Providing inline Word property display

The value of a Single Value property of type Text can be an entire Microsoft Word document. The document can contain field codes, formulas, sophisticated layouts and formatting. Through Word's Field Codes capability, the document can identify property values to be supplied later when the Word file is "merged" with the clipboard.

With appropriate setup, users can edit the property value   — the Word document — directly within an Internet Explorer window, using familiar Microsoft keyboard and mouse operations. Through the Information Rights Management (IRM) features of Microsoft Word, the developer can control the areas of the document that users can edit.

Prerequisites and restrictions

This feature requires Microsoft Word and supports DOC and DOT file formats. Refer to the Platform Support Guide on the PDN for a list of supported versions of Microsoft Word.

At run time, this requires substantial memory on the workstation.

If you are using Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010 on a Windows 7 or Vista machine, follow this procedure before using an inline Word feature. You can encounter browser error messages otherwise.

Example

You can review this capability using two flow actions included in the sample flow PegaSample.WordEmbedMergeTest.

The first flow action PegaSample.EmbedWordTextAreaSet supports inline editing for three properties: pyDescription, pyMyEdits, and pyNewFormula.

The second flow action PegaSample.CreateMergedWordDoc searches these property values — each a Word document — for Field Codes that represent clipboard properties, and merges in the current values. You can also insert HTML code from correspondence rules, images from binary file rules, and other text as Field Codes.

How to configure

1. Identify which Single Value properties in your work item are to have a Word document as their values. In the Property rule form on the General tab, check that the Property Type for each is Text. Leave the Maximum Length and Control fields blank.
2. Identify the harnesses, sections and flow actions that are to present the properties in either display-only mode or input mode, which allow editing. (This capability is limited to sections and flow actions in the SmartFrames format.)
3. Edit the harnesses, sections, or flow actions. Create in the rule a Field for the property value.
4. Complete the Cell Properties panel for the field. In the Control field, enter WordTextArea, a standard control rule.
5. Save the rule form and test.

Internal notes

This feature requires the prVisioInterface ActiveX control and Word macros contained in the template WordMacroManagerDot.Dot template file. Both files have certificates digitally signed by Pegasystems. See  Configuring Microsoft Word for inline display or editing. Operation of the ActiveX control and macros is automatic and requires no user interaction.

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