@softeq/angular-data-types

@softeq/angular-data-types integrates @softeq/data-types into Angular framework.

Setup

1. @softeq/data-types relies on @softeq/mls contract. Thus, developer needs to install implementation of @softeq/mls contract suitable for Angular. Look at list of supported implementation at this page.
2. Declare one or several typeSets of DataTypes.

   const NumberTypes = {
     Price: numberType(...),
     Days: numberType(...),
   };
   
   const TextTypes = {
     Email: textType(...),
   };

   typeSet is a dictionary where key of field is an unique name of DataType and value is DataType.
3. Import Angular module SofteqDataTypesModule to the root application module by providing all typeSets into SofteqDataTypesModule.forRoot.

   @NgModule({
     imports: [
       ...
       SofteqDataTypesModule.forRoot({
         typeSet: () => [NumberTypes, TextTypes],
       }),
       ...
     ],
   })

How to use

To use DataType in Angular application developer should inject DataTypeService

constructor(private dataTypes: DataTypeService) {

}

and get DataType from DataTypeService using initially defined types

const priceType = this.dataTypes.get(NumberTypes.Price);
// or
const emailType = this.dataTypes.get(TextTypes.Email);

DataTypeService.get always return type for the current locale (current locale is determined by @softeq/mls contract implementation).

Retrieved type can be used as in the following example

console.log(priceType.format(1122.3344));

Static usage of types

By default, types from the typeSet cannot be used directly

// this code throws an error
NumberTypes.Price.format(1122.3344);

This is an intentional restriction. There are two reasons for that:

1. NumberType and DateType depends on current locale. Often locale is determined ONLY AFTER application is initialized. If statement NumberTypes.Price.format(1122.3344) is called before application is initialized, it will throw an error, because locale is unknown (so, it is unknown how to format value)
2. Sometimes application supports several locales and dynamic switching between locales in runtime. It is not so simple to establish which locale should be used when code does not depend on Angular entities, like services or components.

By these reasons, this code can be considered as dangerous:

NumberTypes.Price.format(1122.3344);

On the other hand

1. Typically localization of values (like numbers or Dates) is necessary exactly after application was initialized. So, locale is known at this moment of time.
2. Application often supports only one locale at one time and changing of locale reloads whole application.

So, if this is your case you can rely on static usage of types. For this purpose initialize module with useStatic flag

SofteqDataTypesModule.forRoot({
  typeSet: () => [NumberTypes, TextTypes],
  useStatic: true,
}),

Now registered types can be used like in the following example

NumberTypes.Price.format(1122.3344);

Note! It is responsibility of developer to guarantee that this code is used after

• application is initialized
• locale is determined
• and locale data is loaded.

Create DataType dynamically

DataType can be not only registered while application initialization, but also created dynamically.

const HoursType = this.dataTypes.create(numberType(...));

It is important to call create for type built by numberType factory, because otherwise type will not be initialized.

Formatting of data in templates

If developer needs to format data, he/she can use DataType.format method as in the following example

NumberTypes.Price.format(1122.3344)

But if developer needs to format data in template there is more convenient way to do this

<div>
  Salary: {{ salary | dataFormat:'Price' }}
</div>

where

• dataFormat is a pipe defined by @softeq/angular-data-types library
• Price is a name of type as it was defined in typeSet

Binding of DataType to input and textarea

To make DataType more useful we can bind it to inputs and textareas using sqDataType directive. sqDataType directive implements ControlValueAccessor interface, so it can be used with ngModel, formControl and formControlName directives.

<input type="text"
       sqDataType="Price"
       [ngModel]="value">

This allows

• to transform entered text values to underlying logical type and vice versa.
  This means that value will be automatically parsed to number in the current locale if entered text is valid. On the other hand value assigned to input will be displayed as localized text number.

  So, if user enters 1,234.56 in en-US locale, value will get value 1234.56.
  The same will happen if user enters 1 234,56 in ru-RU locale.
  On the other hand if value=8232.22 and current locale is ru-RU, input will display 1 234,56.

• automatically associate validations with the input.
  This way, if user enters invalid value or value that does not satisfy DataType constraints, generated errors will be merged into the corresponding FormControl (for reactive forms) or ngModel directive (if template-driven form is used).