Query Database Table:
m-Power templates allow you to retrieve rows of data from one or more database tables or database views. Utilizing SQL statements, m-Power connects to your database and allows you to access the data via a web application.
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Ad Hoc Template Specific:
m-Power templates allow the end user to sort the data fetched from the database. Ascending or descending order can be controlled from the table heading by clicking the up or down arrows. To turn this feature on or off, access the application properties and select Yes or No for the advancedSort property.
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Format Numeric Data:
m-Power templates allow developers to easily modify the numeric format of fields to better suit your needs, directly from the interface. An example of this can be the use of a comma at the thousand decimal point: (2,000) or the inclusion of decimal digits: (2,000.00) From the application menu, click Field Settings. For numeric fields you will see a Numeric Field Format column, use the drop down to select the numeric format you need.
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Filter Via Record Selections:
Create hard-coded or user interactive filters based on specific criteria from your data. This feature allows users to filter the data to display only those records that match the selection criteria. Several options are available to create the relationship of the search, including "equal to, not equal to, is in the list, is in the range" and many more. Learn more.
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Add Multi-Tenant Security:
m-Power applications can be secured to allow different users to access the same application, but see different results, based on the user login credentials. One example of this can be a report that contains records of customers for all the States in the USA, but the user will only work with the customers in his/her home State, via row level security m-Power can filter and display only the customers that the user is allowed to see. This technique allows you to fully implement scalable security solutions. Learn more.
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Override/Customizable Error Messages:
All m-Power templates allow you to modify the default error messages. Most error messages are generic in describing the issue, maybe you need your users to see a more personalized or informative error message. From the application properties developers can change the error message without having to open the code source of the application. Learn more.
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Add Drop-Down List or Lookup List to Text Input Fields:
Add a drop down list or lookup window to your application using m-Painter. These features will allow users to input data by selecting it from a list or lookup windows. This enhances the user experience, simplifies their tasks, and allow for less errors on data input. Learn more about Lookup Windows. Learn more about Dropdowns.
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Add Calendar Widget to Date Inputs:
Using m-Painter developers can add a calendar picker next to a date input field. The date format in the calendar picker can be modified to match the format in the database. This feature will save users time and it will ensure that the date format entered is consistent with the database. Adding a calendar picker will make your application look and feel more professional. Learn more.
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Call External Object Programs:
m-Power can handle your back-end business code too! The use of External Objects allows m-Power to tie into your custom coding easily, whether it is Java, SQL, or RPG. Learn more.
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Saved Searches:
For end users running applications, there is a feature that allows them to save the search and come back to it later, saving them time and making it more efficient by saving multiple searches and switching between them with just a click. These searches can be found on the right upper corner of the running application by clicking Options then Saved Searches. Learn more.
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Customize HTML with m-Painter:
m-Power ships with its own HTML editor. This tool, called m-Painter, allows you to modify the HTML code in a very easy way by using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, where all the graphical modifications are instantly visible. For the advance developers, there is a text editor mode too. You can access the HTML editor by clicking Presentation on the Application Menu. Learn more.
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Control DB Join Type:
When joining tables you can set the join type of the application to be Left Outer Join or Inner Join. An inner join specifies that only records in the primary table with matching records in the secondary table will be displayed.
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Add Row-Level Logical Fields:
m-Power allows you to create a logical field at the database level that is available to all applications. The options are Substring, Concatenation, or UDF (User Defined Function). By creating these files at the dictionary level, they are reusable across the entire dictionary, saving the developer time! Learn more.
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Tablet & Mobile Output:
m-Power allows developers to create applications specifically for PC browser, Tablet, and Smartphone devices. For the user, this means that they can access the same report on their PC, tablet, and smartphone and see a completely different output on each that has been tailor-made for their device. For the developer, it means that they can create and maintain one single application that will create the proper output formats automatically. Learn more.
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SmartLinks:
SmartLinks allow developers to easily link one application (Inquiry, Report, or Maintenance) to any other application, passing key data automatically. An example of this can be an Inquiry or a Report that links to a maintainer to update only an specific record and then redirect back to the list of records. By smartlinking applications m-Power makes it easy to link applications together to create smooth navigation between web applications. Learn more.
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Provides Row Count:
Multiple Record inquiries display, by default, 10 rows of data and allows the user to view the total count of records along with navigation arrows to page through the records.
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Ability to Ad-Hoc Sort on Any Column:
By clicking the up or down arrows next to the column name, Multiple Record inquiry allow end users to sort the data in ascending or descending order at runtime, based on any field from the application.
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Ability to Ad-Hoc Filter on Any Column:
On the pagination bar you will find a button labeled "Selection", this feature allows users to search through records within the application. Here users can control how many records to display per page. Filter on specific fields by selecting a relationship, and the ability to input a value to search for. All of this from the web browser, at runtime.
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Paginates Through Record Set:
The Multiple Record inquiry makes it easy to navigate through large number of records by displaying only 10 records per page and allowing users to use the navigation bar to move back and forward through pages. The amount of records displayed per page can be changed by simply clicking the Selections button.
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Can Return Back Very Large Files:
The Multiple Record inquiry template is ideal when the database contains many records, this template is designed to perform efficiently even when working with very large datasets.
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Built-in AJAX Suggest:
This template makes it even easier to search for a specific record, by taking advantage of the AJAX suggest feature. Click the Selections button, and Just begin typing in the input field, and a drop down list will display all matching records for the text entered. Learn more.
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Override-able SQL Statement:
The Multiple Record inquiry template allows developers to override the SQL statement. This can be done by accessing the application properties and clicking on the SQL Statement tab. Learn more.
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Description: Allow developers to give their application a description.

Program Name: This will be the application’s name, by default m-Power uses the letter I (Inquiry) followed by a five digits number. Also by default, for every new application m-Power will look at the largest number in use and increase it by 10, you can manually change this number.
Note: the number must be unique in the Data Dictionary.

Select Only Matching Records: When joining to other tables, you have the option to create a Left Outer Join or and Inner Join. Selecting Yes (inner join) will include only matching records from the joined table. A simple example of this could be a Sales History table that links to a Product Master table. Now imagine some products have been discontinued and subsequently removed from the Product Master table. With an outer join, the discontinued products will still be reported. However, with an inner join, records without matching records in the product master will be omitted from the result set.

Template: You can select a template by scrolling left or right through the available templates. The templates define the general layout and functionality of the resulting application. This section will list all the available retrieval templates; you will see a small screenshot of what that template looks like at runtime. Learn more about templates.

Compile Options: Selecting the Advanced Search Row will display an input box for every column that will allow users to filter based on a value, in that column/field. Selecting Advanced Search Dialog will display a button labeled "Selections" clicking this button at runtime; will open a popup window where users can create multiple filters for multiple fields.

Delete: You can delete fields by clicking the checkbox and clicking Accept. If a field has a red circle with a cross line, that means that the field is being used somewhere else in the application (sequence, calculation, etc.), and, due to this dependency, is not available for deletion.
Note: Deleting a field will remove the field from the application only, the table will be unchanged.

Field Name: This is the same name the field has in the table.

Table: The name of the table where that field exists.

Field Description: This is the text that will appear in the column header for that field, you can modify this field to suit your needs. This field will populate with the field description from the table by default, but it can be customized at the application level.

Display: A radio button allows developers to display or hide the field from the output page. There may be situations where a field is needed for calculation purposes, but the field does not need to be displayed at runtime.

Length: Here you can modify the length of the field. m-Power will only allow developers to shorten the length of the field, shortening a fields length will truncate its data. For example, if a field is 10 alpha and it is changed to 5 alpha, now only the first 5 characters will be displayed. The same principle applies to a numeric field, if a numeric field is 8 digits long; changing it to 4 digits long will only display the first 4 digits, and leave out the rest of digits.

Decimals: For numeric fields, you can modify the amount of decimal digits. A numeric field will have the option of changing its decimal length, alpha fields does not have a decimal option, developers can use this as an indicator to check if a field is a numeric or character type.

Numeric Format Code: For numeric fields, you can modify the way the numbers will display, this includes displaying decimals or not, how to display negative numbers, etc. Multiple formats are built in for developers to use, shall you need a different format code, m-Power allows developers to create their own User Defined Format codes; these codes will add logic for common types of fields such as: Currency, Time, or Dates. Accessing the User Defined Format Codes from the Admin section will also allow developers to modify current codes. Learn more.

Note: Do not confuse the User Defined Format Code with the User Defined Functions (UDF). The latter is a feature that allows developers to create or incorporate programing functions into m-Power. Learn more about UDF's.

User def: This feature has being deprecated

Field: A drop down allows you to select the field you want to filter on.

Relation: A drop down allows you to select a relationship for the filter.

Value: This is the value to compare against. The options are:

Constant Value: A constant value allows you to hard-code any given value into a selection. This value cannot be modified by the end-user at run–time.

Application Field Value: Developers have the option of comparing a value from one field to a value from another field within the same record.

And/Or: When creating multiple record selections, you have the option to set them as "and" or "or" Example: selection A "and" selection B will display only records that match both selections. Selection A "or" selection B will display records that match one or both selections. Learn more.

*CALCOBJ Used when parameter calculations are present in the application. The external object is called after each row is processed.
*STRADVSCH This location has been deprecated.
*ADVRECSEC This location has been deprecated. Learn more about Row Level security.
*READRECRD This location will call the external object after each record is processed.
*SELECTFLT This location has been deprecated. Learn more about creating dropdown lists using m-Painter.

debug: Selecting "Yes" will display the SQL generated by m-Power at runtime, at the bottom of the page. This allows developers to debug the application to see exactly what is being queried to the database. The default setting is "No".

advancedSort: Selecting "Yes" will include a set of arrows, up and down, next to the column name, this will allow end users to sort in ascending or descending order at runtime. The default setting is "Yes".

advancedSearch: Selecting "Yes" will include an input field for each field in the Selections window. This will allow end users to type in a value to filter on and to choose a relationship to search. Default value is "Yes".

advancedOptions: Selecting Yes will allow end users to select what device layout to display or to save a search, by clicking the Options link in the right upper corner of the application at runtime. Browser Mode will allow end user to select a different HTML device output, what devices are supported can be configured from the Admin section, learn more about Mobile Apps. End users can filter data and then save the settings of that search to come back to it at a later time, learn more about Save Search.

ajaxitems: When end users begin typing in a filter input at runtime, the AJAX Suggest will find matching records and display a drop down list for the user to pick. This property allows developers to turn this feature off or set how many values the AJAX Suggest will display. By default this feature is turned on.

max_rows: Sets how many rows of data will be displayed at runtime, by default this template displays 10 rows.

edit_type: m-Power includes a very handy WYSIWYG HTML editor; this tool allows developers to make changes to the HTML layout of the application in a friendly graphical layout. Selecting "Text editing only" will allow the developer to edit the HTML in text mode, developers may want to use the text editor when making advance modifications to the HTML, and wish to have absolute control over the HTML code. WYSIWYG is the default mode.

data_on_load: Selecting "Do not display data on application load", will run the application but will not load any records, this allows for a much faster load of the application. Then, end users can make selections to display data based on filters. This can be useful when there are multiple end users accessing the Retrieval, but each of the users only needs to see some specific records. "Always display data" is the default.

ajax_form: Selecting "Use AJAX form submit" will refresh only the part of the page that has change. This can useful if performance is an issue, for instance when end users click the link on the column header to sort ascending or descending, refreshing only part of the page will help improve speed by not reloading the whole page from the server. Selecting "Use traditional form submit" means that for every change on the page the whole page gets reloaded from the server, this is the default property.

hide_header_footer: Depending on the application and its function at runtime, there may be occasions when not displaying the header and footer of the application could be a good thing. An example of this can be an application being imported into another application and the developer wishes to display the whole application but the header and footer may take too much space on the screen. Selecting "Yes" will hide the header and footer. "No" is the default for this property.

output_to_excel_button: If this setting is enabled, an Excel icon will be added to your application. Clicking the icon will export the data to an Excel file.

save_maxrows: Saves the page size (max rows) limit set in the Selections window. This is defaulted to "Yes". If "No" is selected and the application is reloaded, the number of records will revert to what is set in the "max_rows" default above.

caseSensitive: When using record selections or creating filters via the Selection window, if not matches are found but you know matching records exist, m-Power offers three options for case sensitivity. "Change the search value to uppercase" this is the default, most databases use uppercase when writing data to the table, so this selection will uppercase the values typed in the input field by the end user. Selecting "No case conversion" will not uppercase the uses input, use this option if know the data in the database are lowercase. The third option is "Change both the search value and the DB field to uppercase using the UPPER keyword" this will uppercase both the database and the users input, this option is the slowest because the data needs to be read from the table and changed to uppercase, this is done for every record in the table.

secureby: m-Power applications can be secured against username or session ID. Click here to learn more about this feature.

sql_statement: Developers have the opportunity to overwrite the default SQL statement generated by m-Power. Click here to learn more.

pc_browser: Select a skeleton for the application when running in a PC web browser; the "Standard Skeleton" is the default PC layout. The "Mobile Large Skeleton" is the tablet PC layout. The "Mobile Small Skeleton" is the smartphone layout. The option selected here will display when the application is run in a computer’s web browser. Developers have the option to change what output to display on any specific device. An example of when this could be used is in a situation when the developer wants to force the full PC version to be displayed in all devices.

mobile_large: The option selected here will display when the application is run in a tablet PC.

mobile_small: The option selected here will display when the application is run in a smartphone screen.

min_large_mobile_size: When deciding whether to use large mobile skeleton or small mobile skeleton, the number here represents the amount of pixels that will delimit small mobile from large mobile. The default is set to 800 pixels, meaning that if m-Power detects a screen smaller than 800 pixels it will use the small skeleton layout instead.

display_pagination: Selecting "Use Touch-Scroll Pagination" allows the user to "swipe" on the screen to scroll. Selecting "Display Pagination" will allow the user to touch on links to navigate through pages.

max_rows_mobile_large: Default number of records displayed per page on large mobile device such as tablet.

max_rows_mobile_small: Default number of records displayed per page on small mobile device such as a Smartphone.

device_options_pc: Sets what devices will be available to display in PC browser when clicking the Options link at runtime. Example: Selecting "PC, Table, Smartphone" means that those skeletons will be available for selection by the end user at runtime.

device_options_tablet: Sets what devices will be available to display in a Tablet when clicking the Options link at runtime.

device_options_smartphone: Sets what devices will be available to display in a smartphone when clicking the Options link at runtime.

max_items: When using this application as an external drop down list for other application, this value sets the number of records that the dropdown/radio button lists will contain.

go_lastpage: If a user clicks on the "Last Page" button, this is the last page that will be accessed, even if there are more pages.

remove_counter: When a retrieval takes a long time to return data, consider building an index or turning off the counter. By removing the counter, you can greatly increase the performance of your application.