Data Grid

This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to create and use a Data Grid component. You will learn how to pass data into the Data Grid, update it in real-time, and extract the information. The tutorial utilizes a CSV file for data input into the Data Grid.

This automation uses a CSV record of students and their exam results and displays it inside a form, where you can update the exam results and their corresponding status ("passed" or "failed") in real-time. Also, the automation allows you to trigger the extraction of the record and output in the console.

1. Create a new Form. For this example, name it DataGrid.
   1. Add a Data Grid component inside the form.
   2. Add corresponding components for each column in the CSV file that you want to pass into the form.
      For this example, add a Text Field (fullName), a Checkbox (seniorYear), and a Drop-down List (examResults).
      
      

      

      
      
      Note: Note that the Property Names of the components are case-sensitive and should precisely match the column names in the CSV file, as well as the column names of Data Tables.
   3. Additionally, add an extra Text Field inside the Data Grid named Status. This will be used for form updates.
   4. Add a Button outside of the Data Grid. This button will trigger the extraction of the Data Grid.
   
   

   

   
   
2. In the Main workflow, add and configure the following activities:
   1. Read CSV - Input the CSV file containing the data for the Data Grid. Create a DataTable variable to store the output CSV file.
      For this example, name it dataGridDataTable.
   2. Go back to your form and set the Property Name of the Data Grid component as the DataTable variable you created at substep a, where you store the output CSV file. For this example, set the Property Name as dataGridDataTable.
   3. Show Form - Select the DataGrid form, and pass the data from the DataTable to the Data Grid.
   4. In the Arguments dictionary, add an entry for the dataGrid argument with the type System.Data.DataTable and direction In and set the value to dataGridDataTable.

      Key	Type	Direction	Value
      dataGrid (the Property Name of the Data Grid)	System.Data.DataTable	In	dataGridTable

   5. Run Local Triggers - Enable all triggers inside the project.
3. Create a trigger workflow named fieldChangedTrigger, responsible for setting the status of a student as failed or passed, according to their exam result.
   1. Add a Form trigger activity, and set the event when the examResults field changes.
   2. Add a Build Data Table activity, to create a DataTable where the DataGrid values will be stored when the trigger fires.
      Name the output variable as editedDataTable.
   3. Add a Get Form Values activity to retrieve the Data Grid into the DataTable you created at substep b (editedDataTable).
   4. Add a For Each Row activity, to iterate through each exam result and set the Status field accordingly. Input the DataTable you created at substep b (editedDataTable) in the Data Table field.
   5. In the body of the For Each Row activity, add an If activity, and set the condition as CurrentRow("examResults").ToString="f".
      Note that Values are case-sensitive. This is the reason why we used lower-case "f" inside the condition, instead of upper-case "F".

      
      

      

      
      
   6. In the Then body, add an Assign activity to assign the status of the student as "failed" when their exam result is F.

      Save to	Value to save
      CurrentRow("status")	"failed"

   7. In the Else body, add an Assign activity again, this time for the situation where the status of a student is "passed", because their exam result is not F.

      Save to	Value to save
      CurrentRow("status")	"passed"

   8. Outside the For Each Row activity, add a Set Form Values activity, to pass the updated Data Grid back into the form. In the Key field, use dataGrid with the Type System.Data.DataTable and set the value to editedDataTable.

      Key	Type	Value
      dataGrid	System.Data.DataTable	editedDataTable

4. Create a trigger workflow named extract clicked, responsible for extracting the DataGrid and outputting it as String in a CSV format.
   1. Add a Form trigger activity and set the event when the extract button is clicked.
   2. Add a Get Form Values activity to extract the Data Grid into a DataTable. Add an entry in the Arguments dictionary for dataGrid with the Type System.Data.DataTable and set the Value as output.

      dataGrid	System.Data.DataTable	output

   3. Add an Output Data Table activity to output the extracted Data Grid as String in a CSV format. In the Data Table field input the variable that you used to extract the Data Grid at substep b (output). Input a String variable that you will log in the Output console in the Text field
   4. Add a Log Message activity to output the extracted Data Grid.
   5. Add a Stop Local Triggers activity, to close the form and stop the execution, assuming that you don't want to interact with the form after you extract it.

The image below shows the result of updating data while the form is still showing.

Workflow example

To follow the steps and try the tutorial yourself, see the sample workflow.