The BO Function Handler

reviewed: 22 February 2025

The second-most important function handler is no doubt the BO function handler (the most important handler is the default handler).

Typical Scenarios

Creating a new BO

The following sequence is typically how you create a new instance of a BO.

bo.create() will create and return a handle to a new BO for a given entity.
bo.reset() will reset all attributes of a BO to their default value
bo.setAutomatics() will assign a new value to each attribute of type automatic

    set( 'client', bo.create( 'client' ) )
    bo.reset( [client] )
    bo.setAutomatics( [client] )

You can set attribute values using bo.setAttr():

    bo.setAttr( [client], 'firstName', 'Bertus' )
    bo.setAttr( [client], 'surName', 'Dispa' )

And you can insert a newly created BO into the database using bo.insert():

    bo.insert( [client] )

Loading and Updating a BO

function doTest()

    // Load client with PK 10
    set( 'client', bo.quickLoad( 'client', 10 ) )

    // Set firstName
    bo.setAttr( [client], 'firstName', 'B' )

    // Update
    bo.update( [client] )

end-function

Get / Set Attribute Values

Function	Use	Details
anyNotNull	`anyNotNull(bo, group)`	Returns True if any attribute in the given group has a non-null value; Else False
anyNull	`anyNull(bo, group)`	Returns True if any attribute in the given group has a null value; Else False
attr	`attr(bo, name)`	Retrieve an attribute value from a business object
attrFormatted	`attrFormatted(bo, name, [culture])`	Retrieve a formatted attribute value from a business object
attrFormattedGroup	`attrFormattedGroup(bo, group)`	Retrieve a formatted group of attribute values from a business object
bo2bo	`bo2bo(from, to, group)`	Copy attributes from one business object to another
label	`label(bo, [pk])`	Get the Label group value of a business object from context or by pk
nameValuePairs	`nameValuePairs(bo, group)`	Returns a list of attributes and values from a business object
pk	`pk(bo)`	Returns the business objects Primary Key value
reset	`reset(bo, [group])`	Reset a business object; sets the attributes to their default value.
setAttr	`setAttr(bo, name, value)`	Set the value of a business object attribute
setAutomatics	`setAutomatics(bo, [group])`	Set automatics of a business object.
setTestData	`setTestData(bo, [group])`	Set the test data values of a business object.
valueString	`valueString(bo, group, [pk])`	Get the value string for given BO and given group or for BO loaded by given PK

Database Routines

Function	Use	Details
avg	`avg(bo, group, [where])`	Get the average value of the given attribute(s)
count	`count(bo, [where])`	Count business objects instances in the database
delete	`delete(bo, [where])`	Delete a business object from the data source
disconnectWhereClause	`disconnectWhereClause(bo, where)`	Disconnect a where clause from the context
ensureLoad	`ensureLoad(bo, group)`	Ensure that all attributes in group are loaded
exists	`exists(bo, where)`	Determines if a business object exists in the data source
insert	`insert(bo)`	Insert a business object into the data source
load	`load(bo, group, where, [orderBy])`	Load a business object from the data source
loadFK	`loadFK(bo, attribute, [group])`	Load the foreign key business object for the given attribute
max	`max(bo, group, [where])`	Get the maximum value of the given attribute(s)
min	`min(bo, group, [where])`	Get the minimum value of the given attribute(s)
notExists	`notExists(bo, where)`	Determines if a business object does not exist in the data source
persist	`persist(bo)`	Persist a business object into the data source
quickLoad	`quickLoad(entity, value, [attribute], [group])`	Load a business object from the data source
sum	`sum(bo, group, [where])`	Sum the value of the given attribute(s)
tryLoad	`tryLoad(entity, where, group, context, [orderBy])`	Try and load a business object
update	`update(bo, [group], [where])`	Update a business object
writeAudit	`writeAudit(bo, audit, [group])`	Write an audit for the given business object

Conversion Functions

Function	Use	Details
bo2json	`bo2json(bo, [group])`	Serialize a business object to JSON
bo2pb	`bo2pb(bo, [group])`	Serialize a business object to a property bag
bo2xml	`bo2xml(bo, [group])`	Serialize a business object to XML
json2bo	`json2bo(json, [group])`	Deserialize JSON to a business object
pb2bo	`pb2bo(bag, [group])`	Deserialize a property bag to a business object
xml2bo	`xml2bo(xml, [group])`	Deserialize XML to a business object

Live BO's

Function	Use	Details
create	`create(entity)`	Create a business object
inContext	`inContext(name, [pk], [entity])`	Check whether a business object exists in context
login	`login()`	Gets the current user login business object
session	`session()`	Gets the current session business object
user	`user()`	Gets the current user business object

Methods and Conditions

Function	Use	Details
invoke	`invoke(bo, function, [{parameters}])`	Invoke a business object function
is	`is(bo, condition, [{parameters}])`	Determine if a business object meets a condition

Miscelleanous

Function	Use	Details
addAttrError	`addAttrError(bo, name, message)`	Add an error to the business objects context
addError	`addError(bo, message)`	Add an error to the business objects context
attrPersistStatus	`attrPersistStatus(bo, name)`	Retrieve the persist status of an attribute for a given business object
canDelete	`canDelete(bo)`	Determines if the business object can be deleted
canInsert	`canInsert(bo)`	Determines if the business object can be inserted
canSelect	`canSelect(bo)`	Determines if the business object can be loaded
canUpdate	`canUpdate(bo)`	Determines if the business object can be updated
errors	`errors(bo)`	Gets a business objects context errors
getAlias	`getAlias(bo)`	Gets a business objects alias
inError	`inError(bo)`	Determines if a business object has errors
setAlias	`setAlias(bo, alias)`	Set a business objects alias
zXRqd	`zXRqd(bo)`	Determines if a business object is required for system data If the business object has the zXRqd attribute and its value is True, then True; else False

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