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Advanced Techniques for Steps

The power of OpenGround Cloud Data Collector comes when you design workflows using Quicklists, dynamic steps, filtered steps and by linking Steps together.

This section reviews how to use these techniques together to create powerful workflows.

Quicklists or Text?

You can configure a text field in OpenGround Cloud model as a Pick List, Quick List or Text Field.

  1. Use Pick lists when you need to restrict the input to a list of fixed set options. When you use a Pick List the user cannot enter anything that is not on the list and is only allowed to select one item (for example, Angularity or USCS code).
  2. Use Quicklists when parts of the field are common, but a list of all the options in a single list would be too long or impossible. For example, Colour, Delay remarks. Quicklists are based on text fields and there is no restriction on what the user can add.
  3. Use text fields for all other fields.

A Quick List is multiple lists, each with allowable words or phrases. The lists can be displayed to the user in a particular order that reflects the logic of the sentence construct. Selecting a phrase from the right-hand window adds it to the current cursor location in the resulting text field. Categories are groups of lists, and each Quick List can have one or more categories.

Consider using Quick lists for anything that has several repeating options but needs the flexibility to add additional information. For example, standing time remarks is something impossible to come up with a list of all the reasons why the driller may have to wait for something to be completed, but there may be 15 good reasons that are known that could for a quick list for quick entry.

Hiding Headers

The headers needed may depend on the type of object being logging. For example: a Bulk sample does not have a diameter and therefore showing a diameter header is inefficient and could confuse the user.

A Header has a "Hide if" property that allows it to be hidden from the Step if one or more conditions is true.

Header Expression Result
Sample Diameter [Type] <>'U' Only show diameter if the type is U
Sample Base in ([Type] ,'U', 'P') Hide the base depth if the sample type is U or P
Sample Diameter isnull([Type]) Hide sample diameter if there is no Type defined
Sample Diameter not in([Type], 'U', 'UF', 'TW','TWF','P','PF','U/38') Show the diameter if the Type is U, UF, TW, TWF, P PF or U/38. Note the use of NOT turns the expression from a "hide if" into a "show if"
Sample Diameter isnull([Type]) or not in([Type], 'U', 'UF', 'TW','TWF','P','PF','U/38') Combine the last two - Show if the Type is U, UF, TW, TWF, P PF or U/38 and don't show if there is nothing defined.
Note: When using single quotes in an expression, they must be straight quotes, the ones generated directly from the keyboard. If you have cut and paste the expression from Word or the user guide, they may have been converted to the curly quotes and will not work.

Additional Hide If expressions can be found on the following communities: https://communities.bentley.com/products/geotechnical1/w/wiki/51297

Filtered Steps

Filtered Steps show a subset of object types. They enable the counts and summary grid displays to show information for the subset group only. For example, a Step designed to add Bulk Samples should have a filter set so that the count next to the item only shows the number of Bulk samples.

When writing filters the field names should be in Square brackets without spaces and any text should be in single quotes (as shown in the examples below).

Example Filter Result
[ReadingType]= 'GM' Only show reading for reading type GMS
[Type]='B' Only show Bulk samples

A step set up for filtering should also have the default values set for the headings that are filtered. Then when a user adds a sample to the B filtered list the sample type is set to B automatically.

Linking Steps Together

Once a step has been saved then it is possible to immediately launch another step and pass parameters through to the new step. 

Below are a few examples to help you understand how steps can be linked together. More examples can be found on the workflow section on communities.

Description Count Parameters Passed When to use.
Add 2 more records of the same type 2 Date and Time could be passed to help if recording is not being done in real time. Once you set the first date time then the other two readings will have the same time. For adding a pocket penetrometer reading and then adding two more to give you the required 3 readings.
Add another sample 1 Sample type could be passed, together with incremented sample reference number. If it is common practice to lay all samples out and then log them all together in a sample store.
Adding 5 water strike details after logging a water strike 5 None - all defaults will be set on the original form Useful for UK users that need to record water height at 5 min intervals for 25 mins.
Add a sample after conducting an Insitu test Set the top of the sample to the top of the insitu test and the base depth equation to the top of the test + the penetration Useful for UK SPT test
Note: When using single quotes in an expression, they must be straight quotes, the ones generated directly from the keyboard. If you have cut and paste the expression from Word or the user guide, they may have been converted to the curly quotes and will not work.

Additional Hide If expressions can be found on the following communities https://communities.bentley.com/products/geotechnical1/w/wiki/51297

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