GlideElementDescriptor - Scoped, Global

The GlideElementDescriptor API provides information about individual fields in a glide record.

There is no constructor for this class. Use the GlideElement or GlideRecord getED() method to obtain a GlideElementDescriptor object.

GlideElementDescriptor - getAttachmentEncryptionType()

Returns the encryption type used for attachments on the element's table.

This method is for use with the Edge Encryption plugin.

Tableau 1. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 2. Returns

Type	Description
String	The encryption type used on attachments. Returns null if attachments on the element's table are not being encrypted.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

var isEdge = ed.getAttachmentEncryptionType();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

null

GlideElementDescriptor - getEncryptionType()

Returns the element's encryption type.

This method is for use with the Edge Encryption plugin.

Tableau 3. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 4. Returns

Type	Description
String	The element's encryption type. Returns null if the element is not encrypted.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

sEdge = ed.getEncryptionType();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

null

GlideElementDescriptor - getInternalType()

Returns the element's internal data type.

Tableau 5. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 6. Returns

Type

Description

String

The element's internal data type. Possible values: boolean char collection conditions date decimal documentation_field domain_id due_date email field_name file_attachment float glide_date glide_date_time glide_duration glide_list GUID html image integer long longint multi_two_lines journal journal_input numeric order_index password ph_number reference script script_plain string sys_class_name table_name template_value timer translated_field url user_image user_input user_roles video workflow

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');
 
var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();
 
var isEdge = ed.getInternalType();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

integer

GlideElementDescriptor - getLabel()

Returns the element's label.

Tableau 7. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 8. Returns

Type	Description
String	The element's label.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');
 
var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();
 
var isEdge = ed.getLabel();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

Priority

GlideElementDescriptor - getLength()

Returns the element's length.

Tableau 9. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 10. Returns

Type	Description
Number	The element's size.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');
 
var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();
 
var isEdge = ed.getLength();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

40

GlideElementDescriptor - getName()

Returns the element's name.

Tableau 11. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 12. Returns

Type	Description
String	The element's name.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');
 
var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();
 
var isEdge = ed.getName();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

priority

GlideElementDescriptor - getPlural()

Returns the element's plural label.

Tableau 13. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 14. Returns

Type	Description
String	The element's plural label.

var now_GR = new GlideRecord('incident');
now_GR.query();
var ed = now_GR.getED();
gs.info(ed.getPlural());

Output:

Incidents

GlideElementDescriptor - hasAttachmentsEncrypted()

Returns true if an encrypted attachment has been added to the table.

This method is for use with the Edge Encryption plugin.

Tableau 15. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 16. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	Returns true if an encrypted attachment has been added to the table.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

var isEdge = ed.hasAttachmentsEncrypted();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

false

GlideElementDescriptor - isAutoOrSysID()

Returns true if the element is an automatically generated or system field.

Automatically generated and system fields cannot be encrypted. This method is for use with the Edge Encryption plugin.

Tableau 17. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 18. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	True if the element is automatically generated or a system field.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');
var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

isEdge = ed.isAutoOrSysID();
gs.info(isEdge);

Output:

false

GlideElementDescriptor - isChoiceTable()

Returns true if the element is defined as a dropdown choice in its dictionary definition.

Choice fields cannnot be encrypted.

Tableau 19. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 20. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	Returns true if the element is defined as a dropdown choice. Returns true even if there are no entries defined in the choice table. The last choice type, suggestion, does not return true.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

var isChoiceTable = ed.isChoiceTable();
gs.info(isChoiceTable);

Output:

true

GlideElementDescriptor - isEdgeEncrypted()

Returns true if an element is encrypted.

This method is for use with the Edge Encryption plugin.

Tableau 21. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 22. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	Returns true if the element is encrypted, false otherwise.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

var isEdge = ed.isEdgeEncrypted();
gs.info(isEdge)

Output:

false

GlideElementDescriptor - isMandatory()

Determines whether the element is mandatory and must contain a value before the record can be saved.

Tableau 23. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 24. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	Flag that indicates whether the associated element is mandatory and must contain a value before the record containing the element can be saved. Possible values: true: element must contain a value; mandatory field false: element does not have to contain a value

This example shows how to check whether the name field is mandatory.

var isRecordValid;
var now_GR = new GlideRecord('my_table');
var field = now_GR.getElement('name');
var elementDescriptor = field.getED();
now_GR.query();
while (now_GR.next()) {
if (elementDescriptor.isMandatory() && !now_GR.name) {
       isRecordValid = false;
  }
}

GlideElementDescriptor - isVirtual()

Returns true if the element is a virtual element.

A virtual element is a calculated field as set by the dictionary definition of the field. Virtual fields cannot be encrypted.

Tableau 25. Parameters

Name	Type	Description
None

Tableau 26. Returns

Type	Description
Boolean	Returns true if the element is a virtual element.

var grInc = new GlideRecord('incident');
grInc.query('priority', '1');

var field = grInc.getElement('priority');
var ed = field.getED();

var isVirtual = ed.isVirtual();
gs.info(isVirtual);

Output:

false