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Setting your remote data source

Configuring actions to get the most out of your remote sources.

After reading this article you’ll know how to:

  • Build a new data source block

  • Add action steps connected to your data source

  • Share your block via the Block Store

  • Install the shared block

Multi-entity blocks are the kind of blocks that include specific actions and action steps in their configurations that are called to speed up the development process. A no-coder can build a data source, fill the actions that come along with the data source with action steps and share it as a block via the block store to provide the citizen developer with functional data sources.
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Make sure to check out this video we created on remote data sources as well:

 

Data source configuration

Adding a new data source

1) Open Models overview in the data model section. Find the data sources module on the right and press the New data source button.

2) Choose a data source block from this overview. In our example, we’ll choose the HighQ block. Click on it once to open the detail overview, find the Add data source to application button and press it to proceed. Wait for a moment until the data source is added.

Creating a new model

Now let’s create a model using the newly added HighQ as a data source. Each data source has a set of models within it.

1) Click on New model, then choose HighQ as a data source.

2) The list of available models will appear when you choose a data source. Select the model(s) you need for your particular case and press Add models

 

Note that you can add your own properties if the model from the remote data source is missing it. You can also delete and update the properties of remote data sources, meaning you can fine-tune the models precisely to your own preference.

 

Actions

Pre-defined actions

The new remote data model (ours is called ‘Category’) will appear among other models in the data model overview list. Click on it once to see its details.

Once you've opened our new model, navigate to the 'Actions' tab. Here, you'll find several pre-configured remote model actions designed for database operations on the data source, including the standard CRUD actions (functions) (create, read one/all, update, and delete).

Configuring actions

All of these actions can be opened and configured. Click on one of these and you will be redirected to the action builder canvas page. What you can do here is create an action flow by adding certain functions to the canvas.

In the example provided, we selected the 'Create for remote model category' action and applied a condition that determines whether a record will be created or removed. Configure your action flow based on your specific needs. You can refer to Action step functionality article for guidance.

Warning! The Permission tab does not function for custom remote models. Permissions for remote models must be configured directly within the action

Sharing a data source block

Saving data source as block

After you finish configuring actions, you can share the block via the block store, right with the options we’ve just set.

1) Return to the data model overview and click on your data source.

2) In its detailed overview, press Save as data source block

3) Come up with a different self-explanatory name from the original one. E.g. HighQ w/ Actions. Other options include uploading an image and adding a description - these are optional.

4) Press Save data source block

4) Lastly, to make this block available for certain organizations, manage its visibility and click ‘Release to block store’ when you’re done.

Installing a data source block

After completing the previous configuration, the block is now accessible to builders within your organization or others. This makes it available for installation in the Block Store. Let's explore the installation process.

1) Open the block store and apply filtering by ‘My blocks’.

2) Press Install block

3) Select the organization and application you want this block to be installed.

4) Click on Install block

This effectively outlines the revised method for utilizing multi-entity data source blocks, allowing citizen developers to effortlessly integrate data source blocks with pre-configured action flows into their applications. This approach greatly accelerates the process, as actions previously needed to be configured individually, requiring considerable time and expertise.

In case you need some extra information on sharing and installing different kinds of blocks, we recommend visiting the Block Store section in our documentation.