A property set is a collection of controls, settings or options used to configure a third-party application. A property set usually combines a large number of options and it vastly simplifies the user interface required in Switch for configuring the application because it can be referred to as a single entity.
Depending on how a property set is stored by the third-party application, Switch keeps a different type of reference to the property set – as illustrated in the following table.
Storage model |
Reference in Switch |
Stored in exported flow |
|---|---|---|
As a regular file anywhere in the file system |
Absolute file path |
Full copy of the file |
In an open repository (folder) controlled by the third-party application but directly accessible to Switch as a regular file |
Absolute file path |
Full copy of the file |
In a private repository (database) controlled by the third-party application and only accessible by Switch by name and through the third-party application |
Name |
Name |
Some applications support multiple storage models for the same property (that is, the property can be specified as a named repository item or as a file path). Switch configurators can easily accommodate this by providing multiple property editors for the property.
Switch allows a choice between browsing for a file (the first storage model) or selecting from a list of names (the second and third storage models). Note that there is no way to show a tree structure; only a linear list of names.
The following table describes the implementation mechanism and the cooperation required from the third-party application depending on the storage model.
Storage model |
Action in Switch |
Implemented through |
Cooperation required from application |
|---|---|---|---|
As a regular file in the file system |
Allow the user to browse the file system for a property set |
"Choose file" property editor |
"Choose file" property editor |
In an open repository as a regular file |
List all of the appropriate files in the repository folder and show them in a dialog after stripping the filename extension |
"Select from library" property editor with getLibraryForProperty entry point that iterates over the repository folder |
Document the location of the repository folder |
In a private repository, by name |
Request the list of names from the third-party application and show them in a dialog box |
"Select from library" property editor with getLibraryForProperty entry point that interacts with the third-party application |
Provide a run-time mechanism to retrieve the list of names on request |