Hi *
I’m wondering if there are plans, concepts, ideas or even better solutions out there to be able to re-use form-models? With the same kind of usability that we get to re-use == include document-models into other document-models.
Let me give you an use case:
We have 10 document models that represent very generic domain objects (let’s call them, the building blocks) that can be included in other document models (let’s call these, the parent models). The goal is, that most parent models are composed of a sub-set of building blocks (includes) only and don’t contain any additional fields. – Baukastenprinzip –
For each of these 10 generic document models (building blocks) a form model exists, so that the modelers of the parent models know which building blocks exist and how they look like and behave. It’s kind of a library/widget showcase of the building blocks.
In case a modeler decides to use/include some of the building block model into their parent model, they need to build a form-model from scratch. Even if they want it to look like and to behave exactly as they saw it. The reason is that the include-id that is obviously always unique and the field-ids of the parent model are prefixed with the include-id.
I tried re-using form-models by doing some json copying and reg-ex-ing, but that’s no fun 
and always takes me quite a while.
Any thoughts on that? 
I would just like to add that I would find this useful for most document models that get used as includes (even beyond that Baukastenprinzip that Bianca described). Most of the time when I use a small document model as an include in multiple places, I want it to show up in the same way in all of these places in the form model. Take for example a number of forms that all end with a section where the user needs to enter an address. Instead of setting up the format of this address section every time, it would be a lot easier to define a form model for this include (“this is how our address sections generally look”) that can be re-used across all forms and then adjusted for that specific form as needed.
We did some preliminary work while working on FMM and I proposed to turn it into a full A12 feature. Please have a look at existing requirements and feel free to add additional requirements if you see any: A12-11531
Thanks Baschir, that’s good news!
My impression (and my wish) is, that since more and more internal and external projects rely heavily on A12 now, you will get this requirement more often! Is there a chance or a recommended way to push this topic into a 2023 release? And not as you pre-planned, in a 2024 release?
In my personal opinion I don’t think it will happen sooner and even the 2024.02 is only my suggestion and not promised. Regarding prioritization, I am not involved so much in planning on this level but I guess you know how / to whom to address your concern.
I am also very interested in a feature which enables A12-native form-model-reuse.
We have been working around this with A12-external code for a couple of years now and as we are planning a major redesign of our application, I would like to know / weigh my options.
Are there any news here regarding the approach and the timeline for re-use of form-models in A12?
As I cannot access the mgm-internal Jira, I would be glad if someone could summarize A12-11531 for me (to see if maybe the approach is in line with my thoughts and we might do something in a similar direction ourselves, even before this is available as feature).
Thank you.
Hello @anon67142020,
A12 is facing plenty of requirements. Sadly, due to the huge number of new requests and features and limited capacity, we cannot proceed with all requirements as fast as we wished to.
Therefore, this topic is currently on hold, which means there are no plans to include this feature in the next releases.
Nevertheless, we see the business use case and keep this requirement in mind for further developments.