For several years, I’ve been using an app called Email AutoComplete (it’s now a private listing) to add auto complete capabilities onto my email address text boxes in the Salesforce email editor.  It’s a nice little app.  However, Arrowpointe started using Email to Case Premium (an app I highly recommend) and I wanted to have similar capabilities on their forms.

The Email AutoComplete app works well, but it written using s-Controls and Yahoo User Interface Library v2, which adds a lot of confusing code into it. It was too hard for me to change and apply to the Email to Case Premium pages.  I looked for a jQuery approach and leveraged ideas from a great blog post on the Vertical Code blog. In my case, however, I was trying to add this capability onto an AppExchange “managed” (i.e. locked down) page and onto the standard email forms from Salesforce. I didn’t have the luxury of an Apex Controller and Visualforce.

Enter the AJAX API and jQuery!

Question: How do I obtain the Session Id?

Answer: Create a Visualforce page to act as a JavaScript file. In this case, I am creating a global JavaScript variable called _my_sfdcSession.

<apex:page sidebar="false" showHeader="false" contentType="application/javascript" cache="false">
  var _my_sfdcSession = "{!$Api.Session_Id}";
</apex:page>

Answer: Use the sidebar to inject the code. I use the Messages & Alerts sidebar item, but the same could also be done using a custom sidebar component. The key is that the component always be in the sidebar.

The code below loads the Visualforce page above to get the Session Id. Then it loads the AJAX toolkit (from Salesforce), jQuery (from Google CDN) and jQueryUI (from Google CSN). Note that the jQuery instance is put into a new variable called $_org using the jQuery.noConflict() method. I chose that variable name because I am assuming it won’t conflict with other solutions that rename jQuery.

<!-- Load Session Id -->
<script src="https://na1.salesforce.com/apex/loadSessionId?core.apexpages.devmode.url=1"></script>
<!-- Load AJAX Toolkit -->
<script src="https://na1.salesforce.com/soap/ajax/23.0/connection.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<!-- Load jQuery -->
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.0/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var $_org = jQuery.noConflict();
</script>
<!-- Load jQuery UI -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.16/themes/base/jquery-ui.css" id="theme" />
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.16/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>

NOTES:

• If you use the Messages and Alerts sidebar component, do not put empty lines in your code because the system will add a p html tag in it
• Use absolute references to your Salesforce pages because managed packages have a different url structure

Answer: Now that jQuery is loaded and we have access to the Salesforce API, we can get down to actual business. The code I am personally using is below. Not being super confident with jQuery selectors, I am hardcoding the element names to add auto complete to into my code. The downside of this is if those element names change, it will stop working, but it’s an easy fix.

This code gets a list of element Ids and then loops through them, adding autoComplete (from jQuery UI) to each one. The “source” property of autoComplete uses the Salesforce API to look for Contacts with a name or email address LIKE what is being typed in. In this case, it is handling the situation where you already have multiple names separated by ; in the email field. You will also notice the line saying sforce.connection.sessionId = _my_sfdcSession;. This line associates the Session Id from that initial page we created to the AJAX API.

I have this code stored as a Static Resource called “AutoComplete_Email”.

$_org(document).ready(function() {

	// The elements to bind email autocomplete to
	var elems = [];

	// Add Email to Case Premium elements
	elems.push('pg:addCommentF:addCommentPB:emailCustomerPBS:additionalEmailsPBSI:additionalEmails_TextBox');
	elems.push('pg:addCommentF:addCommentPB:emailCustomerPBS:additionalCCsPBSI:additionalCCs_TextBox');
	elems.push('pg:addCommentF:addCommentPB:emailCustomerPBS:additionalBCCsPBSI:additionalBCCs_TextBox');

	// Add default Salesforce email fields
	elems.push('p24'); // Additional To
	elems.push('p4'); // CC
	elems.push('p5'); // Bcc

	$_org(elems).each(function(index) {
		var thisElem = document.getElementById(elems[index]);
		$_org(thisElem).autocomplete({
			minLength: 1,
			delay: 250,

			source: function(request, response) {

						var retVal = []; // array to return

						var queryTerm = $_org.trim(request.term); // term to search for
						if (queryTerm.lastIndexOf(';') != -1){
							queryTerm = queryTerm.substring(queryTerm.lastIndexOf(';') + 1);
							queryTerm = $_org.trim(queryTerm);
						}

						if (queryTerm.length <= 1){
							$_org(thisElem).autocomplete("close");
						} else {
							sforce.connection.sessionId = _my_sfdcSession;
							var result = sforce.connection.query("SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact WHERE (Name LIKE '%" + queryTerm + "%' OR Email LIKE '%" + queryTerm + "%') AND Email != NULL ORDER BY Name LIMIT 20");
							it = new sforce.QueryResultIterator(result);
							while (it.hasNext()) {
								var rec = it.next();
								var retValItem = new Object();
								retValItem.label = rec.Name + ' (' + rec.Email + ')';
								retValItem.value = rec.Email;
								retVal.push(retValItem);
							}
						}
						response(retVal);
					},

			select: function( event, ui ) {
						var tmp = $_org(thisElem).val();
						if (tmp.lastIndexOf(';') == -1){
							$_org(thisElem).val( ui.item.value + '; ' );
						} else {
							$_org(thisElem).val( tmp.substring(0, tmp.lastIndexOf(';') + 1) + ' ' + ui.item.value + '; ');
						}
						$_org(thisElem).autocomplete("close");
						return false;
					},

			focus: function(event, ui) {
				return false; // added so keyboard navigation does not overwrite the value
			}

		 });

	 });

}); // end of $_org(document).ready()

Answer: Add some more code to the sidebar. The key parts are lines 6-9 below. This injects the script into the page. I personally make sure its only injected into the pages I want it to, which are the standard email pages in Salesforce and the Email to Case Premium “New Comment” page.

<script type="text/javascript">
if (
document.URL.toLowerCase().indexOf("emailauthor")!=-1 ||
document.URL.toLowerCase().indexOf("/apex/new_comment")!=-1
){
	var elem = document.createElement('script');
	elem.type='text/javascript';
	elem.src="http://sfdc.arrowpointe.com/resource/AutoComplete_Email";
	document.body.appendChild(elem);
}
</script>

Answer: Below are 2 examples. There’s obviously more you can do with CSS. These are using the basic CSS from jQuery UI.

Salesforce Email Page

Email to Case Premium’s New Comment

Share

A new version of Geopointe was just released and in it is the ability to perform Geo-Analytics on LOTS of data.  And it’s fully integrated with Salesforce and the current Geopointe app.

We have partnered with SpatialKey to bring you the Geopointe Analytics solution.  The SpatialKey platform allows you to perform deep geo-analysis against massive amounts of data in a very intuitive, enjoyable and beautiful user interface.

Geopointe Analytics is now available in all Geopointe trials.  Existing customers may request a trial of the Analytics solution in their current system (after upgrading to the latest Geopointe version).  If you are running an older version of Geopointe, you can learn about upgrading here.

End-users can access the features via the Visualize tab. There, they can sync their data sets to SpatialKey, use existing org-wide data sets provided by an admin or launch into the user interface using either a full map or “blank canvas” interface.

The Analytics users interface is very interactive and immersive. The following video gives you a taste of what’s offered, but the best option is to try it out for yourself.

If you have any questions about this solution, contact us.

Share

A new release of Geopointe will be out next week after all systems are on the Summer 11 release. With the update will come the ability to perform spatial/proximity/radial searches via Apex. Two new Apex methods are available for this:

• radialSearchMapObject
• radialSearchDataSet

These Apex methods enable Geopointe customers to utilize the proximity searching of Geopointe into advanced Apex logic. For information on all methods available to you, visit the Apex API page in the Help Center.

Let’s run an example.  The image below displays a query (via the Geopointe UI) of our Geopointe customers within 15 miles of Wrigley Field in Chicago. We want to accomplish this same query in Apex without ever needing the UI. Now we can and the geopointe.API class will help us with this.

Using radialSearchMapObject
This method allows you to perform a radial search against a Map Object (a Salesforce object enabled for mapping) and also allows the passing in of a custom filter. Here we are saying to search around the record with id a1430000001E32gAAC and to search the Account object with a filter of Type = ‘Customer’ for records within 15 miles.

geopointe.API.radialSearchResult result = geopointe.API.radialSearchMapObject(
     'a1430000001E32gAAC',
     'account',
     'type=\'Customer\'',
     15,
     geopointe.API.units.MILES);

system.debug(result);

Using radialSearchDataSet
The method below is accomplishing the same thing, but is using a pre-defined dataset that already has the filter for Customers built into it.

geopointe.API.radialSearchResult result = geopointe.API.radialSearchDataSet(
     'a1430000001E32gAAC',
     '12826856169860.9678661172894504',
     15,
     geopointe.API.units.MILES);

system.debug(result);

The radialSearchResult Class
Both methods result in a geopointe.API.radialSearchResult object, which is defined in the Geopointe Help Center. This object will return the record Ids closest to the center as well as the distances to these locations.

Share

When you clone an sObject in Apex, it copies all the fields populated in that Apex object, not necessarily all fields on the record.  Let’s say you have a Lead with FirstName, LastName, Company,  LeadSource and Status populated.  If you do the following, the clone will not have LeadSource and Status cloned from the original record.  It will use the default values for Leads. That is because those fields were not queried into the object.

/* query lead and then clone it */
lead l = [select id, firstname, lastname, company from lead where id = '00Q3000000aKwVN' limit 1][0];
lead l2 = l.clone(false, true);
insert l2;

If you are cloning records, it can be frustrating to keep it updated as you add new fields to Salesforce. I generally want all new fields to be cloned too. I’ll code to any exceptions if needed. To help with this, I wrote myself a handy method to build me a SOQL statement and obtain all the writable fields.

public with sharing class Utils{ 

    // Returns a dynamic SOQL statement for the whole object, includes only creatable fields since we will be inserting a cloned result of this query
    public static string getCreatableFieldsSOQL(String objectName, String whereClause){

        String selects = '';

        if (whereClause == null || whereClause == ''){ return null; }

        // Get a map of field name and field token
        Map<String, Schema.SObjectField> fMap = Schema.getGlobalDescribe().get(objectName.toLowerCase()).getDescribe().Fields.getMap();
        list<string> selectFields = new list<string>();

        if (fMap != null){
            for (Schema.SObjectField ft : fMap.values()){ // loop through all field tokens (ft)
                Schema.DescribeFieldResult fd = ft.getDescribe(); // describe each field (fd)
                if (fd.isCreateable()){ // field is creatable
                    selectFields.add(fd.getName());
                }
            }
        }

        if (!selectFields.isEmpty()){
            for (string s:selectFields){
                selects += s + ',';
            }
            if (selects.endsWith(',')){selects = selects.substring(0,selects.lastIndexOf(','));}

        }

        return 'SELECT ' + selects + ' FROM ' + objectName + ' WHERE ' + whereClause;

    }

}

So if I want to clone the Lead I describe above, I’d do the following and this will ensure that I will clone all the fields on the Lead. Since the method only adds Creatable fields to the SOQL, I don’t have to worry about trying to set a formula field or system field and generating an error.

/* query lead and then clone it */
String soql = Utils.getCreatableFieldsSOQL('lead','id=\'00Q3000000aKwVN\'');
lead l = (Lead)Database.query(soql);
lead l2 = l.clone(false, true);
insert l2;

Share

Oftentimes, you want to integrate a specific map search into your business processes. For example, suppose your Inside Sales team is reviewing Leads and needs to notify your closest partner of the lead information. Geopointe is the tool to help you know who your closest partner is and this entire process becomes even easier when being creative with the available URL Parameters for the Map page.

See this example in action in the video below.

The image below is a copy of the button configuration.

Share

Geopointe includes a Visualforce Component that allows you to create Static Maps on your Visualforce Pages.  A Static Map results in an image file (png, jpg or gif) that you can configure and place on your Visualforce Pages or embedded in Page Layouts.  The nice thing about Static Maps is that they do not slow down your pages from loading.  Rather, you are using the component to intelligently build an image URL.

Geopointe comes with some examples with the “embeddedMap…” pages.  These are pre-configured Visualforce Pages using the static map component to show you the location of a record.

We added a Static Map page on the website to act as the official documentation home for this functionality.  With Geopointe installed, you also get a documentation in your Component Reference regarding the geopointe:staticMap component.

Below are some examples showing off the functionality.

<geopointe:StaticMap mapProvider=”goog” width=”500″ height=”300″ useIconLabels=”true” iconColor=”green” locationIDs=”a07A000000ATQjhIAH,a07A0000006O0qc,a07A0000006NKq2,Evanston|IL,OakPark|IL”/>

<geopointe:StaticMap mapProvider=”mq” width=”800″ height=”200″ useIconLabels=”true” iconColor=”purple” locationIDs=”a07A000000ATQjhIAH,a07A0000006O0qc,a07A0000006NKq2,Evanston|IL,OakPark|IL” mapType=”hyb”/>

Share

The short story…

I’d like an independent developer to “co-own” the Info Center app with Arrowpointe.  This dev will help take it to the next level.  This dev will do this in the name of getting some exposure for themselves and also as a way to learn force.com technologies.  The result is a publicly facing deliverable.  Info Center will remain free.

The dev should consider this a side project (i.e. no pay) done in the interest of proving an app to the community and learning some things along the way.  If you are a developer and have wanted to get out there and do something on AppExchange, this is a good opportunity to get some experience for very little risk (you are only spending time).

The longer story…

Info Center is an app I created back in 2006.  To use it, an admin works in objects called Messages, FAQs and Links adding data for the purpose of communicating it to end users.  It was originally created for consulting projects I worked on as a place where the admin could answer FAQs for users as the deployment took off.  End users are given the “Info Center” tab, which renders all this data for them in a nice, easy to read format.

It has not changed in function or technology since 2006 and it could use an update.  For example, the Info Center tab below currently uses a S-Control to render it.

My focus is now on Geopointe and I have no time to work on Info Center.  I’ve been meaning to update it for a while now, but never got around to it.  Therefore, I wanted to see if anyone in the community (ideally an independent developer) wants to take on Info Center 2.0 and we’ll see what comes of it.

It still gets 10-20 installs per month and will provide a good way for someone trying to “make it” in the force.com world to gain some credibility. May as well help with an app that has a bit of momentum already, right?

Info Center was a project I assigned myself in 2006 in order to learn s-Controls and the API.  Having my deliverable be public facing went a long way towards making it polished, teaching me about the AppExchange and the nuances of delivering a app for others to use. I’d like to pass that experience along to someone else.

There is no timeline for this.  I am first looking for the right person who’d like to take this on.  If it takes months to complete, that’s fine.  As long as the person is committed to the task at hand.

At its simplest, I’d at least like to have the Info Center tab render using Visualforce.  I could envision a mix of Visualforce, Apex and jQuery being the technologies used. If delivering these technologies in an AppExchange app appeals to you, consider taking this on.

If interested, comment on this post and we’ll take it from there.  Please only comment if you are genuinely interested and feel you’d be able to see it through to the finish.  If you want to contact me privately, you can do so here.

Share

I posted this in the Dreamforce Chatter app and it got a nice response, so I thought I’d blog about it here too.

It’s subtle tip for you perfectionists out there that makes reports look just a tad more professional. If you add a colon (e.g. Orders: Aging) to your report name, it will display the report name on 2 separate lines when viewing the report. Use this to create a naming convention for your reports like (category: detailed description) or for long report names so they display nicely.

I don’t think this is an actual, documented feature from Salesforce, but it’s been this way for years.

Look at the difference between naming a report “Orders – Aging” and “Orders: Aging”. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s something I use regularly and thought I’d pass along.

Share

Dreamforce is just around the corner and Arrowpointe will be there.  There are a number of ways to learn about Arrowpointe’s apps and also to contact Scott Hemmeter.

• Arrowpointe has a Dreamforce booth in the Expo.  Find it at…

• Scott is presenting in the “Advanced Force.com Code (Apex) Development and Performance Considerations” session. Several opportunities to attend.
  • 1:15pm on Monday, December 6 at Cloudstock (Moscone West)
  • 3:45pm on Tuesday, December 7 at Dreamforce (Moscone West 2003) (follow in DF Chatter App)
  • 11:00am on Thursday, December 9 at Dreamforce (Moscone West 2004) (follow in DF Chatter App)
• Follow Scott Hemmeter in the Dreamforce Chatter App
• Follow Arrowpointe in the Dreamforce Chatter App
• Follow @arrowpointe on Twitter

Dreamforce looks to be very exciting and full of good information.  Whether you are a customer, developer, partner, prospective customer, journalist or just a techie at heart, there is content for you at Dreamforce.

If you are attending the show and have not yet gotten involved in the Dreamforce Chatter app, be sure and participate in that.  It has already changed the pre-conference experience and added to the excitement significantly.

See you there!

Share

Geopointe 1.6 has been released on AppExchange.  The Update History page has the full list of changes in this release.  Below are highlights of the major changes, especially those that will impact end users’ experience with the application.  You should make your users aware of these changes.

Ad-Hoc Filtering

You can now apply filters to your queries from the Map page. You are no longer required to create and save a data set to get a filtered look at your data. You can still create and use Data Sets like before and this filter feature on the map page is a way to apply additional filters to the query. This feature should significantly reduce the number of data sets you require to have pre-created.

Coloring Markers

A new option called “Color Markers By” is available when mapping. This drop-down will list the fields you have available on the object. Selecting a field prior to clicking the map button tells Geopointe to ensure unique values from that field are put into a unique color. There are 20 pre-defined colors right now and they are the same colors used in Salesforce Dashboards.

Child Object Filters

You have always been able to filter on parent records (e.g. show Opportunities linked to Accounts with an Account Type = Customer).  Now you can use Child Relationships to filter parent objects.  For example, the image below is for an Account data set and is filters for Accounts with:

• Account Type starting with “Customer”
• Opportunities that have been Won and are of an Amount > 10,000

Enhanced Data Tables

The table below the map was significantly enhanced to allow pagination, searching, improved sorting and better rendering of values based upon data type.

Numbered Map Markers

This feature can be enabled via a User Preference on the My Settings page. It will add a number of each pin on the map and the same icon will display in the table so you can easily see the relationship between the table and the map.

Draggable MapQuest Routes

MapQuest routes are now draggable.  Once you generate a route, drag the route line around the page to tell it you want to go a different way.

View State Issue Is Gone!

Previous versions could throw an error regarding “View State” if too many records were added to the map.  This issue has been eliminated.  As a result of this, performance on the page should also be greatly improved.

Additional Items

• Added a user preference to hide the Salesforce Sidebar from the Map & Visualize page. By default, the sidebar is displayed.
• Many performance and optimizations enhancements

Share

The Software Advice Blog updated their post Oracle OpenWorld CRM Smackdown! with the results of a survey they conducted regarding CRM and, especially, Oracle vs. Salesforce. They asked about the leadership position in the area and questions related to the possibility of Oracle purchasing Salesforce.  See the results at their updated blog post.

Share