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How to populate List box values ?

anil_m
8 - Asteroid

I was trying to populate list box based on date selections,  But the list box shows only field name instead of field values.  The highlighted box in the below picture shows only column name in the list box.  Any idea on this, please?

listbox.PNG

 

When I ran the app, I am ending up on the following screen. 

 

listbox2.PNG

 

Based on radio button selection, I want to populate the list box values dynamically from the database(using dynamic input) based on my date selections.  But list box is not updating. is it to populate list box dynamically?

 

7 REPLIES 7
jrgo
14 - Magnetar

@anil_m

 

Interface questions are generated when the workflow is initially loaded. In order to dynamically populate your list box is to create a chained app that would generate a data file, which would be you list, and can be loaded when the second chained app is loaded.

 

You should be able to find various examples throughout community on how to create chained apps.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Jimmy

JasonTrippet
7 - Meteor

@jrgo

 

I've created a 3-app chain in order to do exactly what you describe, but the interface tool (List Box in my case) always seems to cache the options that it processes from the first run, and ignores any updates to the connected input data file on subsequent runs.  Here's a snapshot of the tools in question, starting with the "end" of the first app, that outputs a data file with a set of choices:App 1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it's chained to the next one, that (I thought) would read the same data file and use it to populate the list box:

 

App 2.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But when the values in the data file change on subsequent runs, the list box always presents the same values to the user, regardless of what's currently populated in the data file.  As an experiment, I even deleted the data file from its directory and ran the second app, and it presented the same choices, didn't throw any "file not found" error.

 

I found this thread from a couple of years ago that seemed to come close to addressing the issue, but I couldn't make sense of what I had to do with a macro to achieve the "Q-to-Q" connection it described instead of the "anchor-to-Q" connection that I'm currently using.

 

Jason

BenMoss
ACE Emeritus
ACE Emeritus

@JasonTrippet you shouldn't be connecting your input to the list box in this way.

 

Within the list box there is actually a method in the list types along the lines of 'populate from external source', use this option and navigate to the file from in the property section that pops up when using this option.

 

This should resolve the issue.

 

Ben

jrgo
14 - Magnetar

@JasonTrippet,

 

I'd have to review your workflow to see why it's not working, but, as @BenMoss mentioned, specifying an external source within the list box tool is probably going to be the easiest way to do it. I answered a similar post and provided an example that you can download and review.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Jimmy

JasonTrippet
7 - Meteor

@BenMoss @jrgo

 

Thank you both for your quick & relevant replies (& samples)!  What I see makes sense, so I'll rework my 3 apps to use that method and report back.  Looks like a case where (as I teach myself on-the-job) the early method I employed to successfully populate a dropdown list (crosstabbed values with multiple replace formulas, etc.) doesn't work as well with a list box and I wasn't experienced enough to understand why.  I'll be back!

 

Jason

JasonTrippet
7 - Meteor

Using the data file as an external source worked like a charm, thanks again guys!

Krishna_nidar
6 - Meteoroid

could you help us by posting the app to get an idea ? I have a similar requirement 

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