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Modify Existing Pages

The AlterExistingPages element and its child elements allow you to modify existing pages in the system when you upload new specs. For example, you can edit the data form that appears in a target page's summary section or add a new tab to a target page. Within your new spec, you use the AlterExistingPages element and its child elements to specify the pages to modify and provide instructions about how to modify them when you load your spec.

The AlterExistingPages element is available for several types of specs. The element is defined in the page definition spec's schema to make it available for page specs, but it is also imported into several other schemas to make it available on specs for add data forms, data lists, edit data forms, packages, record operations, reports, and view data forms. The AlterExistingPages element includes the same child elements and is implemented the same way for all of these spec types.

The AlterExistingPages element is available for several types of specs. The element is defined in the page definition spec's schema to make it available for page specs, but it is also imported into several other schemas to make it available on specs for add data forms, data lists, edit data forms, packages, query views (for list builders), record operations, reports, and view data forms. The AlterExistingPages element includes the same child elements and is implemented the same way for all of these spec types.

Note: The AlterExistingPages element and its child elements were added to query view specs for version 4.0. Previously, these elements were already available for other spec types, and you implement them for list builders just like for other specs.

Basically, the AlterExistingPages element is useful for scenarios where you create a spec that necessitates updates to existing pages in the system. The element allows you to update those target pages through your new spec instead of directly editing the specs for the pages. This means you can organize your changes in one central location instead of managing them on multiple specs.

For example, when you create a spec for a page, you may want to add an action to an action group on an existing page to provide a link to your new page. If you use the AlterExistingPages element to add the action through your new spec, all the changes are on the same spec. This makes it simpler to manage the changes. Similarly, if you create a data list spec to replace an existing data list in the program, you can use the AlterExistingPages element to automatically replace the original data list when you load your new spec.

You can use can the AlterExistingPages element to modify several areas on existing pages:

  • The child AlterPageSummarySection element allows you to modify a target page's summary section. You can edit data form sections, data list sections, report sections, custom component sections, and dashboard sections.

  • The child AlterPageActionGroups element allows you to modify the action groups on a target page. Within the action groups, you can add actions and remove existing actions.

  • The child AlterTabs element allows you to modify the existing tabs on a target page and add new tabs. You can create sections within tabs, edit actions in existing sections, and redirect users to other pages.

    Note: For existing tabs, you cannot add or edit second-tier tabs. But when you create new tabs with the AddTab element, you can also create second-tier tabs.

    Note: Starting with version 4.0 service pack 3, you can manage second-tier tabs for existing top-level tabs. Prior to this service pack, you could not add or edit second-tier tabs for existing top-level tabs. (Although when you created new top-level tabs, you could include second-tier tabs.)

  • The child AlterOrAddPageActionGroups element allows you to modify the action groups on a target page and add new action groups. Within existing action groups, you can add actions but cannot remove existing actions.

  • The child AddPageExpressionForms element allows you to add page expression forms to a target page.