Seed Instances

Sometimes there is a need to provide application with predefined data instances. For example, you might need to introduce a fixed list of supported document types or categories. In such a case it is preferable to define them in a builder and automatically seed to application during build and deploy. 

Furthermore this approach could be not just preferable, but required if you have some logic depending on these predefined document types and need to refer them in custom code. For example, you might want to process a document somehow differently depending on whether it is generated internally in your company or has come from outside. For this reason you could create a 'Directory' data type and add a number of seed instances, for example, entitled 'Internal', 'National' and 'International'. You can add these instances directly from the data type details page.

Note: Creating and editing of data instances in App Builder and application may look similar but internally it is implemented in significantly different way. Some functionality available in application is not supported in App Builder. Blocks are not executed in App Builder. So if you have events or business logic (for example, custom data validation) defined for data type, do not expect them to function in App Builder when you manipulate data type instances.

It is possible to specify that the data type instances created in App Builder should be read-only in application. To do so, go to the data type editor page and set on the "Seed instances are read-only in application" option.

The process of transferring the predefined data instances to application is not straightforward. In same cases you may want to keep the changes that you have made in application, while in others it may be necessary to update the instances with the latest data from Builder. To manage this logic you may use the options provided during the deployment. Look at the "Build and Deploy" section for details.