Using a Content Adapter to Populate a ListView

You can populate a ListView object using a ContentProvider object to retrieve data from a data source. The ContentProvider is designed to initialize one given type of Template and bound it against the underlying data, provided by the data source. However, this approach enables developers to quickly setup a ListView object, but is limited, because only one type of Template can be populated. The ContentAdapter has been introduced to close this gap and to populate multiple types of Templates to a ListView object. More information, see Using a Content Provider to Populate a ListView.

Note:

Instead of using a ContentAdapter, you can programmatically populate the ListView. For more information, see Programmatically Populating a ListView.

2. Add a data source to your application, as a child of the Datasources node. This can be a DynamicDataSource, a RESTDataSource or a EntityDataSource.

3. Add a ContentAdapter object to the ListView object. The ContentAdapter object indicates from where you obtain data. Set the following properties:

Property	Description
List Data Source	Required. Specifies the data source.
No Rows Template	Optional. A Template that is to be shown when the data source of the ContentAdapter contains no elements.
Reload On Transition To	Optional. Select this if the ContentAdapter is to be reloaded each time this view is accessed.

4. Add one or more TemplateAssignment to the ContentAdapter. The TemplateAssignment configures the Template to display. Set the following properties:

Property	Description
BindMethodName	Optional. A name of a Java method will be generated. The generated contents will initialize your Template and bind it against the data. This method is overwriteable in your ListView controller implementation.
Filter Expression	Required. A string value evaluated at runtime, if the specified Template should be initialized for a given row index.
Template	Required. A Template used to show the contents of the ListView.

5. Add one or more TemplateDataBinding objects to the TemplateAssignment object. A TemplateDataBinding maps a control contained in the Template of the TemplateAssignment with a given set of data identified by the Expression property. Set the following properties:

Property	Description
Control	Required. Select a control that is contained in the Template of the TemplateAssignment. The control must have a name.
Data Source	Required. Select the data source to populate the data for this control.
Expression	Required. Enter an expression value to identify the data.

6. Optional. Add one or more RowSelectionListener to the ContentAdapter to react on the user interaction with the ListView. A RowSelectionListener also has a property filterExpression. This will act like the filterExpression, set for a TemplateAssignment, and indicates, which of the RowSelectionListeners needs to be triggered, when the user selects on row of the ListView.