Defining prompts

You can include prompts in tools. Prompts are displayed as dialog boxes that require input from operators after tools are executed. The information that users are prompted for, and the information that users can enter in the prompt are controlled by the prompt type. Default prompts are included in the product and sample prompts are supplied.

For sample prompts, see the WEBGUI_HOME/waapi/etc/samples/samplerequest_prompt.xml file.

Use the Tool Prompt Configuration page in Event Management Tools to manage prompts in the Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus Web GUI. You can perform the following actions in Tool Prompt Configuration:

Create New Prompt
Copy Selected Prompt
Modify Selected Prompt
Delete Selected Prompt

Table 1. Creating or modifying a prompt
Field	Required or optional	Description
Unique Name	Required	The unique name for a prompt.
Prompt Text	Required	The text displayed in a prompt window. It gives the user guidance on the information required.
Default Value	Optional	The default response to a prompt that the user can select.
Order	Required	The order of a prompt relative to other prompts in a prompt window. Value: Integer
Error Message	Optional	The text displayed if a user supplies inappropriate information to a prompt.
Type	Required	The type of prompt. Value: One of the following values: `String, Integer, Float, Password, Time, Lookup, Fixed Choice, Dynamic Choice, Multiline String, Formatted String, Real Time Dynamic Choice`
File	Required for prompt type `Lookup`	This creates a menu or list that is populated by the values in a specified file. The file attribute contains an absolute path to a file in the server, where each line of text is displayed as an item in a list.
Format	Required for prompt type `Formatted String`	This creates a prompt window that accepts one or more characters, provided they are in the predefined format. The format attribute contains a regular expression that the user must match in order for the value to be accepted.
SQL Command	Required for prompt types `Dynamic Choice` and `Real Time Dynamic Choice`	SQL based user-defined query.
Fixed Choice	Required for prompt type `Fixed Choice`	This creates a menu that is populated with options that you specify.

Note: You can also write the prompts into tools using the $prompt.promptname parameter in the tool code.