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Data Islands

Data islands are sets of information that help comprise authorizing documents and templates.  While templates can be created without data islands, a data island must already exist before it can be attached to a new template. 

There are essentially three main operations that build a data island:

• Selecting tables and columns: this determines what data will be in the template and how it will be viewed.  (For example, as a data grid, a drop-down menu, etc.)
• Setting query format: this determines the type of query, or search, that is generated.
• Setting query conditions: this puts conditions on the query to limit the number of items displayed.

 
To Search for Data Islands Using the Filter at the Top of the Screen:

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters  >  Templates, click Data Islands.  The Template—Data Islands page appears:

Figure 6.2: Template—Data Islands

2. Select the CFR, Part, and/or Para from the drop-down menus. 
3. Click Search.  The search results appear in the table below the filter.

To Build a Data Island That Draws From System Data:   

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters  >  Templates, click Data Islands.  The Template—Data Islands page appears. 
2. Click Add Data Island.  The DataIslands—New page appears:

Figure 6.3: Create a New Data Island

NOTE:  At any time, the Tables and Columns and Conditions fields can be cleared by clicking Clear.

3. Select a Control type from the drop-down menu. 

HINT: This selection should match the type of control that will be used when creating the template.

4. Enter a name in the Data Island Name text field. 

HINT: The valid characters for the Data Island Name field are “0-9,” “a-z,” “A-Z,” and underscores.  Blank spaces are not permitted.  For example: Data_Island_Name.

5. If desired, enter the Description in the text field.
6. In the “Tables and Columns” field, click the Click here to add new column link.
7. The available tables appear in the form of a cascading list.  Hovering over one table row reveals any associated columns:

Figure 6.4: Add New Column

8. Select the desired table from the cascading list.  The selected item appears:

Figure 6.5: New Column

HINT: To change a column, click on the blue, underlined text in the Expression column.  The cascading list of tables/columns appears.  Select the desired table/column.

9. To edit the Title that will appear in the template or completed document, do the following:
   1. Click the text below the Column Name heading to display the current Column Name:

Figure 6.6:  Change Column Name

2. Modify the name and press Enter.

HINT: The new name must be applicable to the Expression.  For example, if the Expression is “CertificateAirportID,” the system will not allow the name to be changed to “EngineTypeID,” since there is no relationship between airport IDs and engine types.

3. Click Not Sorted to modify Sorting options:

Figure 6.7: Sorting Options

10. Under Query Format, select Group By and/or General Query:

Figure 6.8: Query Format

NOTE:  Both boxes can be checked at the same time.  If Group By is checked, repeated entries are only shown as one entry.  (For example, if there are three A’s in the table column, they are combined as one A entry.)  If General Query is not checked, the Certificate ID must be set up in order to save the data island. 

11. In the “Conditions” field, click the Click here to add new condition link:

Figure 6.9: Add Query Conditions

HINT: The “Conditions” field has the same cascading list functionality as the “Tables and Columns” sections, so that hovering over one table reveals any associated columns. 

12. Select the desired table from the cascading list. 

NOTE:  At least one Table and Column must match the Table and Column selection made in the Tables and Columns field above.

13. To modify conditions, do any of the following:
    1. To see the available options offered by the blue arrow, click it:

Figure 6.10: Modifying Conditions

2. To enable operations offered by the blue arrow, check the associated checkbox (default).
3. To disable operations offered by the blue arrow, uncheck the associated checkbox.

14. To narrow query conditions, do any of the following:
    1. Click on “all” and choose whether it should select “any” or “all” of the conditions below:

Figure 6.11: Condition Search Criteria

2. Click on “is equal to” and choose the range of the data:

Figure 6.12: Value Search Criteria

3. Click on “[enter value]” and enter the value:

Figure 6.13: Enter Value

NOTE:  To enter a value, the user must know the value of a table’s key.  For example, the designator ID “DALA” or certificate ID “26228” for Delta.

15. Click Test SQL.  The system runs the query and displays all matching records in the "Test Results" section of the form.

HINT: The test results are read-only.  Users should make sure to verify them.

16. Click Save.  A confirmation box appears. 
17. Click OK.  The Template—Data Islands form refreshes to show a new form.

To Build a Data Island Containing Text Options:

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters  >  Templates, click Data Islands.  The Template—Data Islands page appears.
2. Click Add Data Island.  The DataIslands—New page appears.
3. Next to “Tables and Columns,” check the box for "Use Look-Up List:”

Figure 6.14: Selecting Look-Up List Option

4. The Data Islands Library appears:

Figure 6.15: Data Islands with Text Options

NOTE: The top list displays all the possible data island text values that can be added to the new data island.  The (default empty) bottom list displays the active values for the data island.  For example, though the top list may show a total of 1,000+ values, if only 3 values are added to the bottom list, those 3 values are the only options that will appear for selection when the data island is used in an authorizing document template.  For more information on Templates, see "Templates ".

5. Select a Control type from the drop-down menu.
6. Enter a name in the Data Island Name text field. 

HINT: The valid characters for the Data Island Name field are “0-9,” “a-z,” “A-Z,” and underscores.  Blank spaces are not permitted.  For example: Data_Island_Name. 

7. If desired, enter the Description in the text field.
8. To add an existing text value to the active value list, do the following:
   1. Select the row of the desired text value:

Figure 6.16: Activating an Existing Text Value

2. Click the down arrow () to move the value to the active value list.  The value appears in the active value list:

Figure 6.17: Active Value List

9. To add a new Plain Text value, do the following: 

NOTE: Adding plain text values are for short amounts of text (i.e., text that is not a lengthy paragraph), such as those used in most dropdown lists or radio buttons; this includes options consisting of a few sentences of text. This is how the majority of option values should be entered.

1. Click Add Value. The Add Value tab appears on the page.

Figure 6.18: Adding a (Plain Text) Value

2. Enter the New Value in the text field.
3. Click Save and Add. The newly-entered text value appears in the bottom list.

NOTE: Clicking Save merely saves the text value to the top list of data island text values. Clicking Save and Add not only saves the text value but also adds the value into the bottom list, making it an active value for the data island being created.

10. To add a new Rich Text value, do the following: 

NOTE: Adding formatted text should only be used for long paragraphs of text that require specific formatting to be applied. This will only be used in rare cases.

1. Click Add Formatted Text.  The Data Islands-Value page appears:

Figure 6.18: Adding a Formatted Text Value

2. Enter or copy/paste the desired formatted text.
3. Click Save and Add.  The DataIslands—New page appears with the newly-entered text value in the bottom list.

NOTE: Clicking Save merely saves the text value to the top list of data island text values on the DataIslands—New page.  Clicking Save and Add not only saves the text value but also adds the value into the bottom list on the DataIslands—New page, making it an active value for the data island being created.

11. If desired, in dropdown menu for the desired value, select the desired order number:

Figure 6.19: Changing Active Text Value Order

HINT: Users may with to rearrange the display order of mutiple values in the active value list after the values have been added.

12. Click Save.  The Template—Data Islands table changes to reflect the addition.

To Copy a Data Island:

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters  >  Templates, click Data Islands.  The Template—Data Islands page appears.
2. Click the copy icon in the row of the desired data island to be copied:

Figure 6.20: Copying a Data Island

3. When the DataIsland—Copy page appears, click Clear at the bottom of the page to clear all of the old data island data from the fields.
4. Enter the desired data island data.
5. Click Save.

To Edit a Data Island:

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters > Templates, click Data Islands. The Template—Data Islands page appears.
2. Click the edit icon in the row of the desired data island to be edited:

Figure 6.21: Editing a Data Island

3. To change the control type, select the desired the Control from the dropdown menu.

NOTE: Selectable options can only be edited in the complete value list in the middle of the page. If users intend to edit a selectable option that is currently an active option, users will first have to remove it from the active value list at the bottom of the page. To do so, users must select the desired option in the active value list and click the up arrow () to move the value to the complete value list.

4. To edit a selectable option as a value, do the following:
   1. Click the Edit as Value icon in the row of the desired selectable option to be edited:

   

   Figure 6.22: Editing an Option as a Value

   2. Make the desired changes to the “Update Value” text box:

   

   Figure 6.23: Editing Value Text

   3. Click Update. The changes appear on the DataIsland—Edit page.
   4. Reselect the row of the edited selectable option.
   5. Click the down arrow () to move the value to the active value list. The value appears in the active value list.

5. To edit a selectable option as formatted text, do the following:
   1. Click the Edit as Formatted Text icon in the row of the desired selectable option to be edited:

   

   Figure 6.24: Editing an Option as Formatted Text

   2. Make the desired changes to the text:

   

   Figure 6.25: Editing Formatted Text

   3. Click Update. The changes appear on the DataIsland—Edit page.
   4. Reselect the row of the edited selectable option.
   5. Click the down arrow () to move the value to the active value list. The value appears in the active value list.
6. Click Update. A confirmation box appears.
7. Click OK. The changes appear on the Template—Data Islands page.

To Delete a Data Island:

NOTE: Some data islands are unable to be deleted, though they can be successfully edited or copied.  For these un-deletable data islands, the delete icon will be inaccessible (grayed out).  Only data islands with red delete icons can be deleted.

1. In the left navigation area, under Headquarters  >  Templates, click Data Islands.  The Template—Data Islands page appears.
2. Click the delete icon in the row of the desired data island to be deleted:

Figure 6.26: Deleting a Data Island

3. Click OK in the confirmation box.  The data island is removed from the Template—Data Islands table.

To Change a Data Island Control Type:

NOTE: When editing a template, for a small subset of controls, the user can add the data island with a control it was not associated with when first created, allowing the controls to share data islands. Combo Box, Dropdown List, Textbox (AJAX), Radio Button, and Check Box control types can share data islands (e.g. If the user adds a Combo Box data island, it will be available under the Control Type list for Dropdown List, Textbox (AJAX), Radio Button, or Check Box control types.

Only Combo Box, Dropdown List, Radio Button, and List Box control types are interchangeable, meaning that users can interchange these controls in-place without having to delete and add the data island again for Draft and Active templates. Remember that data islands cannot be deleted or added for Active templates.

1. In the left navigation bar, under Headquarters > Templates, click Library. The Template—Library page appears:

Figure 6.27: Template Library

2. Select the desired Active or Draft template.
3. Click Edit Template.
4. In the template workspace, click on the desired data island and right-click.
5. Select Image Properties from the drop down menu that appears:

Figure 6.28: Selecting Image Properties

6. Under the default “Attributes” tab, in the Misc. section, select the desired new Control from the drop down menu:

Figure 6.29: Selecting a New Control Type

7. Click OK. The data island image in the template workspace changes to display the new control type.
8. Click Update.

NOTE: Operators that currently have the document open in the Authorizing Documents Workspace (as the data island control type is changed) will not be affected; the next time they open the document to edit, the new control type will be available.