For all table types, except for Properties Table, Configuration Table and other tables (that are not OpenL tables), properties can be defined containing information about the table. The properties list is predefined and all values are expected to be of corresponding types. The exact list of available properties can vary between installations depending on OpenL Tablets configuration.
Properties are defined in the section of the table which goes in the next row (usually the second one) after the table header and before other table contents. The properties section is optional and can miss in the table. The first cell in the properties row contains keyword “properties” and is merged across all cells in column if more than 1 property is defined. The number of rows in properties section is equal to number of properties defined for the table. Each row in properties section contains pair property name and its value in consecutive cells (2nd and 3rd columns).
Figure 4: Table properties example
Table properties can be defined not only for each table separately, but for all tables in some category or whole module. Separate Properties Table is created to define such properties. Only properties allowed to be inherited from category and/or module level can be defined in this table. Some properties can be defined only inside table, e.g. “name.”
Properties defined at category or module level can be overridden in table. The priority of property values is following:
1.Table
2.Category
3.Module
4.Default value
Notice: OpenL Tablets engine allows changing property values from application code when loading rules.
Some properties can have default value. The value is predefined and can be changed only in OpenL Tablets configuration. The default value is used if no property value is defined in the table or in Property table.
There is no property value definition inside rules file for the default value.
Some properties can have system value which is set by OpenL tool or engine. Currently there are no properties set by Engine. There are properties updated by OpenL Web Studio (refer to OpenL Web Studio User's Guide).
There are properties defined to be used just for particular types of tables. It means that they make sense just for tables with special type and can be defined only for them.
OpenL Tablets Engine checks applicability of properties and will produce error if property value is defined for table not intended to contain the property.