Step properties: The properties element

The properties element is a container for properties, which are defined with the property tag.

Each step has a single properties element; a properties element can contain any number of property child elements.

A property tag has a mandatory name attribute, and an optional required attribute. This tag has two child elements: the property-ui element and value element, which are defined in the following table.

Table 1. The property element
property child elements Description
<server:property-ui> Defines how the property is presented to users in the Build editor. This element has several attributes:

  • label

    Identifies the property in the editor's Edit Properties dialog box.

  • description

    Contains the text that is displayed to users in the associated roll-over help box.

  • default-value

    Provides the property value that is displayed when the Edit Properties dialog box is displayed; used if unchanged.

  • type

    Identifies the type of widget that is displayed to users. Possible values are as follows:

    • textBox

      Enables users to enter an arbitrary amount of text, which is limited to 4064 characters.

    • textAreaBox

      Enables users to enter an arbitrary amount of text in a larger input area than textBox. The limit is to 4064 characters.

    • secureBox

      Accepts passwords. Similar to textBox except values are redacted.

    • checkBox

      Displays a check box. If selected, a value of true is used; otherwise the property is not set.

    • selectBox

      Requires a list of one or more values, which are displayed in a list. Configuring a value is described later.
<value> Specifies values for a selectBox selection. Each value has a mandatory label attribute, which is displayed to users, and a value that is used by the property when selected. Values are displayed in the order they are defined.

The following code sample shows a property element definition:

<property name="onerror" required="true">
  <server:property-ui type="selectBox"
    default-value="abort"
    description="Action to perform when statement fails: continue, stop, abort."
    label="Error Handling"/>
  <value label="Abort">abort</value>
  <value label="Continue">continue</value>
  <value label="Stop">stop</value>
</property>