Table of Contents

DataSource API: VisualQuery Attribute

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DataSources themselves are useful in the 2sxc/EAV data processing - but they really become great when used in the VisualQuery Designer.

To help the VisualQuery Designer give queues to the developer what can / can't be done, there is a VisualQuery decorator attribute which gives the class some more information.

Example

This example is taken from our internally used SharePoint DataSource:

[VisualQuery(
  NiceName = "SharePoint 2016",
  NameId = "fd5288d2-5a13-4f58-90a0-e9d207f00121",
  NameIds = new[] { "1b7cc60d-9fac-4473-a89a-c19017995307" },
  Type = DataSourceType.Source, 
  ConfigurationType = "e5ee51da-1859-4e2b-9f4c-0ead39bbf4a6",
  HelpLink = "")]

Use It

To best apply it, you should

  1. Check out the VisualQueryAttribute API docs
  2. Look at each property and make sure you understand it
  3. Look at some DataSources and see what they have defined

Properties

Streams Information

DynamicIn

Determines if this DataSource expects to have a lot of In-Streams, like the StreamMerge DataSource. Default is false. If true the UI will indicate this with a yellow In-marker.

DynamicOut

Determines if this DataSource can have a lot of Out-Streams like the App DataSource. Default is false. If true the UI will indicate this with a yellot Out-marker.

In

Array of In-Streams which the UI will show as prepared landing markers to connect streams to.

Name and Identity

NameId - the Unique Identity

The global name should be super-unique because it will be stored as the ID in Queries. We recommend you get a new random Guid here.

NiceName

This will be shown in the VisualQuery UI. Make sure it's reasonable.

NameIds

This is a for historical reasons. In rare cases we had to rename a DataSource and the old GlobalName values are listed here. Avoid using this.

UI Enhancements

Icon

An icon name from the Material Icons.

Type

A value which tells the VisualQuery in what group to place this source for the Query developer. Must be a valid value from DataSourceType.

A url to a website containing help to this DataSource.

UiHint

Additional text to be shown in the UI.

Configuration

ConfigurationType

This is the GUID (aka StaticName) of the Content-Type which should be used for configuring the DataSource. The UI will open a edit dialog for this Content-Type when the Query creator hits Settings on this DataSource.

If this is not provided, the system will check if there is a ContentType with a name matching this DataSource + Configuration. So if your DataSource is called MyXyz and a ContentType MyXyzConfiguration exists, this will be used automatically. (new in v16)

History

  1. Introduced ca. in 2sxc 6
  2. Large changes in v15 / v16
    1. Moved from ToSic.Eav.DataSources.Queries.VisualQueryAttribute to ToSic.Eav.DataSource.VisualQuery.VisualQueryAttribute
    2. Renamed GlobalName to NameId
    3. Renamed PreviousNames to NameIds
    4. Renamed ExpectsDataOfType to ConfigurationType
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