Initializer Component
Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
Overview
The Initializer component is one of Unqork's core logic components. Initializers trigger operations based on an end-user End-users are the individuals accessing an application through Express View. In most cases, end-users are the customers using the product.'s interaction with components and modules. Initializer component can be set up to trigger an operation with each new module submission.
Here are some real-world examples of when to use an Initializer component:
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Auto-completing fields when an end-user opens a page or clicks a button.
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Triggering a Plug-In component in a remote execute module.
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Triggering the creation of a time-stamp on a module submission.
While similar, Initializers and Decisions differ in how they handle inputs. A Decisions component relies on specific input values (if an end-user responds yes to a question, the Decision triggers). Initializers, on the other hand, trigger on actions (such as a button-click or a new submission on a page).
To trigger an operation based on an action instead of a value, use the Initializer component.
The clip below is an example of using the Initializer component. On button-click, the Initializer component fires and values output into the Radio Buttons components.
You'll find the Initializer component in the Data & Event Processing group to the left of the Module Builder.
What You'll Learn
After completing this article, you’ll know when to use an Initializer component, how to configure its settings, and how to use it in an Unqork application.
About the Configuration Window
Once you drop a component onto the Module Builder canvas, the following settings windows display:
General
Setting |
Description |
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Property ID |
A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. The Property ID is how the software identifies your component. Using Property IDs lets you link components, creating logic-based configurations and API APIs (application programming interfaces) are a set of protocols and definitions developers use to build and integrate application software. APIs act as the connective tissue between products and services. calls. Property IDs must use camel case A naming convention for computer programming. Use camelCase for Property IDs, for example: newUser, lastName, & rdoButton. (stylized as camelCase) without spaces or punctuation. |
Notes |
Select this tab to display the component's Notes area. You can use notes to keep your teammates informed. The Notes editor offers a semi-WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) content editor. Built to look like a word processor, this editor lets you create, edit, and format your notes. Notes save when saving the component. |
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Select this tab to manage your component's display settings. |
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Select this tab to manage your component's actions settings. |
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Select this tab to manage your component's advanced settings. |
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Select this tab to see the RBAC RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) is a method to control system access for authorized users. The role in RBAC refers to the levels of access employees have to a network. (role-based access control) settings of the component. |
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Assign components one-word labels to help organize, identify, and group the components in your application. Consider an example from the API Specification Snippet: Field Tags are applied to Hidden components in the panelRequest and panelResponse Panels. The Field Tags identify the data type of parameters included in the API APIs (application programming interfaces) are a set of protocols and definitions developers use to build and integrate application software. APIs act as the connective tissue between products and services. request and response. The API Docs Dashboard tool populates with information about each parameter’s data type, identified by the Field Tag. Field Tags act as a type of Property ID A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. group and let you group components for configuration purposes. Field Tags let you target two or more components using a simple logic component. For example, add the Field Tag tagForDecision to multiple components in your module. Open the Inputs table of a Decisions component and reference the tagForDecision Field Tag as the input of the Decisions component. The output of the Decisions component then affects all components with the tagForDecision Field Tag. Save your Field Tags by pressing Enter (Return) or adding a comma after each entry. |
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Select this tab to open the list of supported keyboard shortcuts you can use in the component settings modal. Keyboard shortcuts include:
Additional keyboard shortcuts:
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Select this tab to access the component documentation in Unqork's In-Product Help. |
Cancel |
Click this button to undo any unsaved configuration changes and return to the canvas. |
Save & Close |
Click this button to save all settings as configured and return to the canvas. |
Display Panel
Setting |
Description |
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Canvas Label Text |
Label Text conveys what the input component is and what information it displays. Enter the purpose of the corresponding component or field. User-friendly labels make your module more accessible. Keep labels short and descriptive (a word or two) using title case. For longer entries, use sentence case. |
Actions Panel
Triggers
Setting |
Description |
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Trigger Type |
A drop-down menu showing the following options:
TIP You can trigger Triggers activate another component when certain requirements are met. Trigger types include Concurrent, Post, and Error. Some components do not have the ability to trigger others. Initializers set to New Submission or Edit Submission with a Post Trigger The Post Trigger value fires after a component has completed its action. For example, post triggering a component to display the data received from a Plug-In component's API call. in another component. NOTE When using New and Edit Submission Trigger Types in a workflow, submissions carry through the workflow. The New Submission Trigger Type only works for the first module of a workflow. For subsequent modules, use Edit Submission. |
Inputs Table
The Inputs table is for inputting components that trigger the Initializer component.
Setting |
Description |
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Property ID |
The Property ID column is where you enter inputs that your logic component references. Examples of supported inputs include:
NOTE When using a Trigger Type of Watch, enter all inputs the component must watch for in the Property ID column. TIP You can use dot notation In Unqork, Dot Notation accesses the properties of an object. The object's name comes before the period, and the property comes after. For example, to reference just the City from an Address Search component, you would enter "address.city". to reference values nested under a Property ID in the submission data Also known as Record Data. Submission data consists of information saved by Unqork components. View submission data by using the angular command, or in Record Collections..
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Alias |
To simplify the configuration, give each component an alias. An easy approach is to assign each component a different letter of the alphabet (for example: A, B, C). |
Required |
If By default, this setting is ☐ (unchecked). |
Outputs Table
The Outputs table is for outputting components, and actions you want the Initializer component to perform.
Setting |
Description |
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Property ID |
For your logic component to recognize an output, you must enter the destination component's Property ID(s) here. The Property ID entered must match the Property ID used in the output component. Remember, use camel case A naming convention for computer programming. Use camelCase for Property IDs, for example: newUser, lastName, & rdoButton. (stylized as camelCase) without spaces or punctuation. |
Type |
The following output types are available for your selection:
NOTE The following output Types are not supported or referenced above: Steps, Focus, Pattern, Content, SelectValues, Editable, Hidden, and Clicked. |
Value |
Supporting text or values that work in conjunction with the Output Type selected. If the Type requires custom text (PopMessage or PopError, for example), enter the text here. Otherwise, if the Type needs a yes, no, or GO Value (for example, Required or Trigger), enter that here. |
Advanced Panel
Set Execution
Setting | Description |
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Disable Execution |
If Disable Execution is set to By default, this setting is set to |
Set Debounce |
The number of milliseconds that pass before the module loads this component. This is useful if you have a large module and you load several components at the same time. NOTE 1,000 milliseconds = 1 second. NOTE For an Initializer component, this is how much time passes before triggering. |
Adding an Initializer Component
In this example, you'll learn how to set up an Initializer component without configuring the Input table. Instead of referencing the Input table, your Initializer will watch for new submissions. With each new submission, your Initializer fires the value yes to a series of Radio Buttons.
NOTE These instructions assume that you have an open module saved, and with a title.
What You Need
For this configuration, you need the following components:
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2 Radio Buttons components
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1 Initializer component
Configure the Radio Buttons Components
Start your configuration by adding two Radio Buttons components. These Radio Buttons serve as the output location for the Initializer component.
The first Radio Buttons component to asks the end-user if they completed an application. The second Radio Buttons component asks the end-user if the application was completed less than a month ago.
1. | In the Module Builder, drag and drop two ![]() |
Property ID |
Label Text |
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fillOut |
Did you fill out this application yourself? |
startDate |
Was this application started less than one month ago? |
3. | For each Radio Buttons component, complete the Values table as follows: |
Option Label |
Value to Store in the Submission Data |
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Yes |
yes |
No |
no |
4. | Save & Close each Radio Buttons component as you complete it. |
Configure the Initializer Component
The Initializer component, once triggered, pushes the value yes to each Radio Buttons component. The Initializer component triggers as soon as the module loads. This trigger action occurs based on the selection of the New Submission Trigger Type.
1. | In the Module Builder, drag and drop an ![]() ![]() |
2. | In the Property ID A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. field, enter initNewSubmission. |
5. | In the Outputs Enter outputs components and actions you want the component to perform. table, set the following: |
6. | Click Save & Close. |
7. | Save your module. |
Once configured, click Preview to open your module in Express View Express View is how your end-user views you application. Express View also lets you preview your applications to test your configuration and view the styling. After configuring a module, click Preview in the Module Editor to interact with the module in Express View. Here's how your module displays:
Resources
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Modify the Initializer component using the toolbar settings.
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Set up Checkbox Options to be "true" using an Initializer component.
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Validate fields in a Panel component with an Initializer component.