Guides on mobile devices

You can display a Guide that is based on an data model (FML) on mobile devices. Guides based on an XDP or PDF forms are not supported on mobile devices.

The data model (FML) logic exists only on the server. The mobile device communicates with the server to update the HTML form with the latest calculations. When the Guide is submitted, the data is validated against the data model (FML).

When a Guide is displayed on mobile devices, it uses a one-column layout. The entire Guide appears in a single panel, and does not use previous and next buttons.

To create a Guide for use on mobile devices, select the Guide Runs On Mobile Devices icon in the Workbench toolbar or Guides menu. The Data Model, Guide Tree, and Problems views identify any items that are not compatible with mobile devices. The Preview button includes an option to preview a simulation of the Guide on a mobile device. The Guide Runs On Mobile Devices setting and the selected preview target are saved with the Guide.

  1. Open a Guide that is based on an data model (FML).

  2. Do one of the following:

    • In the toolbar, click the Guide Runs On Mobile Devices icon.

    • Select Guides > Guide Runs On Mobile Devices.

Make an existing Guide compatible with mobile devices

To make an existing Guide compatible with mobile devices, open the Guide and save it. If you have not changed the Guide, use the Save As option.

You can make a Guide that was created with an older version of Workbench compatible with mobile devices. You cannot make Guides that are based on an XDP or PDF form compatible with mobile devices.

Guide compatibility with mobile devices

The Data Model, Guide Tree, and Problems views identify items that are not compatible with mobile devices.

To make a Guide compatible with mobile devices, follow these guidelines:

  • The Guide must be based on an data model (FML). Guides based on XDP or PDF forms are not supported on mobile devices.

  • The Guide must not reference any data model property that issues an ActionScript® service request.

  • Avoid using custom controls. Fields that use custom controls are ignored and replaced with a default text input field. The Guide can be rendered on a mobile device if custom controls are used. However, a warning appears in the Guide Tree and Problems views.

  • Panel item events (onEnter, onExit, onChange) are ignored on mobile devices.

You cannot create a Guides mobile startpoint when any of the following conditions apply:

  • The Guide is based on an XDP or PDF form.

  • The Guide uses ActionScript services.

  • The Guide was created in an older version of Workbench or Designer, and it has not been resaved in the current version of Workbench.

Supported Guide controls, properties, and events

The following tables identify which controls, properties, and events are supported when Guides are displayed on mobile devices.

Guide properties on mobile devices

Guide property

Supported

Guide Title

Yes

Guide Extensions

No

Guide layout

No

Mobile style sheets create a layout for the Guide.

Guide style

No

Mobile style sheets provide the style for the Guide.

Start-up effect

No

Panel transition

No

Preview data

Yes

You can provide data for previewing the Guide on a mobile device.

Document-style presentation

No

When to validate

Partial

Guides displayed on mobile devices validate only on submit.

Guide Help

No

Section properties on mobile devices

Section property

Supported

Section title

Yes

Repeat based on

Yes

Panel properties on mobile devices

Panel property

Supported

Panel title

Yes

Repeat based on

Yes

The repeating panels are rendered, and controls to add, remove, or copy are provided only for repeater layouts. One or more records must exist. The last record of a repeating set cannot be deleted. If a repeating set in the incoming data is empty, an empty record is created.

Repeating label

No

Default caption width

No

Displayed

Yes

Display rules are evaluated on the server at render time or during an update.

Read-only

Yes

Evaluated on the server at render time.

Required

Yes

Evaluated on the server at render time.

Panel Help

No

Help video

No

Panel layouts on mobile devices

Panel layouts

Supported

Display PDF

No

PDF is not displayed. Any items are rendered as a single column.

Display document

No

The document is not displayed. Any items are rendered as a single column.

Model viewer

No

Multicolumn

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column.

Nested panels

No

Items are rendered as a single column. Use the Nested Panel component instead.

One-column

Yes

Two-column

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column.

Pie chart - horizontal

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column. No pie chart is displayed.

Repeater accordion

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column, repeating groups are tiled and the selected group has Add, Copy, and Remove buttons.

Repeater tab

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column, repeating groups are tiled and the selected group has Add, Copy, and Remove buttons.

Repeater grid

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column, repeating groups are tiled and the selected group has Add, Copy, and Remove buttons.

Variable column

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column.

Custom layout

Partial

Items are rendered as a single column, and no logic from the custom layout is used.

Fields controls on mobile devices

The field controls are options in the Control Type > Display As list in the Guide Properties view.

Field control

Supported

Text

Yes

Rich text is translated to XHTML, and images are supported.

TextInput

Yes

Button

Yes

Buttons on the Guide cause a round-trip to the server, where the model is reloaded and recalculated based on the current state of the form.

Checkbox

Yes

CheckBoxList

Yes

The checkbox list is rendered vertically.

Date field

Yes

Either a calendar or a drop-down list type of date picker is used.

Drop-down list

Yes

Horizontal slider

Partial

Represented by a text input, although some devices display a slider.

HRule

No

Image field

Yes

The image must be base64-encoded in the data. Picking the image from the phone camera is not supported.

List box

Yes

Nested panel

Yes

The items in the nested panel are rendered inline into the parent panel.

Numeric stepper

Partial

Represented by a text input.

Radio button

Yes

Radio button list

Yes

Static list

Yes

Static text multiline

Yes

Submit Guide button

Yes

Text area

Yes

Text input

Yes

Text input comb

Partial

Represented by a text input.

Text input mask

Partial

Represented by a text input.

Text input symbol

Yes

Vertical slider

Partial

Represented by a text input.

Custom control

Partial

Represented by a text input.

Field properties on mobile devices

Field property

Supported

Data source

Yes

The control binds to the data model (FML) on the server.

Caption

Yes

Evaluated on the server at render time.

Position

No

The style sheet for the mobile device controls the caption position.

Style

No

The mobile style sheets are used.

Caption width

No

Controlled by the mobile device style sheet.

Display format

Yes

Formatting is done on the mobile device using the client locale. The client locale is not used when previewing the Guide for mobile devices.

Width

No

Supported for images. Other controls use the setting from the mobile device-specific style sheet.

Height

No

Supported for images. Other controls use the setting from the mobile device-specific style sheet.

Displayed

Yes

Evaluated on the server during render or server update.

Read-only

Yes

Evaluated during render.

Field Help

Partial

The text is used as the title of the HTML control. Help images and hyperlinks are not supported.

Advanced properties on mobile devices

Advanced property

Supported

displayAsPassword

Yes

Supported for text input controls.

maxChars

Yes

Supported for text input controls.

Events on mobile devices

Event

Supported

onEnter

No

onExit

No

onChange

No

onActivate

Partial

Any command button causes a server update. The name of the clicked button is passed to the server. There is a default command button on the chrome that also causes a server update.

Data model items on mobile devices

Data model items

Supported

List source

Yes

Server only

Rules

Yes

Server only

Binding

Yes

Server only

XMLService

Yes

Server only

Custom ActionScript service

No

Add custom logic as part of the prefill service or by overriding the submit process. The submit process can use two input parameters, type and event. The event parameter contains information about what control and event triggered the update.

Data model item properties on mobile devices

Data model item property

Supported

Retrieve data

Partial

Services are executed on the server during render and update, when the When condition is satisfied.

Copy to

Yes

Evaluated on the server during render or update.

Parameters

Yes

Evaluated on the server during render or update.

Previewing a Guide for mobile devices

You can preview a simulation of the Guide on several mobile devices. You cannot preview a Guide that contains errors.

When you select the Guide Runs On Mobile Devices option, the Preview button includes a Mobile option. Selecting the Mobile option opens a browser window where you can select a mobile device for preview. The browser displays the Guide in the screen area of the selected mobile device.

The preview is a simulation that uses the same HTML and CSS standards as the actual devices. However, each browser used for previewing has a different level of support for these standards.

  1. In the toolbar, select the Guide Runs On Mobile Devices icon.

  2. In the editor, click Preview, and then select Mobile.

  3. Select a mobile device to preview the Guide on.

The last preview selection is saved with the Guide.