Creating Data Lists

Building out new lists really isn’t all that different from creating new pieces of web content. Just as you can create new Web Content Structures to control the input of a particular type of web content, you can use Data List Definitions to control the input of new list types. Similarly, just as you create a new piece of web content, selecting the Structure you would like to use with it, list.it users (we’ll call them Listies) choose the Definition they want to use when creating a new list. Now that a data definition is in place, all that remains is to create a new data list to capture the information we’re going after. This is the easiest step in creating the list, with only a few clicks between a data definition and robust data entry and delivery.

To create a new volunteer list with the “Volunteer Sign-Up” definition:

1. From the Dockbar, click on Admin → Content and then on Dynamic Data Lists.

2. Click on Add to create a new list based on a data definition, which in our case is the volunteer sign-up.

3. Give the data list a name, like Spring Move-In Sign Up and a description to assist administrative users in the future.

4. Last and most importantly, click Select under the Data Definition section–this is where you set the data model that drives this list.

5. Choose the Volunteer Sign-Up data definition you created, then click Save.

Now that you’ve created your brand new volunteer list, you can pester everyone you know to sign up. But what would it look like for them to add an entry to this list? The data definition you’ve previously created (or selected) defines the layout as well, which means the form looks just the way you laid it out.

Figure 11.4: You can enter a new data record by clicking on *Admin* → *Content* from the Dockbar, clicking on *Dynamic Data Lists*, clicking on an existing list, and then clicking on the *Add* button next to the list's name. Alternatively, you can install the Dynamic Data List Form portlet, add it to a page, and configure it to allow users to submit new data records for a lists.

But how will this data appear? How will my awesome, new Volunteer Sign-Up sheet or that boring Jobs Listing look? The answers to these pressing, burning questions bring us to the mecca that is the display side of this equation.

Using Data List Forms

A nice way to enable people to use your forms is the Dynamic Data List Form portlet. This portlet is tailored to entering new records. When you deploy that data list for your users to sign up for a retreat, or your family members to volunteer to help you move, using the data list form allows you to simplify the sign-up process and hide the contents of the list.

The Dynamic Data List Form portlet is not a core Liferay portlet like the Web Content Display portlet. However, it’s freely available on Liferay Marketplace. Just search for and install the Dynamic Data List Form (or Dynamic Data List Form EE) portlet. Using the Dynamic Data List Form is similar to using the Web Content Display portlet: just set it up, point it to a list (either existing or new) and let it go. This is very easy to do.

To display a list inside the portlet, add the Dynamic Data List Form portlet to a page: Click the Add button on the left side of the screen, click on Applications, search for Dynamic Data List Form, then click Add next to its name. With the portlet on the page, click on the Select List gear icon. This opens a configuration popup, where you can select a list to use for the form entries. When configuring the portlet, make sure to check the Allow Multiple Submissions box if you’d like users to be able to add multiple records for a list. If this box is not checked, once a user fills out an entry, the portlet displays a message stating that a record has already been submitted. If the Allow Multiple Submissions box is checked, each time a user visits your page with the Sign-Up form, the Dynamic Data List Form portlet presents them with a form to fill out.

Note: If you want to allow guests to submit DDL forms, you’ll need to enable the Allow Multiple Submissions feature. Liferay treats the Guest user as one user. Therefore, if a guest submits a DDL form, Liferay assumes the Guest user filled out their one form and it won’t allow any other guests to submit a form. Thus, allowing the Guest user to submit multiple submissions allows all your guests to submit DDL forms.

Once records have been submitted for lists, you can publish the lists anywhere in your portal. Read on to find out more about that.

Using Default Displays

Lists are published in the portal through the Dynamic Data List Display portlet. If Listies don’t customize the display, their lists look something like this:

Figure 11.5: The default data list display in the Control Panel shows the list's records and allows record to added, edited, or removed.

This isn’t all that exciting, but it allows users to see the list’s contents, and if they have permission, to add and/or edit list items. Within a site like list.it, this type of interaction is used for display-only lists that the user chooses to expose to others, or for the user’s own private lists. But you can improve the display. You can show the data in a spreadsheet, so you can view the responses to your Volunteer Sign-Up in a comfortable, easy-to-read format. The Dynamic Data List Display portlet provides an easy way for a user (such as a member of a site) to interact with whatever list is active and available.

While it’s possible to ask everyone to contribute to the data list within the control panel, it’s much better to give them a simple way to access the list. Liferay provides the Dynamic Data List Display portlet to ease the integration of your new list onto your site. With your list in hand, head over to the page you want and add the portlet. It works much like the Dynamic Data List Form portlet and the Web Content Display portlet: use the gear icon to select a list for display or use the pen/paper icon to add a new list. The Dynamic Data List Display portlet is a Liferay core portlet, unlike the Dynamic Data List Form portlet. The default display spills out the contents of the list, but can be configured to use a different display template, which is explored later in this chapter. The two important configuration options to consider are:

Editable: allows users that have permission to add new entries to the list. By default, this is disabled and when enabled, administrators are the only ones with add permission. To easily grant access to other users, edit the permissions on the list you’d like to grant access to, and grant the Add Record permission.

Spreadsheet View: displays the list in a dynamic spreadsheet view. This allows users with permission to interact with the list in the same way as in a standard spreadsheet program.

Figure 11.6: The Dynamic Data List Display portlet allows users to view the records belong to a list in either a standard or a spreadsheet view. This figure shows the spreadsheet view.

Now, as useful as this default display is, and it’s certainly useful for my to do list and my memo notes, it can be an awkward way to ask my volunteers to sign up. In fact, any time I want other Listies to interact with my lists and contribute responses, I really just want a simple form to show them. They don’t need to see the full range of responses. And in some cases, it can be hazardous to your health for everyone to see the responses. Then you don’t have to explain why your sister-in-law won’t work with your brother on the same task because of his B.O. problem. For reasons like that, you’ll need to customize the data entry form or the display of the list. Liferay lets you do exactly that using a custom form template or display template.