Solved: Accessing templates from query input types?

arndt · ‎2013-05-17

I'd like my users to be able to select their DNS servers during vfiler creation from a drop down. I could just put the comma separated list of DNS servers in the user input as an "Enum" type, but I will have multiple workflows that need to do this and as such I'd prefer to centralize my list of DNS servers in a template. Is there any way to access the information in a template from a Query input type? Thanks!

Mike

hill · ‎2013-05-18

Hi Mike,

There is no real way for accessing Templates for User Inputs. Just thinking off the top of my head, there are a couple of possibilities, or tips/tricks that might help you:

I think the 'best' answer is also the one that's a little more involved. This would be to create a new datasource that has all of your DNS entries in it. Jeremy has put together a great video on how to do just that. You can check it out here: https://communities.netapp.com/videos/3351#comment-17957
these other options I'm sure you're aware of, but I'll mention them in case others who read this thread are not:
- Create your first workflow and get it working the way you like, clean it up, and tweak the user inputs to meet your needs. Then use that workflow as the base for other workflows, and start by cloning the 'base' workflow and adjust accordingly
- Open multiple browser tabs. One for the "source" workflow, and one for the workflow you're updating. This allows you an easy method for cut & paste.

Again, the 'better' answer is really to get a new datasource based on a file that contains your DNS information. This way later on, you can update the file with more information... re-acquire into WFA... and you won't have to update any of your workflows... they'll automatically pull in the new DNS information after the latest acquisition of that datasource file.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

View solution in original post

hill · ‎2013-05-18

Hi Mike,

There is no real way for accessing Templates for User Inputs. Just thinking off the top of my head, there are a couple of possibilities, or tips/tricks that might help you:

I think the 'best' answer is also the one that's a little more involved. This would be to create a new datasource that has all of your DNS entries in it. Jeremy has put together a great video on how to do just that. You can check it out here: https://communities.netapp.com/videos/3351#comment-17957
these other options I'm sure you're aware of, but I'll mention them in case others who read this thread are not:
- Create your first workflow and get it working the way you like, clean it up, and tweak the user inputs to meet your needs. Then use that workflow as the base for other workflows, and start by cloning the 'base' workflow and adjust accordingly
- Open multiple browser tabs. One for the "source" workflow, and one for the workflow you're updating. This allows you an easy method for cut & paste.

Again, the 'better' answer is really to get a new datasource based on a file that contains your DNS information. This way later on, you can update the file with more information... re-acquire into WFA... and you won't have to update any of your workflows... they'll automatically pull in the new DNS information after the latest acquisition of that datasource file.

Hope this helps,

Kevin

arndt · ‎2013-05-20

That helps, thanks!

bdave · ‎2013-05-20

I like Kevin's first recommendation of creating a new datasource, and as this is being used for user inputs, it works better than suggestions I've made in the past of creating a function for mapping stuff like datacenter to DNS server list or DFM servers. Nice idea, Kevin.