How to check variable visibility in Variable Editor (Backend) in a client script

[Nick Parsons]

I have an "Email" variable on my RITM which looks like below:

Question:
Within a Client Script running on the RITM table (not a Catalog Client Script), how can I check whether this Email variable is currently visible in the Variable Editor, without relying on the specific UI Policy conditions behind its visibility?

The issue is that the g_form.isVisible() method does NOT check variable visibility in a client script like it does in a catalog client script. It only checks field visibility, so it returns false when the input is a variable.

Background:

I'm trying to make this Email variable mandatory when an RITM is moved to a closed state (Closed Complete, Skipped, or Incomplete), but only if the variable is currently visible.

I have a Client Script running on the RITM table (not a Catalog Client Script) that executes when the State field changes. When the state becomes closed, I want to make the Email variable mandatory only if it is visible, since making a hidden variable mandatory would cause it to become visible.

I tried using the script below, but g_form.isVisible() only checks fields on the RITM form itself and doesn't appear to work for variables in the Variable Editor. In this example, g_form.isVisible() is always false

function onChange(control, oldValue, newState, isLoading, isTemplate) {
    var CLOSED_COMPLETE = "3";
    var CLOSED_SKIPPED = "4";
    var CLOSED_INCOMPLETE = "7";

    var makeMandatory = newState == CLOSED_COMPLETE || newState == CLOSED_SKIPPED || newState == CLOSED_INCOMPLETE;
    if (g_form.isVisible("email")) {
        g_form.setMandatory("email", makeMandatory);
    }
}

Note: In this example, I could determine visibility by checking the checkbox value directly. However, I'm looking for a solution that doesn't rely on the underlying visibility conditions, since those conditions may change over time and require additional script maintenance.

What I've tried:

• Using variables. prefix like so g_form.isVisible("variables.email")
• Using the variable definition's ID g_form.isVisible("IO:b7bba9a093920f10c2a8f5532bba10c9")
• Using isFieldVisible via g_form.isFieldVisible("email") along with the variables. and IO:<sys_id> options above
• Accessing the variables control to check if it's visible via the DOM, however, g_form.getControl("email") does not yield any results (again tried with variables. and IO:<sys_id> options)

[Nick Parsons · Accepted solution]

I managed to find one solution (still open to others). It uses undocumented method g_form.getPrefixHandler() which allows you to access the g_form of the variable editor on Desktop (ie: Backend UI), and from there, check variable visibility:

function isVarVisible(fieldName) {
	try {
		var handler = g_form.getPrefixHandler(fieldName);
		if (handler) {
			return handler.getObject().isVisible(handler.getFieldName());
		}
		return false;
	} catch(e) {
		return g_form.isVisible(fieldName);
	}
}

To use it, use the variable name as is (no prefix or anything), eg:

if (isVarVisible("email")) {
  g_form.setMandatory("email", makeMandatory);
}

Of course, use this at your own risk, as undocumented methods may be subject to change and can be removed.

[Ankur Bawiskar]

@Nick Parsons 

Thanks for sharing.

Please do mark your own response as correct so that it helps future members.