New Value List

A value list can either be internal or external.

The contents of an internal value list are saved in the document vault database, meaning that the list is used only inside the document vault. An external value list, on the other hand, can be updated from an external database. In this case, you need to define how the server is to retrieve the value list contents from the other database. For example, an employee database running on an external database server can be connected to the M-Files value lists by defining the database connection. Also refer to M-Files Server.

To start creating a new value list:
  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. Expand the Document Vaults node on the left-side tree view.
  3. Expand your document vault node.
  4. Expand Metadata Structure (Flat View).
  5. Select Value Lists.
  6. Select New Value List... via the task pane.

New value list creation dialog.

Allow users to add new values to this list

Turn on this option in order to allow users to add new values to this value list when they are filling in the metadata card. This enables the user to add, for instance, a missing customer value to the value list within the metadata card.

Default permissions for new values

You can specify the users who may view the new values on the value list by default.

Creating a New Value List

Steps

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand the desired connection to M-Files Server.
  3. In the left-side tree view, expand the desired document vault.
  4. Still in the left-side tree view, expand the Metadata Structure (Flat View) node and select the Value Lists node.
  5. Click New Value List... on the task pane.
    The Value List Properties dialog is opened.
  6. In the Name (singular) and Name (plural) fields, enter the name of the new value list respectively in singular (for example, Client) and plural (for example, Clients) forms.
  7. Optional: Check the Allow users to add new values to this list if you want to allow users to add new values to the value list.
  8. From the Default permissions for new values drop-down menu, select the default permissions for new values in this value list.
  9. Optional: On the Advanced tab, set hierarchical relationships for the value list.
    See Advanced for more information.
  10. Optional: On the Permissions tab, you can specify the users who may see this value list or add new values to it.
    See Permissions for more information.
  11. Optional: On the Connection to External Database, set the connection to an external database for importing value list contents from an external database source.
    Connections to external databases for value lists are defined the same way as for object types. See Connection to External Database for more information.
  12. Click OK to finish creating the value list.

Results

The new value list is added to the Value Lists list.

Converting a Value List to an Object Type

Steps

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand the desired connection to M-Files Server.
  3. In the left-side tree view, expand the desired document vault.
  4. Still in the left-side tree view, expand the Metadata Structure (Flat View) node and select the Value Lists node.
  5. From the Value Lists list, select and highlight the value list that you want to convert to an object type.
  6. Click Convert to Object Type on the task pane.
    The Convert to Object Type dialog appears.
  7. You are prompted to confirm that you want to convert the selected value list to an object type. Click Yes.
    Once you have clicked Yes, you cannot undo the conversion.

Results

The selected value list is converted to an object type and removed from the Value Lists list and added to the Object Types list.
© M-Files Corporation 2015
Version 2015.12