Controlling Unity Interface behavior via API

[Marcus_Christi6]

We received some feedback from users regarding general usability of the Unity Client centered around the way that the line-of-business application works.  Too long to type out, but in summary, the users want to interact with all parts of the system seamlessly; Workflow, Query, Folder, without having to perform redundant searches.

So, if a user is in Workflow and needs to act on a document, but then needs to do some advanced searching on all documents related to the one they just acted on, they need to go to Custom Query.  But it compels them to actually key in the primary value to do the search.  Same with folders - though we have AppEnabler, the user has to go out of what they're doing to go to the folders.  They'd like to be able to jump from Workflow to the pre-populated Custom Query result and/or pre-retrieved folder tree.

Short of AppEnabling the actual primary workflow document (which I'd rather not do), I figured I would ask whether you can use the Unity Automation API to just get the desired value from the active document and, using the Unity Client, launch the Folder or Custom Query windows and auto perform the searches.  Is such a thing possible?  I'm not writing an external app, just exposing the task button.

[Josh_Spisak1]

Marcus,

I am not sure if this will help you or not, but I would explore some of the native workflow functionality to maybe enhance the process.  There are two actions that come to mind that could help keep your users in the interface while providing additional useful information.  One being "Display Folder for Document" which will open the foldering interface and display that document (providing it is part of your foldering configuration).  This would then allow them to jump right to the folder and then be able to navigate to any other documents within that structure (again providing that it is in the folder where they want to be, or at least in the structure).  Another action being "Set Folder and Template" which will allow your users to "Flip" the related documents window to another type of related folder.  So for example you might be displaying related documents based on a particular keyword (Account number), but in the process they need to look at all documents for a Client for example (client #).  once they press the ad-hoc task the folder will then be based on client # keyword on the primary document.  Hope these ideas help

Josh 

[Marcus_Christi6]

[quote user="Josh Spisak"]

Marcus,

I am not sure if this will help you or not, but I would explore some of the native workflow functionality to maybe enhance the process.  There are two actions that come to mind that could help keep your users in the interface while providing additional useful information.  One being "Display Folder for Document" which will open the foldering interface and display that document (providing it is part of your foldering configuration).  This would then allow them to jump right to the folder and then be able to navigate to any other documents within that structure (again providing that it is in the folder where they want to be, or at least in the structure).  Another action being "Set Folder and Template" which will allow your users to "Flip" the related documents window to another type of related folder.  So for example you might be displaying related documents based on a particular keyword (Account number), but in the process they need to look at all documents for a Client for example (client #).  once they press the ad-hoc task the folder will then be based on client # keyword on the primary document.  Hope these ideas help

Josh 

Problem is "Display Folder for Document" doesn't work in the Unity Client and seemingly never will.

[Timothy_Cosgrif]

While you can't get folders from a document, you can use a FolderQuery to get the folders that the document might exist in (using the document's keywords). You can then use a UnityClientAutomation object to display that folder. This can be done in an IClientScript. The same for custom queries, which is probably a bit easier.

[Marcus_Christi6]

Which is what I assumed should happening, but which specific call sends the instruction to the Unity Client to render the folder window and display the folder?  I tried folderQuery.Execute from the FolderList, but the Unity Client doesn't change.  It says the script executes but doesn't actually 'do' anything.