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singh_rahu
Contributor
Contributor

How to map field type Search Box with entity type: String while creating an XaaS Blueprint Form in vRealize Automation

I am creating an XaaS Blueprint form in vRA. I want to add a field in the form which needs to be of type "Search box". I want to provide some predefined values using an action element in vRealize Orchestrator. Now, this action element returns the output of array/string type. But, I can't find any way in XaaS blueprint form to map string type entity with field type "Search box". Is there any way through which I can achieve this??

Any help is appreciated.

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mhampto
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Can you create a dynamic type and see if the search box is available in Xaas?

If this fails please provide any errors that are displayed.

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jasnyder
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

The point of the search box is to search managed objects from vRealize Orchestrator.  When you create the search box you bind it to a particular type, and it will only let you choose items that are found in in the inventory of vRO.  Those items are populated using the finder functions of the vRO plugins (i.e. VcPlugin is responsible for finding all VcVirtualMachines).  A string is a primitive data type and not a managed object type.  So you can't choose string for the search field.  The closest you can do is to create a dynamic type and create finders for that type.  Even then, what you're trying to do isn't going to work, because you want to provide a list of possible answers using a vRO action.  As I said, the point of the search box is to search vRO inventory, so that wouldn't be scoped by using a vRO action.

If you already have a vRO action that returns an array/string, that is perfectly suited for the checkbox list, list, or dropdown controls.  Simply add one of those to the form and bind it to the "String" entity type.  On the right side click the values tab and click the "External Values" radio button.  Click "Add External Value" and browse for your action in vRO.  Click apply, click Finish to update the blueprint, and go take a look at the request form in the catalog.  All of the values from the action should appear in the drop down.

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singh_rahu
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you very much  mhampto​ , I have tried this, but still the result is not like what I want. Got to figure out some other way around.

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singh_rahu
Contributor
Contributor

Hi jasnyder​, I had tried this already but faced the same limitation that you mentioned in your reply. I am doing research to find some alternative to have it worked as per my requirement.
Thanks a lot for your reply...

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