Data Type Creation

Owned by Sandra Rambo (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 16, 2020
7 min read

This guide covers the creation of several different data types including Text, Numeric, Single Selections, Multiple Selections, and Contacts. After creation of the data type, you will be able to choose to add this field to an Application (View the Adding a Field to a Section Guide).

All new data types are added in the data type section of the site

  1. Click "Administration" under the "User" tab
  2. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section

Creating a New Text Data Type

  1. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add"
  3. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. "Text (With 'label' after)"
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. Choose between "Text (single line)" and "Text (multi line)"
  4. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Choose if you want to enforce a maximum length on the text field by filling in a number in the "Max Length" field or leave it unlimited by leaving it blank
    2. You have the ability to modify (visually and otherwise) the data type in the "Other Attributes" section
      1. To add a label after the field, type "extra" in the Key column and " Your Text Here" in the Value column
        1. Note: The "&nbsp" portion adds a space between the field and the text, just putting a space ahead of the text will not work
      2. To change the size of the field, type "style" in the Key column and "width: Xem; height: Xem;" in the Value column where X is a number
        1. You can choose to only modify the width or the height if you wish
  5. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. OPTIONAL: This step provides configuration options to display the value of this field on the dashboard
    2. Contact Support@rtvision.com for assistance if you want this set up
  6. Step 4: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  7. Click "Save & Exit"

Creating a New Numeric Data Type

  1. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add"
  3. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. Number (With label after)
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. For Single Select data types, choose "Selection (Single)"
  4. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Choose a Selection Option Group from the list
      1. This is where you want to look for the group name that you used when adding the options
      2. Only values that have the same group name will be added to the data type
    2. You have the ability to add other attributes to the data type in the "Other Attributes" section
      1. To add a label after the field, type "extra" in the Key column and " Your Text Here" in the Value column
        1. Note: The "&nbsp" portion adds a space between the field and the text, just putting a space ahead of the text will not work
  5. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. OPTIONAL: This step provides configuration to display the value of this field on the dashboard
    2. Contact Support@rtvision.com for assistance if you want this set up
  6. Step 4: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  7. Click "Save & Exit"


Creating a New Single Selection Data Type


In order to create a selection data type, the selections available to that data type must first be added to the site under "Selection Options"

  1. Click "Selection Options" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add Selection Option"
  3. Group Name: Determine a group name for the options you want to add
    1. This name should be unique and descriptive
      1. ex. "Septic System Type" or "Variance Request Type"
  4. Display: Enter the text that the user will see when choosing a selection
  5. Value: Enter the value that should be saved in the database
    1. This is usually the same as the Display
  6. Order: Enter a number to determine where in the order this selection should fall
    1. 1 displays at the top, 2 displays after 1, etc.
  7. Valid: Leave this value as "Yes" 


Repeat this until all of the selections you want available have been entered, making sure to keep the group name the same and the order number increasing every time
Once all of the options have been added, go back to the Data Type page

  1. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add"
  3. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. (Single) Septic System Type
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. For Single Select data types, choose "Selection (Single)"
  4. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Choose a Selection Option Group from the list
      1. This is where you want to look for the group name that you used when adding the options
      2. Only values that have the same group name will be added to the data type
    2. You have the ability to add other attributes to the data type in the "Other Attributes" section but the single select does not need additional formatting
  5. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. OPTIONAL: This step provides configuration to display the value of this field on the dashboard
    2. Contact Support@rtvision.com for assistance if you want this set up
  6. Step 4: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  7. Click "Save & Exit"


Creating a New Multiple Selection Data Type

In order to create a selection data type, the selections available to that data type must first be added to the site under "Selection Options"

  1. Click "Selection Options" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add Selection Option"
  3. Group Name: Determine a group name for the options you want to add
    1. This name should be unique and descriptive
      1. ex. "Septic System Type" or "Variance Request Type"
  4. Display: Enter the text that the user will see when choosing a selection
  5. Value: Enter the value that should be saved in the database
    1. This is usually the same as the Display
  6. Order: Enter a number to determine where in the order this selection should fall
    1. 1 displays at the top, 2 displays after 1, etc.
  7. Valid: Leave this value as "Yes"

Repeat this until all of the selections you want available have been entered, making sure to keep the group name the same and the order number increasing every time
Once all of the options have been added, go back to the Data Type page

  1. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add"
  3. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. (Multi) Septic System Type
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. For Multiple Select data types, choose "Selection (Multiple)"
  4. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Choose a Selection Option Group from the list
      1. This is where you want to look for the group name that you used when adding the options
      2. Only values that have the same group name will be added to the data type
    2. OPTIONAL: Choose if you want an applicant to be forced to select a certain amount of options
    3. OPTIONAL: Choose if you want the applicant to be limited in choosing a certain amount of options
    4. You have the ability to add other attributes to the data type in the "Other Attributes" section
      1. By default, the multiple selection data type will take up as much width as it can on the screen
        1. Type "style" in the key column and in the same row type "width: Xem;" in the Value column where X is a number that determines the width. 20 is usually a good place to start.
  5. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. This step is not available for Multiple Selection data types
  6. Step 4: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  7. Click "Save & Exit"

Creating a New Contact Data Type

In order to create a new contact data type, a new Contact Info Setup must be added so that the data type displays the correct fields.

  1. Click "Contact Info Setup" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add Contact Info Setup"
  3. Fill in the fields based on the information you want present in the data type
    Field Labels: If left blank, the field will not show. If the label begins with an asterisk (*), the field will be required, else optional.
    1. Name
      1. Used to differentiate the setups from each other
    2. Profile Notes
      1. These notes show on Signup / Edit Profile pages where a user can set the default information in contact data types
      2. You can use these notes as instructions to users. If blank, the instructions list which App. Types this setup is used in and that if it is filled out, that information will be used instead of the default Profile
      3. You can choose to not show this setup in the Profile by setting this field to HIDE
    3. Name Field Option
      1. Choose between having a single field or separate fields for the contact name
    4. All remaining fields are optional
      1. Fill in a label name if you want the field to show
  4. Click "Add this Contact Info Setup"

After setting this contact up, go back to the Data Types page and create a new Data Type

  1. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  2. Click "Add"
  3. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. Contact Information: Contractor
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. For Contact data types, choose "Contact"
  4. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Choose a Contact Setup from the list
      1. This is where you want to look for the name that you used when filling out the Contact Info Setup
    2. If this contact data type is for the applicant's information, click "Mark as Applicant". For all others, click "Mark As Dynamic".
      1. NOTE: There should be only one applicant contact per application
    3. You have the ability to add other attributes to the data type in the "Other Attributes" section but the contact data type does not need additional formatting
  5. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. Fields of this type may show on the Dashboard if the type attribute is set to applicant and the App. Group has its Contact Setup set.
  6. Step 4: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  7. Click "Save & Exit"


Creating an Axle Table Data Type

To create this data type, you must first set up the customizer table to store the axle data.

  1. Click "Customizer" under the "User" tab
  2. Click "Tables" in the "P.I.M." section
    1. Note: this may not be the name of the section, however, you are looking for the "Applications" table so if P.I.M. is not available, use whichever section has the Application table listed when you click the "Tables" tab.
  3. Click "Subtables" next to the "Applications" table
  4. Click "Add"
  5. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Name
      1. Name the data type
        1. Ex. "Moving Axles"
    2. Special Purpose
      1. Select "Axle Configuration Table"
    3. How to display the records
      1. Select "Edit all rows of list in place"
    4. Where does the geometry come from
      1. Leave set to "Nowhere"
    5. Access Control
      1. Check all four boxes in the row labeled "DEFAULT/User(require login)"
  6. Step 2: "Object ID"
    1. Leave the ObjectID set to the default
  7. Step 3: "Sections"
    1. First Section Label
      1. Ex. "Info"
  8. Step 4: "Fields"
    1. Leave everything at its default
  9. Step 5: "Copy/Track/Version"
    1. Leave everything at its default
  10. Step 6: "Review & Implement"
    1. Click "Implement"
  11. Click "Save & Exit"

After setting up the customizer table, then create the data type.

  1. Click "Administration" under the "User" tab
  2. Click "Data Types" in the "General" section
  3. Click "Add"
  4. Step 1: "Basic"
    1. Enter a name for the data type
      1. Naming conventions can help distinguish data types
      2. ex. "Axle Table: Single Trip"
    2. Choose a base type for the data type
      1. Select "Customizer Editable Subtable"
  5. Step 2: "Attributes"
    1. Customizer Editable Subtable of Applications Table
      1. Select the name of the table you created in the steps above
  6. Step 3: "Lists"
    1. Fields of this type cannot be configured to show on any lists.
  7. Step 4: "Configuration"
    1. This step shows whether or not the customizer table is set up correctly. If everything is listed as "Implemented: yes" you can move on. If not, you will need to go back to step 10 of the guide above.
  8. Step 5: "Preview"
    1. This step allows you to view what this data type will look like to a user
  9. Click "Save & Exit"