Viewing
the Search ResultsUse this portlet to change or set the value of global portal variables. Global portal variables are the ones that control behavior of portlets (for example setting an identifier of the customer whose data we will display). Their values can be either explicitly specified in portal's query string or written to/read from portal profile. The "Define Globals" portlet will not write anything to the profile but change portal's query string instead, so if you open the portal a second time, old values are used. The names and values of global variables depend on the specific portlet implementations (e.g. " Bulletin Board" portlet uses TOPIC_ID variable to decide which bulletin board's messages we want to edit) so you need to know this before using "Define Globals".
This portlet can be treated as an example and is applicable only when available values can be obtained by issuing a simple select statement to the database view (e.g. SELECT CUSTOMER_ID FROM CUSTOMER_INFO). One might imagine more complex mechanisms than select statement to decide what values are applicable.
Viewing
the Search ResultsThe portlet will display values of global variable field and description (see customizing this portlet) from the view (View Name parameter) that fulfill the optional where statement. The headings of the columns will be aliases specified on Customize page if they have been specified or column names otherwise. Once a Global variable is selected a new message "Clear defined Global variable" is displayed. It is possible to clear the selected Global variable by clicking this link.
Customizing
this PortletUsing the Customize page, you can specify the titles for your portlet in both maximized and minimized modes. Additionally you specify the following:
Global Variable Name: the name of the portal global variable that you want to change. All portlets on your portal, that use this variable will be affected.
Global Variable Field: actual name and alias ( to display on this portlet ) for the database view's column that contains available values for your global variable.
Global Variable Description Field: actual name and alias ( to display on this portlet ) for the database view's column that contains descriptions of available values for your global variable.
View Name: the name of the view to select available values from.
Where Clause: where clause to filter the values that will be available for the user.