In Version 1.38.16210.16249 (Priest R5) the Classification Elements Editor of the Redbex Smart Client was enhanced to help you creating and managing classification elements more effectively.

Creating classification elements

Especially when first configuring your Application Server or when configuring a new project (domain) you will have to create multiple classifications and classification elements. To speed up this process we therefore enhanced the Dialogue for defining new elements to classifications.

To create classification elements you open the new classification elements dialogue form the toolbar of the Classification Elements Editor. Until now this dialogue just allowed you to specify the names of the classification elements to be created. With the new release you can use this dialogue to specify Code Name and Description of the elements to be created. Just separate Code, Name and Description for each element with a semicolon (see screenshot). Elements without a semicolons will be treated as before (as element name).

Code, Name and Description for the elements to be also be copied from an Excel sheet and pasted it into the text box of this dialogue. Redbex will then automatically add the semicolons for you!

Screenshot: New classification elements dialogue

Creating multiple classification elements

Sorting classification Elements

When displaying classification elements in a drop down list Redbex sorts the elements by sequence number and then by name or code (depending on the configuration of your property structure). If you are not happy with alphabetical sorting you can therefore define your custom order by setting the sequence number for each classification element.

Until now you had to do this by just typing in the sequence number for each element. With the new release Redbex can automatically apply sequence numbers in the Classification Element Editor.

Step 1: Ordering classification elements

First you have to put the elements into the desired order. You can do this by using the sorting buttons from the toolbar (to order by code or name) and you can order them manually using drag & drop in the elements list. Note this ordering will not be automatically saved when you exit the Classification Element Editor; it is just a preparation for step 2.

Sceenshot: Using Drag & Drop ordering

Using Drag & Drop ordering in the classification elements editor

Sorting options

Sorting the list by name, code or default

Step 2: Applying the Sequence Number

As soon as your elements are in the desired order select Apply Sequence Numbers from the toolbar. Redbex will now automatically apply sequence numbers to the elements.

If you want to reset sequence numbers choose Reset sequence numbers from the toolbar. This will apply sequence number 0 to all elements.

Step 3: Save changes

As always select Save from the toolbar or press Ctrl-S to save the changes.

Applying colors

For various presentations (e.g. charts and axis section drawings) it is useful that all classification elements have unique colors. While you can of course choose the colors manually for each element (useful especially if the colors shall follow a specific standard), Redbex can now automatically assign unique and visually distinct colors to all classification elements, thus saving you a lot of time especially when working with a large number of classification elements.

Step 1: Putting elements in the right order

The logic that Redbex applies to define visually distinct colors is based on equal distances in the RGB model. I.e. the algorithm used steps through the RGB color space from Red to Blue and chooses a step width according to the number of elements in the classification.

First you should therefore put the classification elements into the desired order. Remember the first element will get the color red, the last element the color blue. You can do this by using the sorting buttons from the toolbar and you can order them manually by dragging and dropping the elements in the list. Again this order is not saved, it is just a temporary order used to apply colors.

Step 2: Applying the colors

As soon as your elements are in the desired order simply select Assign colors from color palette from the window’s toolbar.

Step 3: Save changes

As always select Save from the toolbar or press Ctrl-S to save the changes.