12.0p: Support for remove/update DSRequests from client with criteria (instead of PK) and best practice for doing so now?

[Blama]

Hi Isomorphic,

it seems that as of today, for big clientside delete requests, you have to fake something like this, where you abuse a FETCH operationBinding for the sole purpose of transferring criteria for the REMOVE request to the server.
I would be good if there was support to send a REMOVE request with criteria instead of with PK values / record.

At least, if this is the best practice for the use case, this should be mentioned somewhere. Is it the best practice?

if (buttonTitle.equals(I18nEdited.deleteAll())) {
    resellerSalesareaDS.removeData(new Record(), null, new DSRequest() {
        {
            setOperationId(OperationIdEnum.T_RESELLER_SALESAREA__REMOVEALL.getValue());
        }
    });
} else if (buttonTitle.equals(I18nEdited.deleteShown())) {
    resellerSalesareaDS.[B]fetchData[/B](salesareaGrid.getFilterEditorCriteriaAsAdvancedCriteria(), null, new DSRequest() { [B]//is FETCH request in order to transport criteria to the server, does a REMOVE on the server instead with this criteria.[/B]
        {
            setOperationId(OperationIdEnum.T_RESELLER_SALESAREA__REMOVESHOWN.getValue());
        }
    });
    ;
}

Current docs excerpt for the DSRequest.setCriteria() that I'd like to use inside of DataSource.removeData()

This method applies to "fetch" requests only; for update or delete operations pass a Record to setData() which contains primaryKey values as Record attributes.

Best regards
Blama

[Isomorphic]

We would recommend doing this via a custom operation, which is probably a clearer approach. You can also do it as a remove, but just use dsRequest.oldValues as the source for whatever criteria values you need - this covers everything except AdvancedCriteria.

We are rather reluctant to directly support a criteria-driven remove from the client, especially one that takes AdvancedCriteria, as this is a very dangerous use case where it would be easy to wipe an entire database, or leave a security hole / bug that would allow users to do so.

[Blama]

Hi Isomorphic,

I agree on the "unwanted big delete" and our current or your workaround is fine for me. Could you add this to the DSRequest.setCriteria() docs?
I also agree on custom in favor of fetch and will change that. This implies that the very setCriteria() function is also valid on OP_CUSTOM requests, so the docs should also mention this.

oldValues most likely won't work for me, as the Criteria currently sent is AdvancedCriteria.

Best regards & thanks for the fast answer,
Blama

[Isomorphic]

We've augmented the appropriate docs back to SGWT 6.1p/SC 11.1p to include our above guidance for doing a remove without a primary key. It will be in the nightly builds dated 2019-06-26.