Inserting a Branch Entity

Use the Insert Branch Entity dialog box to provide more than one path through the procedure. The paths can be based on a user's input or the outcome of an entity. For example, the user may make a selection on a host application screen that would bring up either the Add Customer screen or the Update Customer screen. Or, the entity may display the next entity based on the customer's credit balance.

To insert a branch entity in a procedure:

1. In the Procedure Diagram Pane of the Procedure Editor, click the entity that precedes the insertion point for the new branch entity.
2. Click the Insert Branch button on the Icon Button Bar to open the Insert Branch Entity dialog box.
3. Click the entity to insert from the Entity box.
4. If there is more than one option in the Branch until box, select the duration of the branch (either until the procedure moves to another entity or until the end of the procedure).

The Preview Window displays a preview of the new entity's place in the procedure, along with the operations that are able to navigate to it.

Using the Insert Entity Dialog Box

Entity
The Entity box lists all the entities in the current table. Click an entity name to insert it at the current location.

A green ball identifies those entities that can be successfully traversed from the insertion point. A red X indicates a problem with either the navigation path or input parameters that mean Host Integrator cannot navigate to that entity. You can add an entity with a red X, but you need to correct its navigation or parameters to provide a way to traverse to the added entity.

New Entity or a Sandbox Entity Radio Buttons
These radio buttons affect the entity list by listing all the entities available or a sandbox entity. A New Entity is a modeled host screen containing attributes or recordsets that you want to make part of the procedure.

A Sandbox Entity is an entity that has been removed from the procedure, but retains all the customization you have done on that entity. For example, you may have added an entity and mapped its attributes, but later you need to move it to a different location in the procedure. You can delete the entity, which moves it to the sandbox, and then insert the entity without losing the mapping. The Sandbox Entity radio button is disabled if there are no sandbox entities.

Branch until
If there is more than one option in the Branch until box, select the duration of the branch. This is either until the end of a procedure, or until the procedure moves to the entity that you identify in this box.

Preview Pane
As you build the procedure, the Preview pane displays a visual layout of the relationship of the entities, operations, and recordsets in the procedure.