getReference is not working

[vahini]

Hi all , 

I have a requirement to create a reference field called 'OPID'  referenced  to sys_user table and a tex field  called

'Name ' . 

OPID field is auto populated when form loads ( did this by adding javascript:gs.getUserID(); to the default value of OPID field  )  it works fine . 

and wrote a onload client script to populate the name field based on whats in OPID field .

 function onLoad() {
//Type appropriate comment here, and begin script below

var reqRec = g_form.getReference('u_opid');
var grUser = new GlideRecord('sys_user');

grUser.get(reqRec.sys_id);

g_form.setValue('u_name', grUser.name);

}

I wrote the same script for different catalog items  and they all working fine but now the same script is throwing below error . How do i fix this ? Please suggest . 

[vahini]

Hi Jim , 

your suggestion works for onload but 

I need to write a onchagne cilent script as well , OPID field is editable so user can manually change to different name if they wants to . 

[Jim Coyne · Accepted solution]

Correct.  I would change your current onLoad script to an onChange script and use the default for the initial data.  The onChange could look like this:

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading, isTemplate) {
  //skip when loading, the default value will do the trick instead
  if (isLoading) {
    return;
  }

  //clear the name when the reference field is cleared
  if (newValue === "") {
    g_form.setValue("u_name", "");
    return;
  }

  var user = g_form.getReference("u_opid", showCallerName);

  function showCallerName(user) {
    g_form.setValue("u_name", user.name);
  }
}