for the Template to register in DriveWorks.
Add your TemplateName.xml file to the Content folder and include any relevant reference images and files for the Template.
Next, create a new folder within the Content folder and name it, Descriptions.
In the Descriptions folder add an index.html file.
Update both the xml and the html files added to reflect your Form template.
Select and right click the entire Content folder, proceed to zip the folder.
Once the folder has been zipped, right-click on the zipped folder and rename its .zip file extension to drivefort.

Installing a Form Template

If a template is not displaying in DriveWorks after being installed, check that the installer or version of DriveWorks is the one currently being used, as templates are version specific.

A template file will not display if there are errors within its data.

Double click on the new .drivefort file and the DriveWorks Install Template wizard will automatically launch.
Choose whether this template should be made available to either the Current User or for Everyone (who has access). Click Next.
The DriveWorks Install Template wizard will then launch and complete the task to install the template for the
users selected.

Uninstall a Form Template

To uninstall a Form Template please follow the steps below:

Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder where "Templates" are stored in DriveWorks.
Local Disk>ProgramData>DriverWorks>[Version Number]>Templates>Forms
From the "Forms" folder, select the template you want to uninstall.
Right-click and select "Delete" or press the "Delete" key on your keyboard.

The deleted Form Template will be removed

DriveWorks Pro 20 How to: Create and Install a Form Template