JSGrid Basics

JSGrid is the javascript framework in SharePoint used in Quick Edit View (previously Datasheet View). There are a few very good blog posts on this topic (See below in “Sources”). Nevertheless the fact is that jsgrid and working with quick edit from a developer’s perspective is a huge undiscovered area. Articles I have seen are intended for advanced developers. The goal with my post today is to outline the very basics of working with JSGrid. When you know the basics you will be more comfortable to discover and try out more.

The example I want to show is a jsgrid code for a “VerySimpleColumn”. The source code can be found on gist.github.com: https://gist.github.com/mirontoli/838d60df76107fac56a0 To focus on jsgrid, I assume you have knowledge and some experience of working with jslink, which is related to jsgrid.

A word of caution before we start

JSGrid is an undocumented part of SharePoint javascript “ecosystem”, neither it is a part of the official SharePoint javascript api. So actually we should not use it. On the other hand JSGrid indicates something that is more like a full-fledged javascript api because:

  1. It seems to be carefully prepared (all possible situations are covered)
  2. The api is human-readable. The events and properties are called OnBeginEdit, OnEndEdit, Focus, BindToCell and so on (opposed to the properties in the SP.Microfeed.js like $v_1, $v_2)
  3. It follows many best-practices for handling the UI in javascript, eventhough some constructs are clumsy, e.g. using absolute-positioned overlays on top of original table cells while editing a cell value.

So to me it seems quite okay to use it in real applications, but we have to live with the risk that the jsgrid api will be changed without any notice to us developers.

Set up a site column with a custom jslink

The first step is to set up everything so we can start discovering jsgrid. It is just a walkthrough, not a detailed explanation. If you are eager to look at jsgrid, jump directly to that section. In this example we’ll apply a jslink to a custom site column. The very same jslink will be used in jsgrid, too.

First of all add a new Site Column, call it VerySimpleColumn. The type is Multiple lines of text:

jsgrid-001

Let us put it in a new group: Tolle Columns (beautiful, huh?)

jsgrid-002

 

Three lines of plain text. Nothing extravagant.

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After that we can verify that the column exists. Fine.

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Now we have to update the jslink property for the new column. Make it in an app:

jsgrid-005

Now add a custom list, call it “TolleList”:

jsgrid-006

 

In the List Settings add the new site column, then you’ll see this:

jsgrid-007

 

Now upload an empty js file to the Style Library, call it field.jslink.verysimplecolumn.js:

jsgrid-008

 

It goes so fast :) Now it is time to implement some jslink code

Writing jslink

I’ve been thinking a while. What example could I use for that jslink? I want it to be a very simple example, so we don’t need to concentrate on actual rendering logic. You can see sophisticated examples that I listed below in “Sources”. Here we will be using this example: We’ll append a text to the field value: “This field is fully controlled by jslink”. This text should be visible on all forms, but it is not a part of the actual field value. Well here it is:

jsgrid-009

The code should appear simple for us who have written at least some jslink code.

This is how it looks like in the DispForm:

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JSGrid. First Step: Disable the field in Quick Edit

Now we are ready to handle the Quick Edit. What we’ll do first is to disable editing our column. Why? Let’s say we have some complicated logic for rendering and editing of our field, we don’t the quick edit override it. So before we start implementing the QuickEdit part of the field, we want to disable it. Here, perhaps, ends the implementation of Quick Edit for some business cases.

jsgrid-011

To determine the Quick Edit we can use the propery of ther Render Context called inGridMode. The Quick Edit list uses the “View” template:

Wiring up a jsgrid EditControl

When our code works in all forms and the values are not “damaged” in the Quick Edit View, then the next step is to create an Edit Control that is used by the jsgrid “engine”. The very minimal Edit Control object is as follows. It contains a few event listeners and properties:

This edit control is created and returned in a function that is called: createVerySimpleColumnGridEditControl.

Now we have to register our Edit Control when jsgrid is ready. We have to write a callback function and invoke SP.GanttControl.WaitForGanttCreation. Inside the callback function we register our Edit Control for our field: SP.JsGrid.PropertyType.Utils.RegisterEditControl

In our first version of the Edit Control we only log the event names to the web browser console. It works.

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Implementing the actual editing

When working on this I did small changes to these events and tried it out in the web browser. I’d recommend it to you, too. Trying out is the best way of learning. Here comes the functions that we need to have to implement:

  • createVerySimpleColumnGridEditControl (“constructor”). Here we initialize the edit control
  • bindToCell. Here we get the cellContext that we save as a “private” variable on that Edit Control object. The cell context is needed to get and set the field value.
  • focus. Here we define what element should be focused. In this case we forward the focus event to the actual input
  • onBeginEdit. Here we show the Edit Control and make it editable.
  • onEndEdit. Here we save the field value and hide the edit control.

jsgrid-013

Some notes on the Edit Control and Events

The Edit Control has a “container” – a html element that contains the representation of the field in edit mode. The Edit Control Container is an overlay – an absolutely-positioned element that exists outside the actual listview. We must set the position and we are responsible for hiding it when the field is not edited:

We also need to set the dimensions of the edit control container. It is quite easy using the information from cellContext:

In OnBeginEdit we have to show the container, and in OnEndEdit we have to hide it

We have to save the value using the cellContext.

Final code

Summary

Well, jsgrid is quite complicated. I have tried to keep it as simple and minimalistic as possible. When we can these basics, we can move on and master advanced examples where we can deliver high value to business that loves Quick Edit :)

Sources

Interesting, Anton, Andrey and me are born in Sovyet and are interested in JSGrid. Coincidence? :)

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