Service Tree By Description Rather Than Name

As you will no doubt be aware, Service Desk Express (SDE) provides the ability to display the Category list (aka Support Subjects) and / or the Service list, in a treeview as opposed to the normal popup list. In case you weren’t aware of this functionality it is achieved by checking the Category Tree / Service Tree checkboxes for these appropriate fields in Form Customisation.

By design / default however, whilst the Category tree displays the Category Description, the Service tree displays the Service Name. Recently, I was asked if it was possible to display the Service tree by Service Description instead of Service Name. As with most things, it IS possible but does require a couple of code hacks as detailed below. As such, if you are going to do this, MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP EVERYTHING (DB and Application Server directories) FIRST!!!

To implement this change we need to alter two files. This first of these is ServiceTreeRender.aspx (located in C:Program FilesBMCService Desk ExpressApplication Server by default). Open the file in Notepad and change the lines:

string sColName = (Fields.GetFieldBySequence(6) as NAMMETADATALib.IMField).name; //Service Name
...
kidList[z] = new SDE.UI.TreeNode(objOneData.get_Item(1).ToString(), //id
objOneData.get_Item(6).ToString(), //name
Convert.ToInt32(objOneData.get_Item(14)) > 0, //Check for children
null,
((Convert.ToInt32(objOneData.get_Item(14)) > 0) ? "folder":""),
false); //Sudha, fix for bug#34382, adding customNodeData value


to be

string sColName = (Fields.GetFieldBySequence(7) as NAMMETADATALib.IMField).name; //Service Description
...
kidList[z] = new SDE.UI.TreeNode(objOneData.get_Item(1).ToString(), //id
objOneData.get_Item(7).ToString(), //description
Convert.ToInt32(objOneData.get_Item(14)) > 0, //Check for children
null,
((Convert.ToInt32(objOneData.get_Item(14)) > 0) ? "folder":""),
false); //Sudha, fix for bug#34382, adding customNodeData value


Save the file.

The other file is xml_generator.aspx located in the same directory. Open this in Notepad and find the GetServiceTree() function. Change the lines:

string sColName = (objFields.GetFieldBySequence(6) as NAMMETADATALib.IMField).name;
...
objFetchData.set_Item(6, "");
...
strxml.Append(SDE.Utility.encodeURIComponent(objOneData.get_Item(6).ToString() )); //name


to be

string sColName = (objFields.GetFieldBySequence(7) as NAMMETADATALib.IMField).name;
...
objFetchData.set_Item(7, "");
...
strxml.Append(SDE.Utility.encodeURIComponent(objOneData.get_Item(7).ToString() )); //description


Save the file.

IISRESET for good measure and you should be good to go. As always any feedback (positive or negative) is always welcome.

• Service Desk Express
• service tree