Upload Attachments Interface Backed By Action

Why do you need the refresh button? I tried your code (with a few mods) and it refreshes automatically.

a!localVariables(
  local!readonly: false,
  local!existingFolderId: cons!S_FOLDER_UPLOAD,
  local!existingAttachments: a!refreshVariable(
    value: if(
      a!isNullOrEmpty(local!existingFolderId),
      null,
      folder(
        local!existingFolderId,
        "documentChildren"
      )
    ),
    refreshAfter: "RECORD_ACTION"
  ),
  local!existingAttachmentData: a!refreshVariable(
    value: a!forEach(
      items: local!existingAttachments,
      expression: {
        /*custom dictionary for document properties*/
        name: document(fv!item, "name"),
        dateCreated: document(fv!item, "dateCreated"),
        lastModifiedBy: left(document(fv!item, "lastUserToModify"), 7),
        size: document(fv!item, "size")
      }
    ),
    refreshafter: "RECORD_ACTION"
  ),
  a!columnsLayout(
    columns: {
      a!columnLayout(
        contents: {
          a!gridField(
            label: "Existing Attachments",
            instructions: if(
              local!readonly = true,
              "",
              "Newly added attachments may be delayed showing below, please use the refresh button."
            ),
            data: local!existingAttachmentData,
            columns: {
              a!gridColumn(
                label: "Name",
                sortField: "name",
                value: a!linkField(
                  links: a!documentDownloadLink(
                    label: fv!row.name,
                    document: local!existingAttachments[fv!identifier]
                  )
                )
              ),
              a!gridColumn(
                label: "Date-Time Uploaded",
                sortField: "dateCreated",
                value: if(
                  isnull(fv!row.dateCreated),
                  "",
                  todatetime(fv!row.dateCreated)
                )
              ),
              a!gridColumn(
                label: "File Size",
                sortField: "size",
                value: round(todecimal(fv!row.size) / 1024) & " KB"
              )
            },
            initialSorts: {
              a!sortInfo(field: "dateCreated", ascending: false)
            },
            pageSize: 5
          ),
          a!sideBySideLayout(
            items: {
              a!sideBySideItem(
                item: a!recordActionField(
                  align: "END",
                  actions: {
                    a!recordActionItem(
                      action: 'recordType!{782cfd87-9585-410b-a55f-844c12b7beb1}S_Client.actions.{e9710958-2828-4798-8067-69b61309ccd6}uploadDoc'
                    )
                  }
                )
              )
            }
          )
        }
      )
    }
  )
)

When I upload the initial attachment, it does not show up on the grid, regardless of chaining the process model. :( 

Can you show your Process Model?

Thank you for your time in advance. 

Assuming the initial document is also creating the folder, as seen in your process flow, when the action is completed, the "existing attachments" is set to refresh after RECORD_ACTION, but the "existing folder" is not, so it will stay null, so "existing attachments" will automatically evaluate to null also.

The simple solution is to also make local!existingFolderId a "refresh variable" with "record_action" refreshAfter, so the folder ID will populate, so the attachment variable will populate.

Would make sense given that when I tried to reproduce that I had hard coded the folder id. Wasn't aware if was being created dynamically.

I've attempted to set the local!existingFolderId a "refresh variable" with "record_action" refreshAfter but unfortunately, even when the user clicks refresh then uploads an attachment, it does not populate. Any other suggestions?

cindyl5142 said:

I've attempted to set the local!existingFolderId a "refresh variable" with "record_action" refreshAfter

When you test from the interface designer, is the Folder ID getting populated after the action is completed, or no?

cindyl5142 said:

I've attempted to set the local!existingFolderId a "refresh variable" with "record_action" refreshAfter

When you test from the interface designer, is the Folder ID getting populated after the action is completed, or no?

No, it is populated after I refresh.

cindyl5142 said:

after I refresh

So not automatically after the action is complete?

What is in `rule!FRR_GET_requestFolder()`?

a!localVariables(
  local!search: findcontentbyattribute(
    searchAllContent: false,
    contentType: "folder",
    attributeName: "name",
    /*    change folder prefix*/
    searchCriteria: cons!FRR_TXT_FOLDER_PREFIX & ri!requestId,
    rootFolder: cons!FRR_FOLDER_RECORD_ATTACHMENTS
  ),
  if(
    a!isNotNullOrEmpty(local!search),
    tofolder(split(local!search, ":")[2]),
    null
  )
)

Thats correct. It only automatically populates after the first attachment is in the grid

I think your Expression Rule is the culprit.  Remember that Appian essentially flattens all levels of code (from parent and child forms as well as expression rules) when it runs, so a variable within an expression rule will (unintuitively) go stale even when the parent form is expected to refresh it. 

Refresh Variables are automatically set to "refresh on referenced variable change" as TRUE and all other refresh parameters as FALSE (or empty), so take that into account.  For now, please try setting local!search to a Refresh Variable with the "RECORD_ACTION" refreshAfter, like your on-form variables.  If that doesn't work, I have an alternative trick that can force it to refresh, though it's more involved and less simple, so try this way first.

It worked!! Youre the best. Thank you!!

great, thanks for confirming/verifying