Dynamically access any variable in an instance class

In this blog post, I will show you how to access any variable on an instance of an Apex class dynamically.

This is something useful when you want to make dynamic feature which are based on setting, especialy when doing ISV stuffs.

The code is as simple as below:

public class Employee {
    public String employeeId;
    public String firstname;
    public String lastname;
    public String username;
    public String profileUrl;

    public Object getValue(String variableName) {
        String jsonString = toJSON();
        Map<String, Object> untyped_instance;
        untyped_instance = 
            (Map<String, Object>)JSON.deserializeUntyped(jsonString);
        return untyped_instance.get(variableName);
    }
    
    public string toJSON() {
        return JSON.serialize(this);
    }
}

Example:

Employee emp = new Employee();
emp.employeeId = 'test';
emp.firstname = 'kevan';
emp.lastname = 'moothien';
emp.username = 'kevanmoothien';
emp.profileUrl = 'https://picsum.photos/200/300';

system.debug(emp.getValue('firstname')); // returns kevan

system.debug(emp.getValue('lastname')); // returns moothien

Here is a use case where this kind of integration can be used based on the above code.
Suppose you have to develop a custom related list lightning component which would be used on several layout. But on each layout, it has to display different columns.

To achieve this, we would think of different component and hardcoded variable. But, this can be done by simply having a Custom Metadata type to save the setting of each layout and the related list custom component can simply display the columns value dynamically using the above code based on the setting provided in the Lighting app builder.

Hope this is useful to you trailblazers.

Cheers :)

Automatic package license assignment to Users

We have been asked by one of our customer at SharinPix if it was possible to assign Licenses to newly created user automatically and removing the license on user upon deactivation. The solution that I was asked to do was a trigger. But this solution requires coding which will require a test class, changeset for deployment, giving user permission to execute the trigger which it quite a lot to do. In case something is wrong with the trigger, we will be required to modify on the customer sandbox and deploying again, which is kind of tedious. 

But recently I did a module on Trailhead about Process Automation which explain how to achieve complex logic without having the need to write a single piece of Apex Code. It is only by configuring Flows and Process Builders. 

Here is the solution for the above requirement

The following objects will be used to automate assigning user license: 

• PackageLicense
• Represents a license for an installed managed package.
• More info here: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api.meta/api/sforce_api_objects_packagelicense.htm
• UserPackageLicense
• Represents a license for an installed managed package, assigned to a specific user.
• More info here: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.api.meta/api/sforce_api_objects_userpackagelicense.htm#sforce_api_objects_userpackagelicense

Below are the steps to create a Flow and Process Builder.

Flow

1. Go to Setup, Search Flows from the Quick Find textbox

2. Click on New Flow, the Flow Designer will open. 

On the left sidebar, click on the tab Resources. Create two variables var_UserId of type text and var_isNew which will store the package license id and the user id. See screenshot below. 

Variable User Id

Variable IsNew

Create a third variable of type SObject variable. Name is SharinPixLicense and Object Type is PackageLicense.

SharinPix License sobject variable

3. We now need to retrieve the Id of the license for the SharinPix package. Drag and drop a Record Lookup element to the canvas. Enter a name and insert the following properties: 

• Look up: PackageLicense
• Field: NamespacePrefix, Operator: 'equals', Value: 'sharinpix' (The namespace prefix of the package: Setup | Build | Installed Packages)
• Variable assignment 
• Field: Id, Variable: '{!SharinPixLicense.Id}'
• Field: AllowedLicenses, Variable: '{!SharinPixLicense.AllowedLicenses}'
• Field: UsedLicenses, Variable: '{!SharinPixLicense.UsedLicenses}'

4. Drag and drop the Record Create element to the canvas. Enter a name and insert the following properties: 

• Create: UserPackageLicense
• Field: PackageLicenseId, Value: {!SharinPixLicense.Id}
• Field: UserId, Value: {!var_UserId} 

Assign license to user

Now that we have the create record, we now need to have the delete license equivalent

5. Drag and drop the Record Delete element. Enter a name and the following properties

• Delete: UserPackageLicense
• Field: UserId, Value: {!var_UserId} 
• Field: PackageLicenseId, Value: {!SharinPixLicense.Id}

Remove license from user

6. Let's create the logic and assemble all the component. 

Drag and drop the Decision element on the canvas. Enter a name and create two outcomes

• Outcome 1 
• Name: Created
• Resource: {!var_isNew}, Operator: equals, Value: {!$GlobalConstant.True}
• Resource: {!SharinPixLicense.UsedLicenses}, Operator: less than, Value: {!SharinPixLicense.AllowedLicenses}

Note: I have added the condition that Used licenses should be less than Allowed Licenses in order for the flow not to crash if all licenses have been used. 

• Outcome 2
• Name: Deleted
• Resource: {!var_isNew}, Operator: equals, Value: {!$GlobalConstant.False}

7. Link the component same as in the image below and set the Record Lookup as the start of the flow (click on the green arrow icon)

Wrap everything

8. Save your Flow with a name, select type Autolaunched Flow and activate it once done. 

Save flow

Process Builder

Now that our flow is completed. We need to trigger the flow and we will use a process builder to do that.

1. Go to Setup | App Setup | Create | Workflows & Approvals | Process Builder

Click on the New button, Enter the Process Name and API Name and click on Save button.

New Process

2. We need to trigger the process on a specific Object. For this, click on Add Object and in the properties, select User and select when a record is created or edited. Click on Save.

Entry criteria

3. Next step is to add the Process Criterias. In our case, we will have two criteria. One will cater for new user and the other one for user which has been deactivated.

• Let's create the first one. Click on Add Criteria
• Criteria Name: User is active
• Select Formula evaluates to true
• In the formula field, insert the following formula
• ( ISNEW() && [User].IsActive ) || ( ISCHANGED([User].IsActive) &&  [User].IsActive )

Save the criteria

New user active or update a user to active

• Let's create the first one. Click on Add Criteria
• Criteria Name: User is not active
• Select Formula evaluates to true
• In the formula field, insert the following formula
• ( ISCHANGED([User].IsActive) && NOT( [User].IsActive ))

Save the criteria 

4. Now we add the actions for each criteria. 

For the User is active criteria. In the Intermediate Action section, click Add Action with the following properties:

• Action Type: Flows
• Action name: Create License
• Flow: Automatic Package License assignment (Yours may be under a different name)
• Set Flow Variables
• Flow Variable: var_UserId, Type: Reference, Value: [User].Id
• Flow Variable: var_isNew, Type: Boolean, Value: True

5. Let's repeat step 4 for the User is not active criteria. Change the Action Name to Delete License and set the flow variable var_isNew to False.

Your process builder should look like below. 

Finally, Click on Activate to enable it. 

Every new user shall be affected a License to the package and user being deactivated will have their license removed. 

Do not hesitate to contact me in case something is missing or needs improvements. 

Cheers :)

Using Salesforce standard modal in a Detail page button - Part 1

Tired of having to use window.open in a detail page button to display a popup? Or using JavaScript libraries to display a modal?
Well, there is a more simple way to display a popup and this without embedding any JavaScript library in the code.

This can be achieved by using Salesforce standard modal and by tweaking the code, many things can be achieved.

To get started, Create a Custom button on the object you want the modal to be used.
Set the properties to:
Display Type: Detail Page Button
Behavior: Execute JavaScript
Content Source: OnClick JavaScript

In the JavaScript code editor, add the following code and change the variables inside it accordingly to your specification.

Here is the final result:

Check out part 2. We shall discuss how to integrate Visualforce pages inside the modal.

Cheers! :)

(function() { var width = 700; var height = 200; var title = "Dialog title here"; var box = new SimpleDialog("salesforce" + Math.random(), true); box.setTitle(title); box.displayX = true; box.isMovable = false; box.createDialog(); box.setWidth(width); // set your html content here box.setContentInnerHTML( "<h2>Your html content here</h2>" ); //set the height of the modal box.dialog.children[1].style.height = height + 'px'; box.show(); //if displayX is set to true, then override standard close event by this code box.dialog.getElementsByClassName('dialogClose')[0].onclick = function() { box.hide(); // you can add code to reload the page or redirect to another page }; //optional : add this to close the modal onclick of the overlay background box.background.addEventListener('click', function() { box.hide(); }); })();