Create to create your own Answer Box Types

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developing your new Answer Box Type

First create a class within a DLL
The class has 5 sub/functions which are referenced by Kontinuum
They are inherited from the AnswerBoxTypeTemplate class and can be overridden
The UpdateValueString is triggered when the form is submitted by the End User and the form is not being submitted for the first time
The new value now being stored in the database needs to be set as the property ValueToReDisplay for the ref_Answer parameter
The InsertValueString is triggered when the form is submitted by the End user and the form is being submitted for the first time
The value for the column(s) that are being inserted into needs to be appended to the ref_Cols string and the values that are being inserted need to be appended to the ref_vals string
The columns must be separated by a comma
The Draw Function draws the Answer Box Type in web forms and when required in Parameter forms and Item/Task Lists
This should return a text string of how to draw this item
The GetDatabaseValue Sub must populate the ValueInDatabase property for the ref_Answer parameter
The GetValue Sub must determine what the current value to display should be
For example:  If the user fills out the Answer Box type and a form refresh occurs what should be the new value in the Answer box
Below is the syntax required for creating an Answer Box Type in VB.NET
The Answer Box Type has the following format:
Inherits WebandFlo2005External.AnswerBoxTypeTemplate
Public class NewAnswerBoxType
'When updating a value the procedure must update the ref_SetClause which is an SQL set clause
Public Sub UpdateValueString(ByRef ref_SetClause As String, _
ByRef ref_Answer As WebAndFlo2005Form.Answer)
End Sub
'When inserting a value the procedure must update the ref_SetClause which is an SQL set clause
Public Sub InsertValueStrings(ByRef ref_Cols As String, _
ByRef ref_Vals As String, _
ByRef ref_Answer As WebAndFlo2005Form.Answer)
End Sub
'The HTML to display when the Answer Box is drawn in a Data Capture Form or Itemlist:
Public Function Draw(ByRef ref_Answer As WebAndFlo2005Form.Answer) As String
End Function
'Get the property of the Answer to the value retrieved from the database
Public Sub GetDatabaseValue(ByRef ref_Answer As WebAndFlo2005Form.Answer, _
ByRef ref_RS As SqlDataReader)
End Sub
'Get the property of the Answer to show to the user
Public Sub GetValue(ByRef ref_Question As WebAndFlo2005Form.Questions, _
ByRef ref_Row As WebAndFlo2005Form.Row, _
ByRef ref_NoFormCheck As Boolean, _
ByRef ref_Answer As WebAndFlo2005Form.Answer, _
ByVal val_RowNumber As Short)
End Class

integrating the new Answer Box Type into Kontinuum

Open your local Kontinuum website
Login with Username and Password given to you by your Kontinuum Administrator
Select Admin à System from the top menu bar
Click on the User Defined Answer Boxes folder
Click Add Answer Box from the Pop Up menu
In the form that appears type in the bottom right frame enter the name of the dll and the Class you have created
Note:  This name must be exact and is case sensitive
Select the rules that apply to this answer box type
Click once on the Submit button
Gates are loaded into memory when the Kontinuum Workflow suite starts
Copy your dll into the bin directory for the Kontinuum suite and this will cause Kontinuum to restart
Note: When doing this everyone using Kontinuum will be forced to login again and any forms they may have been filling out at the time will be lost


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