You are viewing the documentation for Blueriq 17. Documentation for other versions is available in our documentation directory.
Important
This Flowtype is only intented for:
a. Non-DCM applications
b. DCM case modelling architecture including DCM Dashboards
c. Non-External flow applications
All other older structures (in page modelling) are not supported.
As we intend to make this feature a native component, also design time, at that moment in time it will become impossible to model this. Therefor we strongly advise to not model it in this way if you wish to remain using only out of the box features.
What is it?
FreeFlows are used when sequential flowing does not fit the means to navigate through your application. Using the FreeFlows the user is able to navigate via a menu to any chosen page that is modelled in a sequential flow, using this way of flowing the validations are executed on every page but they are not blocking when navigation between pages, and only become blocked when end of the FreeFlow is reached.
What is needed for a FreeFlow application
A FreeFlow consist of combining several elements to create a free navigable application.
| Element type | Type name | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| FlowType | FreeFlow | The main flow which detect if an application should to using the free navigable strategy |
| FlowType | Sub flows of the FreeFlow to which the user can navigated between | |
| ContainerType | The menu container which displays menu-items for with the name first page of SinglePageFlow | |
| ContentStyle | NavigationMenu | Default contentstyle of the AQ_NavigationMenu container |
How to use it
Flow Structure
A free navigable application always starts with an exposed flow of the type "FreeFlow", this is mandatory for the Runtime to detect whether the free navigation strategy should be used or the default sequential strategy is used. Inside the FreeFlow one or multiple SinglePageFlows should be modelled, these flows will acts as the entry point of the navigation actions. It is advised to not have any logic in between the SinglePageFlows other than condition nodes, when navigating when between SinglePageFlows using the navigation actions of the navigation menu the outer flow of the FreeFlow is not used as the Runtime jumps between the SinglePageFlows. If logic is required make sure that is either resides in the SinglePageFlow (as it will be executed every time the flow is visited) or before first SinglePageFlow and after the last SinglePageFlow.
Navigation
The navigation menu of a free navigable application is build by using first name of the page in a SinglePageFlow. For the navigation menu to be displayed the pages of a SinglePageFlow should contain a AQ_NavigationMenu container. Navigating in a free navigable can achieved via two ways:
- Using the sequentially modelled next button to navigate to the next SinglePageFlow
- Using the menu items in navigation menu to switch to an other SinglePageFlow
The order of the SinglePageFlow in the FreeFlow determines the ordering of the navigation menu. In case that a branch of SinglePageFlow is behind a condition node and it evaluates to false the whole branch is disabled in the navigation menu, once the condition becomes true the branch is navigable from the navigation menu.
A free navigable application still allows the user to navigate the application sequentially from SinglePageFlow to SinglePageFlow. To achieve this each first page of the SinglePageFlow must contain a button with either no event attached to it, or and event with the name "NextPage". This button event should connect to the EndNode of the SinglePageFlow or a non-interactive FlowNode which leads to the EndNode. In order to navigate to the previously visited page a button can be placed on the page with event "PreviousPage", this button does not need to be connected.
Validations
Validations in a free navigable application are non blocking when navigating between SinglePageFlows, even when a "Validate and continue" event type is present on the next button. The AQ_NavigationMenu container is able to set an Attribute which contains the validation status of all pages in a free navigable application. This attribute can be used to check if the FreeFlow has been completed correctly without pending validation errors.
Constraints
The new navigation concept is introduced as Runtime concept, that is triggered by a specific model structure and naming convention.
- The FreeFlow must be an exposed flow.
- The FreeFlow consists several flows of type SinglePageFlow that should be directly connected to each other.
- The FreeFlow can contain other flow types before entering of the first SinglePageFlow, and after the last SinglePageFlow but not in between SinglePageFlows.
- All validations on pages modelled in SinglePageFlows become non-blocking validation errors.
- The name first page of a SinglePageFlow will be used to populate the AQ_NavigationMenu container.
- The AQ_NavigationMenu container should always modelled inside the pages of the SinglePageFlow, or it will not be displayed.
- Condition nodes modelled in a FreeFlow will acts as preconditions for buttons that make up the AQ_NavigationMenu container.
- The SinglePageFlow's first page default (empty) or "NextPage" button event must be connected to a non interactive FlowNode for the navigation to work as expected.
Overview
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