The remarkable story of the unremarkable data label
A K2 SmartForms control adventure.
The data label control.
In the pantheon of K2 SmartForms controls, the data label was thought to be one of the most basic, primitive, unsophisticated, meager, diminutive, insubstantial and even unremarkable in the eyes of newcomers to the land of K2.
This is how I would start a JRR Martin inspired story where I was going to tell the tale of a character whose outward appearance hid their greater purpose, that it could influence the direction of an entire kingdom, or in this case a solution. Fortunately, for you, I cannot find my copy of WordStar.
It has been some time since my last blog post, and recent conversations on this very control inspired me to write. An attendee at a talk I was giving asked me to explain how to use a data label control. They were hesitant to provide any context around what exactly they were desiring, opting for me to tell them how to use the control.
How to use data label control? I struggled to give what I felt was an adequate answer because on the face what appears to be a simple question is at the same time extremely complicated. I also didn’t have the luxury of time to give what could be a Ted talk.
What became apparent was that we were both approaching the topic from two different perspectives.
During a drive to the country while my mind wandered, as it tends to do on roads I frequent, I started to dwell on that exchange.
What occurred to me was the person who asked the question had most likely read the legends of the valiant data label control. Whereas I had spent time with the Robin Hood of controls and understood that the data label had only reached legendary status because of its band of Merry… controls?
This metaphor is struggling, allow me to elaborate.
The data label is just a control. A SmartForms control that was purpose built to contain information. The distinguishing trait between a data label control and a label control, while both being form controls for displaying information, only the data label has the capability of being bound to data hence the name which allows for the value of the control to be readily used in the execution of SmartForm rules at runtime.
The other control, label, can only be changed by accessing the related properties as with all the controls contained within in the Display category in SmartForms designer toolbox.
The ability to bind data isn’t unique to the data label, but a fundamental trait shared by all controls that are contained within the toolbox Input category. Data can be assigned or retrieved from the control itself without having access to a particular property.
I feel that this is the point where newcomers to K2 SmartForms start to struggle. I struggle even now trying to explain it without getting into the weeds of control development.
The facts of the matter are that data binding isn’t unique to the data label and therefore that doesn’t make it special.
The data label control, alone, is rather unremarkable.
That is my perspective but doesn’t explain why one might think there is something more to the data label. What about those legends told of the great escapades of the data label?
The data label is unremarkable, alone being the operative word.
You see, the data label’s greatest strength comes from its simplicity for as what appears to be a miscategorized display control among inputs is a control that shares in their innate abilities. Again, without side questing into the details of SmartForms control creation, input classified controls are what enables them to be data bound.
The legends are based on the many tutorials and guides surrounding SmartForms all of which typically contain a step that instructs the developer to assign a SmartObject value to a data label then, at a later step, read that value as part of a rule or transfer to data to another control.
The data label is rarely the lead in the story, but a frequent and recurring supporting character.
“Just data binding? NO! I have heard the great deeds of the mighty data label.
What secrets does it hold?”.
None. The truth is that in the absence of a purpose-built feature like variables in SmartForms, any data bind capable control could do. The data label’s greatest strength is its simplicity.
Other input controls can be bound but some have type limitations or are just too complicated and add unnecessary bloat when the need it is to just contain data. That is the data label’s purpose. The reason is that it exists. No more. No less.
The conversation of how you use a data label is that data is assigned to or read from it. The data may be displayed. It may be hidden on the form. The control may be relegated to just holding the data, filling the role of a variable, or used to display that data at the same time.
The question is never just how to use the control. The control is never used in a vacuum. The unremarkable data label is always a part of a larger quest and in each quest the only role it can play is the one for which it was created. It is the quest, the requirements, the use case, that determines how best the data label’s abilities can be put to good use.
As the words on the sigil of the House of K2 reads, “Dependet” or it depends.
Data labels aren’t used alone. They are a part of a team of controls making up your SmartForms solution, a Merry band of adventures.
The point is that working together it is the combined capabilities of the rules and controls that complete the quest and inspire the legend.
Together, they can be remarkable.