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Step 15: Aggregation Binding Using a Factory Function

Instead of using a single hard-coded template control, we now opt for a factory function to generate different controls based on the data received at runtime. This approach is much more flexible and allows for the display of complex or heterogeneous data.

Preview

A different type of list item is displayed for a discontinued product

The graphic has an explanatory text

Coding

You can view and download all files in the Demo Kit at Data Binding - Step 15.

  1. Create a ProductSimple.fragment.xml file in the view folder. Here, define an sap.m.StandardListItem that is used when the stock level is zero and the product is discontinued. In this simple use case, you only need to define a warning icon and a “Product Discontinued” message in the info property.

    webapp/view/ProductSimple.fragment.xml (New)

    <core:FragmentDefinition
	xmlns="sap.m"
	xmlns:core="sap.ui.core">
	<StandardListItem
		id="productSimple"
		icon="sap-icon://warning"
		title="{products>ProductName} ({products>QuantityPerUnit})"
		info="{i18n>Discontinued}"
		type="Active"
		infoState="Error"
		press=".onItemSelected">
	</StandardListItem>
</core:FragmentDefinition>

  2. Create a new ProductExtended.fragment.xml file in the view folder. In this extended use case, you create an ObjectListItem to display more product details. The properties are bound to the fields of the current data binding context. This allows the use of types, formatters, and all handlers defined in the assigned controller. However, you can’t define more complex logic declaratively in XML. Therefore, we add a single sap.m.ObjectAttribute in a factory function of the controller using JavaScript, which displays an “Out of Stock” message when the stock level is zero.

    webapp/view/ProductExtended.fragment.xml (New)

    <core:FragmentDefinition
	xmlns="sap.m"
	xmlns:core="sap.ui.core"
	core:require="{Currency: 'sap/ui/model/type/Currency'}">
	<ObjectListItem
		id="productExtended"
		title="{products>ProductName} ({products>QuantityPerUnit})"
		number="{
			parts: [
				{path: 'products>UnitPrice'},
				{path: '/currencyCode'}
			],
			type: 'Currency',
			formatOptions : {
				showMeasure : false
			}
		}"
		type="Active"
		numberUnit="{/currencyCode}"
		press=".onItemSelected">
	</ObjectListItem>
</core:FragmentDefinition>

  3. In the App.view.xml file, add an XML namespace for sap.ui.core. Then, remove the items aggregation from the sap.m.List XML element. Add an id attribute to the sap.m.List and include the factory function in the items’ binding definition. Lastly, add the two newly created fragments as dependents to the sap.m.List.

    webapp/view/App.view.xml

    <mvc:View
	controllerName="ui5.databinding.controller.App"
	xmlns="sap.m"
	xmlns:core="sap.ui.core"
	xmlns:form="sap.ui.layout.form"
	xmlns:l="sap.ui.layout"
	xmlns:mvc="sap.ui.core.mvc"
	core:require="{Currency: 'sap/ui/model/type/Currency'}">
...
	<Panel headerText="{i18n>panel3HeaderText}" class="sapUiResponsiveMargin" width="auto">
		<List
			id="ProductList"
			headerText="{i18n>productListTitle}"
			items="{
				path: 'products>/Products',
				factory: '.productListFactory'
			}">
			<dependents>
				<core:Fragment fragmentName="ui5.databinding.view.ProductSimple" type="XML"/>
				<core:Fragment fragmentName="ui5.databinding.view.ProductExtended" type="XML"/>
			</dependents>
		</List>
	</Panel>
...
</mvc:View>

    The sap.m.List that previously held the product list is now just a named, but otherwise empty placeholder. Without a factory function to populate it, this List would always remain empty. As the fragments are declared as dependents, they also inherit the controller of the view. This means that the onItemSelect function of the App.controller.js can still be used in the ProductExtended.fragment.xml.

  4. In the App.controller.js file, add a new import for the sap.m.ObjectAttribute class and create a new function called productListFactory. This factory function returns a control for the associated binding context, similar to the XML templates we’ve defined in the previous steps. The controls returned by this factory function must suit the items aggregation of the sap.m.List object. In this case, it returns either an sap.m.StandardListItem or an sap.m.ObjectListItem based on the data stored in the context of the item to be created.

    webapp/controller/App.controller.js

    sap.ui.define([
	"sap/m/library",
	"sap/m/ObjectAttribute",
	"sap/ui/core/mvc/Controller",
	"sap/ui/model/type/Currency"
], (mobileLibrary, ObjectAttribute, Controller, Currency) => {
	...
		productListFactory(sId, oContext) {
			let oUIControl;
    
			// Decide based on the data which dependent to clone
			if (oContext.getProperty("UnitsInStock") === 0 && oContext.getProperty("Discontinued")) {
				// The item is discontinued, so use a StandardListItem
				oUIControl = this.byId("productSimple").clone(sId);
			} else {
				// The item is available, so we will create an ObjectListItem
				oUIControl = this.byId("productExtended").clone(sId);
    
				// The item is temporarily out of stock, so we will add a status
				if (oContext.getProperty("UnitsInStock") < 1) {
					oUIControl.addAttribute(new ObjectAttribute({
						text : {
							path: "i18n>outOfStock"
						}
					}));
				}
			}
    
			return oUIControl;
		}
    
	});
});

    The function decides which type of control to return by checking the current stock level and whether the product is discontinued. For both options, it loads and clones the respective XML fragment, which allows the view logic to be defined dynamically. If the stock level is zero and the product is discontinued, the ProductSimple XML fragment is used. Otherwise, the ProductExtended XML fragment is used.

    For each item of the list, the corresponding control is cloned. This method creates a fresh copy of a control that can be bound to the context of the list item. Remember, in a factory function you are responsible for the life cycle of the control you create.

    If the product is not discontinued but the stock level is zero, we’re temporarily out of stock. In this case, a single sap.m.ObjectAttribute is added to the cloned control. The “Out of Stock” message is bound to the sap.m.ObjectAttribute’s text property using JavaScript. Like declarative definitions in the XML view or fragments, you can bind properties using data binding syntax. Here, the text is bound to an entry in the resource bundle. Since the sap.m.ObjectAttribute is a child of the list item, it has access to all assigned models and the current binding context.

    Finally, the function returns the control that is then displayed inside the list.

  5. Lastly, add the new texts to the i18n.properties and i18n_de.properties files.

    webapp/i18n/i18n.properties

    ...
# Product Details
...
outOfStock=Out of Stock

    webapp/i18n/i18n_de.properties

    ...
# Product Details
...
outOfStock=Nicht vorr\u00e4tig

Congratulations! You’ve completed the Data Binding tutorial.

Parent topic:Data Binding Tutorial

Next:Step 14: Expression Binding

Related Information

List Binding (Aggregation Binding)

XML Fragments

[Using Factory Functions](../04_Essentials/using-factory-functions-335848a.md “”)

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