Edit module-based resources directly within the user interface of a LabKey Server running in development mode. With the moduleEditor module enabled, you can edit many module-based resources without stopping and starting your server. Using this feature streamlines the development and maintenance of module-based resources by bypassing the need to edit offline and reload to see each change.

With Module Editing enabled, two new capabilities are unlocked:

1. A graphical Module Editor interface makes it easy to find and edit many module-based resources.
2. Developers can edit some module-based resources in the same way as they would edit them if they had been defined in the user interface. For instance, both SQL Queries and R Reports become editable regardless of where they were defined.

Topics

• Set Up for Module Editing
• Module Editor
• Edit SQL Queries
• Edit R Reports
• Moving Edited Resources to Production

Set Up for Module Editing

1. Prerequisites: To be able to edit module-based resources "live":

• LabKey Server must be running in Development mode.
• The ModuleEditor module must be deployed on your server.
• You must have the necessary permissions to edit the same resources if they were not module-based. For example:
• SQL Queries: "Editor" or higher
• R Reports: "Platform Developer" or "Trusted Analyst"

• aloadingdemo.module

./gradlew deployApp

3. Navigate to the folder where you want to be able to use your module-based resources. If you are using our example "aloadingdemo.module" which contains a few simple queries and reports, first install the example study you can download from this page:

• Install an Example Study.

• Select (Admin) > Folder > Management.
• Click the Folder Type tab.
• Check the box for your module, and make sure the ModuleEditor module is also enabled in the folder.
• Click Update Folder.

Module Editor

Open the module editor by selecting (Admin) > Developer Links > Module Editor. You'll see the list of modules in the left hand tree panel, each represented by a folder.

Expand the module folders to see the module directory structure and resources inside. You can use the Show Module dropdown to focus on a single module.

Edit Resources

Click any folder or resource to open it for editing in the right hand panel. Your selection is shown in darker type.

In the case of resources like the SQL query shown above, you can directly edit the query text in the window and click Save Changes. You could also Move File or Delete File.

Edit Module Structure/Add Content

If you select a folder within the module tree, you have options like creating new subfolders, adding files, and moving or deleting the entire directory.

In the above example, we've selected the queries folder. Adding a new subfolder would give us a place to define queries on other schemas (so far there are only queries on the study schema in this module).

Editing Scope and Limitations

You can edit a wide variety of module based resources, including but not limited to:

• SQL Queries
• Reports
• Wikis and other HTML pages
• XML resources like views, web parts, query metadata

You cannot delete, edit, rename, or upload content directly within the top level of a module.

Edit SQL Queries

SQL queries contained in your module can be edited directly in the module editor above, or also via the query browser, as long as the server has access to the module's source. To be able to edit, you need "Editor" or "Trusted Analyst" permissions. You must also first enable both the ModuleEditor module and the module containing the resources via the (Admin) > Folder > Management > Folder Type tab.

• Select (Admin) > Go To Module > Query.
• Click the schema where your query is defined.
• Click the name of the module-defined query. If you are using our example, you can use the study > Master Dashboard query.
• In the upper right, you will see a note about where the module is defined, plus options for editing:
• View Data: See the underlying data for the query
• Edit Source
• Edit Properties
• Edit Metadata

Edit Source

Click Edit Source to see the SQL source for your query in the same query editor as when you create a new query. A note will remind you where the query is defined and that changing a module-based query in this folder will also change it in any other folder that uses the same module.

From this page you can:

• Save & Finish: Save changes and exit the edit interface
• Save: Save, but keep editing
• Execute Query: See your work in progress
• Edit Properties
• Edit Metadata
• Help: See keyboard shortcuts and a link to the SQL Reference.

Edit Properties

Click Edit Properties to adjust the name, description, availability in child folders, and whether the query is hidden. As with editing of source, be aware that your changes made to the module-resource here will impact all users on the site.

Edit Metadata

Click Edit Metadata to adjust the fields and properties that comprise your query using the field editor. You cannot change the names of fields via this interface, but can set properties, adjust lookups, etc.

Edit R Reports

R reports created in the UI using the R report builder can already be edited. With the ModuleEditor module and the module containing the reports enabled, you can now also edit module-based R reports.

Open your R report for editing. If you are using our example module, open the "LymphCD4" report on the Clinical and Assay Data tab. The R Report Builder allows you to edit the report on the Source tab. A message in the UI will alert you that you are editing a module based resource and any changes you make here will be reflected in all other folders where this module is in use.

When saved, your report changes will be stored in the original module resources.

Moving Edited Resources to Production

The changes you make to module-based queries and reports via the UI are stored in the root of the module so that you can move the final module to production when ready.

Package the module from the development deployment and redeploy on your production server. Learn how in this topic: Deploy Modules to a Production Server

Related Topics

• Module Loading Using the Server UI
• Deploy Modules to a Production Server
• Develop Modules: Learn more about module development