Hi Ben,

Pipeline buttons are configured on a container-by-container basis. Workbooks are containers, so each one has its own setting. I think it's reasonable to say that they should inherit from their parent folder, but as you observed that's not the current behavior.

Similarly, workbook creation is currently hard-coded to use the set of web parts that you've observed. It wouldn't be all that hard to make this a workbook creation option, since as of 10.2, you can define folder templates in an XML file (see folderType.xsd) but it's not possible given the current implementation.

Thanks,
Josh

ok. both of the things you suggest seem like good ideas. on the second point, it would seem that what you what is to be able to define a separate blank workbook template for each series of workbooks (which i think means per parent container). Somehow as part of the initial step of adding a workbook series to that container you pick which template to use.

An alternative would be to create some number of site-wide templates. when you create a workbook, you pick the type of workbook you create, like what happens when you create a folder. this would mean that within a container different workbooks use different templates.

One goal of 10.3 involves creating the 'make workbook' API. Although workbook templates are not part of 10.3, if they are added, when calling the API we'd need to be able to specify what template is used to create the workbook. not sure if it needs any upfront consideration or not.

Hi Ben,

The workbook creation API in 10.3 should be able to easily make use of the existing folder template functionality.

I'd probably lean toward allowing the user to choose a template when they create a workbook (perhaps defaulting to the template that was used last time), but I can imagine it making sense to lock the template selection based on the parent.

Thanks,
Josh

ok, i agree with that. perhaps a good idea would be to make the template default to that of the parent, unless otherwise specified. for the time being I imagine that most EHR-related workbook creation will use the API, either through a perl script or through the custom assay upload code. therefore as long as i can specify a template there, we should be fine.

just so i dont get my hopes up: are you saying that in 10.3 I should expect to be able to specify a custom template using the API or at some future version the API will be extended to add this?

when you say 'existing folder template', does this mean we are limited to existing folder template options? can we make new ones?

In 10.2 LabKey introduced a feature to allow new Folder Types to be defined in modules via an XML file.

In your module you would create a folderTypes directory as a sibling to the views directory.

The FolderType XML is defined in schemas/folderType.xsd and allows for specification of WebParts including their order and properties.

Since a workbook is really just a special kind of folder, I think what is missing is a way to have the folderType behave as a workbook (i.e. not show up in the folder tree). I think that would be a reasonable add for 10.3.

I'm sorry, I take that back.

I don't think the set of pipeline buttons is settable via properties of the web part (it's in a different part of the UI) so we might have to add that capability to make this work as well.

Mark - i'm less concerned about the buttons thing than I am about specifying which webparts are there and in what order. If I load a QWP with a specific query, it will inherit whatever buttons that query has, right?

With a file webpart, even if our pipeline action does not show up on the button bar, at least it should be an option when you hit 'upload data'. Even if you cant customize per folder, it would be kinda nice to have a little more control site-wide, since 'upload images' has no use. Not sure why that specific pipeline gets a button on every files webpart when others do not.

Hi Ben,

Yes, QueryWebParts will include whatever buttons they're configured to show using the file-based metadata.

Import Images is showing globally on the toolbar due to a bug. It'll go away except for Microarray folders in 10.3.

Thanks,
Josh

does anyone have an example of a FolderType XML file anywhere? i do not see any folder called 'folderTypes' in the trunk.

one other though occurred:

mark noted that we would want a folder property along the lines of 'shows up in folder tree'. i think this means we will have XML files defining templates that make workbooks and XML files defining folder templates that make folders. if that's the case, then in the 'create folder' UI perhaps we dont want workbook templates to show up (right now 'workbook' does show up, which is a little odd). likewise, in the 'create workbook' UI we wouldnt want folder templates to show up.

We would also hopefully have some sort of client API that returns a list of available folder and/or workbook templates. We could live without that if we had to though.

i think i have the XML format worked out, but i have a few questions:

1. i thought the general idea was that the XML defined the identity and layout of the webparts on the page. Therefore what's the difference between requiredWebParts and preferredWebParts?

2. I assume 'modules' determines what modules are enabled and 'defaultModule' is that start page?

3. In the default workbook template, Dave added some extra UI at the top of the page. Instead of the default title, the workbook says something like '166: Title', where 166 is the workbook number. Can we do stuff like that? I assume I can create a webpart with my HTML, then add it with frame=none; however, can/how would I go about replacing the normal page title? see here for example workbook:

https://xnight.primate.wisc.edu:8443/labkey/project/__r166/begin.view

Hi Ben,

1. Both sets of web parts get added, but the ones in the requiredWebParts list can't be removed from the portal page. The ones from preferredWebParts can.

2. Correct.

3. The behavior comes from the "Workbook Description" web part. It's never advertised in the drop downs in the UI, but you should be able to add it to your list of web parts in your XML file. Given its UI, it's probably best if it's first in the list.

Thanks,
Josh