Data page rules - Using the Definition tab

Use this tab to define the type, class, and scope of the data page and of its instances created on the clipboard.

Note: As of Pega 7.1.8, you cannot reference Connect EJB and Connect SQL rules in data pages.

Data page definition

Field Description
Structure Select:
  • Page – Create a data page containing a single object of the type specified in the Object type field.
  • List – Create a list-type data page containing multiple objects of the type specified in the Object type field.
Object type Select the data type (class) of the data page to be created. The data type does not have to be the same as the data type of the data sources for the data page.
Edit mode Select:
  • Read Only – Prevent the data page from being modified, except during page load and post-activity processing. The data page displays in the Data Page list on the clipboard.
  • Editable – Allow the data page to be modified. The data page displays in the User Page list on the clipboard.
  • Savable – Provides the data page with a save plan through a database source or an activity. Savable data pages are referenceable in save data page locations. Selecting this edit mode opens the Data save options section so that you can select a save plan option.
Scope Select:
  • Thread – The page is created in a single requestor thread and can be accessed as often as needed by processing in that thread.
  • Requestor – The requestor can access the page(s) loaded across all threads.
  • Node – Any requestor executing on the current node can access the pages.
Note: Editable pages do not have a refresh strategy and can only have a Thread or Requestor scope.

Keyed page access

For list-structure data pages, you can allow read-only access to embedded pages in the data page by using any properties as the key.

Select the Access pages with user defined keys check box to allow read-only access to individual objects in the list based on the value(s) provided for the key(s) specified in the Page List Keys field.

Select the Allow multiple pages per key check box if the keys are not unique across objects in the list. This provides read-only access to a list of objects that match the value(s) provided for the key(s) in this case.

Data sources

You can identify one or many sources of data for the data page.

If you specify multiple sources, a field displays to the right of each source listing where you can identify the when rule that evaluates whether the current conditions require using the source identified in that row. The condition for the final data source is set as "Otherwise", and that data source is used if all the preceding when rules evaluate to false.

Each data source listing includes a Simulate Data Source check box. When this check box is selected, the system replaces the current data source with a blank row. You can then select an alternative data source to use during development: a Report Definition, a data transform, or a lookup. You cannot select another connector.

You can drag data sources higher or lower in the list to set the order in which the system checks whether they should be used. If multiple when rules evaluate to true, the system only uses the highest one on the list.

Field Description
System name Enter the name of the source system. This field represents the name of the system that is associated with a data source. The system name is used to display the source systems for a data type on the External Data Entities landing page.

For example, if your data source is a REST connector that connects to an external weather service such as Google Weather API, you can enter "Google Weather" as the system name.
Source Select a source:
  • Connector – Use the response of a connector as the data source.
  • Data Transform – Specify a data transform to use to populate the data page.
  • Lookup – Use an instance of the specified object type as the data source.

    This source can only be used as a data source for page-structure data pages.

  • Report Definition – Use the results of a report definition as the data source.

    This sour can only be used as a data source for list-structure data pages.

  • Activity – Execute an activity that creates and populates the page.
  • Robotic automation: Obtain information from a robotic process automation.

Based on your selection in the Source field, the form changes and displays the following fields:

Connector

After you complete all the in this section, click Create Data Source to add the source to the list.

Field Description
Type Select the type of connector:
  • HTTP
  • JCA
  • Java
  • REST
  • SOAP
  • dotNet
  • SAP
Name Specify the name of the connector.

You can select any connector as the data source. The connector's Applies To class does not have to match the object type of the data page.
Request Data Transform Specify a data transform that supplies initial values for properties or parameter values that are referenced in a connector rule.
Response Page List When the data page has a list-structure, specify the response page list to be used.
Response Data Transform Specify a data transform to be executed after a response is obtained.

A response data transform is only required if the Applies To key part of the data source does not match or inherit from the object type of the data page.
Endpoint URL Optional: If the connector type is HTTP, REST, SOAP, or dotNet, you can override the Endpoint URL value in the rule by specifying a value in this field.

Data Transform

Field Description
Data transform name Specify a data transform as the source of the data for the page.

Lookup

After you complete all the fields in this section, click Create Data Source to add the source to the list.

Field Description
Class name Specify the class name for the lookup.
Response Data Transform Specify a data transform to be executed after a response is obtained.

This is only required if the Applies To key part of the data source does not match or inherit from the object type of the data page.

Report Definition

Field Description
Name Specify the name of the report definition.
Response Data Transform Specify a data transform to be executed after a response is obtained.

A response data transform is only required if the Applies To key part of the data source does not match or inherit from the object type of the data page.

Activity

Field Description
Activity Specify an activity to use.

Robotic automation

After you complete all the fields in this section, click Create Data Source to add the source to the list.

Field Description
Robotic automation Name of the case type on which the Assign to robot queue smart shape is configured.
Timeout(s) Value, in seconds, that the data page should wait for the automation to run and return information to the data page.
Request Data Transform Data transform that maps your input data to the specified case type. The specified case will be initialized with this data, and the robotic automation can use this data within the logic that is defined on the automation.
Response Data Transform Data transform that maps the response from the robotic virtual machine to the logical data model of your data page.

Post load processing

If you need to process the data after it loads, you can automatically call an activity to process the loaded data. Use the SmartPrompt display to enter or select the name of the activity that you want to use in the field provided, and then enter parameters.

Data save options

If you select Savable in the Edit mode field, the Data save options section is displayed.