Working with objects in Analyser

Some object categories are extremely large and complex whilst others are smaller and contain less information. The enquiry routines for objects in Analyser have been standardised for the smaller object categories whilst the larger and more complicated object categories have enquiry windows designed specifically to suit the attributes of the category.

Note: See Enquiry routines for objects in Analyser for a list of the Browser windows and Details view windows for large object categories and a link to more information.

View object information

1. Select an Object category icon in the Object categories window.
2. You access the Browser window for the object category you selected. If the object category only contains a small number of files, the full file list appears in the Browser window.

In the upper part of a Browser window, you view the Position to box and an entry field in which you can enter all or part of the object code. Click Find to position the object with the same code or the code coming next in alphabetical order at the top of the object list.

Viewing object details:

1. Select the object in the Object’s browser window and do one of the following:
• click Select

  Or

• right-click the mouse and choose Show details.
2. You access a Details view window of the object you selected. In a standard Details view window, you view only the Object code and Description.

Viewing extended object information

The procedure outlined above describes how you access information for simple object categories. See Enquiry routines for objects in Analyser for a list and link to the search routines for larger object categories. Here you can read a brief outline of the way in which these enquiry routines work.

Some common traits are shared by all enquiry routines. The search area is always displayed in the upper area of the Browser window. Here you are able to enter particular information in order to run a search.

Note: If the object category contains a large number of files, the system will display an empty table list. To view the full object list from the beginning, choose Find.

If you click Find without completing any of the search argument fields in the top part of the window, the system will retrieve the first page of values. When the slide bar reaches the bottom, the next page of values is retrieved.

Note: See About working with browsers in Analyser for detailed information about Browser functionality.

Search terms
There are usually several different fields in which you can enter a search term:

• In the free entry fields, you can do as follows:
• Either, enter some or all of the entry information.
• Or, if there is a Find icon beside the search field, click this icon to view a list of valid entries where you can select an entry and choose Select to enter the choice in the entry field in the Browser window.
• Pick any radio button options.
• Select any entries from drop down lists.

To run the search, choose Find.

You view the results of the search in the table list in the Browser window.

Tip: If you wish to run another search without cancelling the results of the original search, you must open another Browser window. This is only possible if you choose Actions/Open new browser in a Browser window.

The Multimedia facility in Analyser makes it possible to connect Multimedia objects such as text files, html files, doc files, images, sounds, movies, etc., to business objects such as products, customers, companies and invoices.

Note: To use the sound or movie Multimedia effects, your PC must be equipped with multimedia features.

Connecting a media location

Before you connect a Multimedia file to an object, you have to set a path from your PC to the media location. This path tells your PC from which location to retrieve the media file. (See Define the default location of multimedia in Analyser for instructions on setting the paths).

Making media connection

Assuming you have mapped your media locations (i.e. set up the path from your PC to a media location, normally on the server), you can attach a media file from a certain location to an object.

To be able to attach a Multimedia file to an object, you must first locate the object as outlined in the Object Enquiry section above.

The following information outlines how to connect a Multimedia file to an object:

1. Find the object you wish to work with as described in the Object Enquiry section above.
2. In a Browser window, right-click the object to view a pop up menu. The same menu is available if you click the Item command heading in a Details view window. These menus allow you to work with the Multimedia status of the object. Further details are described in the table below.
3. Choose Item/Multimedia objects/Manage.

Note: In our example, we attached a copy of a photocopier, which had been scanned in and saved as an image file, to an item in the Item browser.

4. You view the Multimedia connections to…(the selected object) window. Click the New icon (alternatively choose File/New from the menu bar to add a new connection).
5. You access the Multimedia connection view window. All fields are mandatory. Complete them as follows:

Sequence

Enter the sequence for how you want the images to be displayed.

Description

This field is user-defined.

Media location

Select the media type and location from the drop down list.

File name

Enter the Multimedia file name or click Browse to locate the file.

Default connection local

If you want this to be the default location, check the box to make this connection the default.

Note: We recommend that you set only one default media connection for each media type. If you set more than one default image, the system will show the first file in alphabetical order.

Publish on Internet

Check this box if you want this multimedia to be published (available) on your Internet site.

Default connection, Internet

Check this box if you want this multimedia to be the default connection on your internet site.

Click Save.

The object is now connected to a Multimedia file.

Viewing multimedia

To access the Multimedia image connection, do as follows:

1. Select the item and click the View default image icon in the Item browser window or Item details window (alternatively right click on the applicable item and choose Item/Multimedia objects/View default image).
2. You access the Image view window displaying the image you connected.

To work with the Multimedia status, the following options are available in the object Browser window pop up menu or in the Details view window:

Linking between business object and external application

This feature allows you to start an external application or launch a URL and pass the information from the business object as parameters. This feature could be used to, e.g., display a scanned image associated with an A/P transaction.

1. Access the applicable browser.
2. Right-click on one of the objects and select Multimedia objects/Link settings/Configure.
3. You access the Function Starter Settings window.

Description

Enter the description of the function. This description will appear on the drop down menu the next time you right-click an object and select Multimedia objects allowing you to perform the link.

Application

Tick this option if you want to link to an application.

URL

Tick this option if you want to link to a URL.

File

If you chose to link to an application, enter the name of the file that starts the application.

Parameter

Enter the parameter that will be passed to the external application or URL. You can enter fixed values and/or variables in this field. Learn more about the use of variables by right-clicking the object and selecting Multimedia objects/Link settings/Information. Using variables is a way to make the parameter dynamic; the string will change dependant on the selected object.

Start in

Enter the working directory for your application entered in field File.

URL

If you chose to link to a URL, enter the URL address. Variables can be embedded in the URL address, (i.e. works the same way as in the Parameter field). This is a way to make the URL dynamic; the string will change dependant on the selected object.

Icon file

Not applicable.

Object manager windows are windows in which you can actively work with objects. You can add, change and delete objects. All Object manager windows have the title Object manager followed by the object category for which they are responsible.

One example is the Object manager – Media locations window described in section Multimedia connection above.

Some functions are common to all Object manager windows and others appear in only certain windows. In the table below, the most common potential actions in Object manager windows are described:

There are some system rules that apply to all search entry fields which you enter to run a system search of all objects in a particular object category.

If you know the exact description of the object for which you are searching, you can enter the full description to locate the object.

However, if you do not know the full description or wish to use a shortcut, you can use an asterisk <*> to substitute a section of the description.

• To search for items beginning with COM, type: COM*
• To search for items containing COM, type: *COM*
• To search for items ending in COM, type: *COM

Note: To search for an item containing an asterisk in the description, type: *