The following applies if you are using a version of the software before Update 46. For the latest instructions, see Manage related items.
This section describes typical usage and configuration of the methods for managing related items. To see the actual arguments configured, refer to the example methods in the delivered systems. To view these methods, query for methods by client API = Manage Related Items and compare them all in one list view.
Managing items that cannot exist without their parents
There is no library - as the related items cannot exist on their own and can only be related to one parent.
Users can edit the related items, as well as the relationship properties:
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properties on the related item
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properties (sequence) on the relationship
An example is the Manage Menu Items command (ManageMenuMenuItems)
Using the library to manage item relationships
This is the most common configuration of this method, where it is used to manage which objects are related and to configure properties on the relationships. Careful use of the column set presents an excellent tabulated view of all related items and their relationship properties.
An example is Manage Access Groups from relationship definitions (ManageRelDefAccessGroups).
Using library to manage related objects as well as the relationships
The point here is that if you want to edit the related item properties and have, the updates edit the original object wherever it is used.
An example here is Manage Engineering Numbering System (ManageENS) where it is possible to change the properties on the ENS items, as well as the relationships to the ENS definition.
Some of the ENS items can be used on more than one ENS definition; you are protected from it inadvertently modifying the properties of the ENS item. When the dialog is initially displayed, these properties are locked and you must select the unlock button before you can change these properties. If these properties should not be updated in the list view window, then they should not be included in the column set. The Update button would still be available.
Filtering the library
Manage methods on an interface (ManageInterfaceDefMethods) uses the following filter in Argument 7 to restrict the library to only available in desktop methods.
ISPFMethod~SPFAvailableinDesktop~=~TRUE
Making use of the Tree view in the library
This is used where there are many potential library items, and it is helpful to be able to navigate to other related objects.
An example of this is managing interfaces for a method (SysAdmUpdate).
