Question on if() function's documented functionality

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

vasilisg — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 18:39:00 GMT

sorry I made a syntax error:

choose(wherecontains(a,{6,12,40,45}),
"a is 6",
           "a is 12",
           "a is 40",
           "a is 45")

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

vasilisg — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 18:37:36 GMT

Well when nested if's check the same variable then it can be transformed into a switch case using the choose function, for example the following:

if(a=6,"a is 6",if(a=12,"a is 12",if(a=40,"a is 40",if(a=45,"a is 45",null))))

can be replaced with a more readable format like:

choose(wherecontains(a),{6,12,40,45},
"a is 6",
           "a is 12",
           "a is 40",
           "a is 45"
)

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

John Rogers — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:05:11 GMT

Phil,
I'd be interested to hear about the best practices violations you've mentioned finding. The Send Task model shares the same layout as the other process models, so I'm not sure what you're referring to in that case.

Some of the objects do not have descriptions because they would have been redundant with the object name. There are a few legitimately missing descriptions, which we're in the process of adding, but not in the process models.

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

PhilB — Wed, 18 May 2016 18:05:17 GMT

Actually, in addition two of them don't have descriptions - another best practice breach.

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

PhilB — Wed, 18 May 2016 18:03:08 GMT

From a quick look they seem ok, except the Send Task process model, which doesn't quite maintain left-to-right flow.

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

John Stretton — Wed, 18 May 2016 17:55:22 GMT

Phil, what about the process models produced by a Quick App? Do they adhere to best practices?

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

PhilB — Wed, 18 May 2016 17:44:54 GMT

John, I noted the same. Frankly, I'm quite disappointed - unimpressed, even - with the quality of the code that is produced by a Quick App; it certainly wouldn't pass any code reviews, and in places breaches Appian's own coding standards and best practices. I'll probably compile a list of what I see is wrong at some point, but right now it'll take too long!

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

John Stretton — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:21:41 GMT

Thanks, Matt. Glad I asked -- it's so useful that I was about to start implementing it in several places!

RE: Question on if() function's documented functionality

Matt Hilliard — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:14:59 GMT

John, thanks for asking about this. Using more than three parameters with if() is not supported. The fact that Quick Apps generates rules that do this is an oversight that will be corrected in a hotfix.

We're very aware that having to nest if() functions to achieve if/elseif/else behavior is not ideal. We're currently exploring ways to provide a better design experience for conditionals in a future release.