Configuring Properties
Intended audience: USERS DEVELOPERS ADMINISTRATORS
AO Platform: 4.3
Overview
Properties are the elements across all components in an object that can be configured to make the components look and behave in a certain way. Properties are generally categorized, especially where there are numerous properties for a given components. This topic seeks to bring insight into the different ways properties will appear within the Property sections.
When an object is created/edited within a Composer, the Design screen will typically have a Property Details panel on the right-side of screen. This panel uses the following organizational principles:
Basic and Advanced Properties
A toggle (or tabs) will allow you to switch between Basic and Advanced properties:
Basic - the properties shown are typically the minimum configurable properties required to make the component work.
Advanced - all properties are shown whether configuration is required or not.
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Organization of Properties
For components with a smaller set of properties, only one column will be shown in the Property Details panel - as seen above. This column will have collapsible/expandable categories of properties for easier understanding and access.
For components with a large set of properties, typically found in the Application Composer, a separate column is shown in the Property Details panel showing only the categories. User selects a category in this column first, then configures the properties in the 2nd column - as seen here:
Configuration of Properties
Properties can be configured in a number of different ways supported by different UI widgets. The example below shows some common configuration options with help from the UI widgets:
Selecting MSO Properties - from dropdown.
Wherever MSO Properties are shown in a dropdown for selection, the following additional “decorators” may be seen:
- MSO Property with a Number data type.
- MSO Property with a String data type.
- MSO Property with a Date data type.
- MSO Property with a Boolean data type.
- MSO Property with a Geometry data type.
- Connected MSO.
- MSO Property using the Amount MSO as data type - configured on MSO Composer > Properties page - MSO Data Type.
- MSO Property is a Key Field - configured on MSO Composer > General page.
- MSO Property is a Name Field - configured on MSO Composer > General page.
- MSO Property is a Description Field - configured on MSO Composer > General page.
- MSO connected to by Current MSO (upstream) - configured on MSO Composer > Properties page - Relationships.
- MSO connecting to Current MSO (downstream) - configured on MSO Composer > Properties page - Relationships.
- Derived MSO Property (using Expression) - will not show in MSO mapping to Data Source field - configured on MSO Composer > Properties page - Derived Field.
- Property not yet mapped to Data Source field.
Searching - from repository of components/objects. See Searching.
Adding a value - most common form of input. Simply add your text or a number value into the field.
Selecting value - from a dropdown of predefined values.
Using Query Builder - to create a criteria-based configuration. See Using Query Builder.
Using Expressions - to create a dynamic configuration that is only resolved at runtime. See Using Expressions.
Using a Toggle - typically represented using either an ON/OFF slider or a checkbox.
Selecting value from Palette - such as a color palette.
Using File Manager - allowing user to select from a number of existing resources, such as icons, images, data files, and/or upload new resources.
Selecting a Date - in most cases, the user will be allowed to select from preset values, a single date or a date range.
Default vs User Configuration
This option is a great productivity and debug feature. In the Properties panel, look for this 
icon. Click to enable. Only properties that have been changed from default, ie configured by user will be shown. If the category column is shown in property panel, then also a number will be shown next to the category name to indicate how many properties in each category have been configured by user. Click the category to see those properties.
