spUtil- Client

The spUtil API provides utility methods to perform common functions in a Service Portal widget client script.

These functions include:

• Display a notification error message. spUtil - addErrorMessage(String message)

• Display a notification info message. spUtil - addInfoMessage(String message)

• Display a trivial notification message. spUtil - addTrivialMessage(String message)

• Create a unique identifier. spUtil - createUid()

• Format a string with variables. spUtil - format(String template, Object data)

• Embed a widget model in a widget client script. spUtil - get(String widgetId Object data)

• Retrieve all headers to use for API calls. spUtil - getHeaders()

• Return the complete host domain. spUtil - getHost()

• Execute the callback with User Preference response by passing the preference name. spUtil - getPreference(String preference, Function callback)

• Return the current service portal URL information. spUtil - getURL()

• Check if the current client is a mobile device. spUtil - isMobile()

• Parse the comma-separated attributes within a specified string. spUtil - parseAttributes(String attributes)

• Watch for updates to a table or filter and returns the value from the callback function. spUtil - recordWatch(Object $scope, String table, String filter, Function callback)

• Call the server and replaces the current options and data with the server response. spUtil - refresh(Object $scope)

• Scroll to the element with the specified selector, over a specified period of time. spUtil - scrollTo(String selector, Number time)

• Update the header breadcrumbs. spUtil - setBreadCrumb(Object $scope, Array breadcrumbs)

• Set a user preference. spUtil - setPreference(String pref, String value)

• Update the search page. spUtil - setSearchPage(String searchPage)

• Update the data object on the server within a given scope. spUtil - update(Object $scope)

For additional information on widgets, see Service Portal widgets.

Parent Topic:Client API reference

spUtil - addErrorMessage(String message)

Displays a notification error message.

Name Type Description message String Error message to display. Type Description void  

spUtil.addErrorMessage("There has been an error processing your request")

spUtil - addInfoMessage(String message)

Displays a notification info message.

Name Type Description message String Message to display. Type Description void  

spUtil.addInfoMessage("Your order has been placed")

spUtil - addTrivialMessage(String message)

Displays a trivial notification message.

Trivial messages disappear after a short period of time.

Name Type Description message String Message to display. Type Description void  

spUtil.addTrivialMessage("Thanks for your order")

spUtil - createUid()

Create a unique identifier.

Name Type Description None     Type Description String A unique 32 character ID.

spUtil - get(String widgetId Object data)

Embeds a widget model in a widget client script.

The callback function returns the full widget model. For additional information on widgets, see Service Portal widgets.

Name Type Description widgetId String Widget ID or sys_id of the widget to embed. data Object Optional. Name/value pairs of parameters to pass to the widget model. Type Description Object Model of the embedded widget.

Without data passed.

spUtil.get("widget-cool-clock").then(function(response) {
  c.coolClock = response;
});

With data passed.

spUtil.get('pps-list-modal', {title: c.data.editAllocations, 
  table: 'resource_allocation', 
  queryString: 'GROUPBYuser^resource_plan=' + c.data.sysId, 
  view: 'resource_portal_allocations' }).then(function(response) {
    var formModal = response;
    c.allocationListModal = response;
  });

spUtil - getHeaders()

Retrieves all headers to use for API calls.

Name Type Description None     Type Description Object All headers to use for API calls.

spUtil - getHost()

Returns the complete host domain.

Name Type Description None     Type Description String The complete host domain, for example hi.servicenow.com

spUtil - getPreference(String preference, Function callback)

Executes the callback with User Preference response by passing the preference name.

Name Type Description preference String Name of the preference. callback Function Define the callback function. Type Description void  

spUtil - getURL()

Returns the current service portal URL information.

Name Type Description None     Type Description String Current service portal URL.

spUtil - format(String template, Object data)

Formats a string that contains variables.

Use this method as an alternative to string concatenation.

Name Type Description template String String template that contains values for variable substitution. data Object Object containing the values for the variables defined in the template string. Type Description String String containing the variable values instead of the variable nomenclature.

spUtil.format('An error ocurred: {error} when loading {widget}', {error: '404', widget: 'sp-widget'})

Output:

'An error occurred: 404 when loading sp-widget'

spUtil - isMobile()

Checks if the current client is a mobile device.

Name Type Description None    

<table id=“table_hz2_pcd_v2b” class=“returns”><thead><tr><th>

Type

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Boolean

</td><td>

Flag that indicates whether the current client is a mobile device.Valid values:

• true: Current client is a mobile device.

• false: Current client is not a mobile device.

</td></tr></tbody> </table>## spUtil - parseAttributes(String attributes)

Parses the comma-separated attributes within a specified string.

Name Type Description attributes String String containing comma separated attributes, such as the Attributes field of a dictionary record. Type Description Array Array of objects containing the parsed attributes.

function getRefQualElements() {
  var refQualElements = [];
  if (field && field.attributes && field.attributes.indexOf('ref_qual_elements') > -1) {
    var attributes = spUtil.parseAttributes(field.attributes);
    refQualElements = attributes['ref_qual_elements'].split(';');
  }
  return refQualElements;
}

spUtil - recordWatch(Object $scope, String table, String filter, Function callback)

Watches for updates to a table or filter and returns the value from the callback function.

Allows a widget developer to respond to table updates in real-time. For instance, by using recordWatch(), the Simple List widget can listen for changes to its data table. If records are added, removed, or updated, the widget updates automatically.

Note: When passing the $scope argument into the recordWatch() function, inject $scope into the parameters of your client script function.

Name Type Description $scope Object Scope of the data object updated by the callback function. table String Watched table. filter String Filter for fields to watch. callback Function Optional. Parameter to define the callback function. Type Description Promise Return value of the callback function.

//A simple recordWatch function.
spUtil.recordWatch($scope, "live_profile", "sys_id=" + liveProfileId);

//In a widget client script
function(spUtil, $scope) {
  /* widget controller */
  var c =this;

  // Registers a listener on the incident table with the filter active=true, 
  // meaning that whenever something changes on that table with that filter, 
  // the callback function is executed.    
  // The callback function takes a single parameter 'response', which contains 
  // the property 'data'. The 'data' property contains information about the changed record. 
  spUtil.recordWatch($scope, "incident", "active=true", function(response) {
        
    // Returns the data inserted or updated on the table 
    console.log(response.data);   
    
    });
}

spUtil - refresh(Object $scope)

Calls the server and replaces the current options and data with the server response.

Calling spUtil.refresh() is similar to calling server.refresh(). However, when you call spUtil.refresh(), you can define the $scope object.

Name Type Description $scope Object Scope defined for the update. Type Description Object Updated options and data objects.

spUtil - scrollTo(String selector, Number time)

Scrolls to the element with the specified selector, over a specified period of time.

<table id=“table_drd_wzp_v2b” class=“parameters”><thead><tr><th>

Name

</th><th>

Type

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

selector

</td><td>

String

</td><td>

Selector to scroll to.

</td></tr><tr><td>

time

</td><td>

Number

</td><td>

Time taken to scroll to the specified selector.Unit: Milliseconds

</td></tr></tbody> </table>|Type|Description| |—-|———–| |void| |

spUtil - setBreadCrumb(Object $scope, Array breadcrumbs)

Updates the header breadcrumbs.

Name Type Description $scope Object Scope defined for the table. breadcrumbs Array Conditions used to create the breadcrumb filter. Type Description void  

spUtil - setPreference(String pref, String value)

Sets a user preference.

Name Type Description pref String Preference name value String Preference value Type Description void  

spUtil - setSearchPage(String searchPage)

Updates the search page.

Name Type Description searchPage String Name of the search page. Type Description void  

spUtil - update(Object $scope)

Updates the data object on the server within a given scope.

This method is similar to server.update(), but includes a $scope parameter that defines the scope to pass over.

Name Type Description $scope Object Scope defined for the update. Type Description Object Updated data object.

The following example includes a P1 widget that watches for changes to the state field and uses a filter to watch all active P1s and let the callback function determine whether to refresh the data. The data.changes property contains an array of any updated fields. If the state of any fields have changed, the data is updated in the widget.

var q = "priority=1^active=true^EQ";
spUtil.recordWatch($scope, "incident", q, function(event, data) {
   if (data.changes.includes("state")) { // only update if state was updated.
      spUtil.update($scope);
   }
});