Have you ever had a functionality that was the same across multiple objects or fields, but needed to have it slightly different across each implementation? Join us as we show you how to build Visualforce pages in a more reusable manner. Using practical code examples, we'll be taking a code example from a page that is strongly typed to an object to using (1) a Visualforce Component and Dynamic Visualforce Field Bindings to make the page flexible, (2) Apex Describe methods to detect what type of object is being used, and (3) Custom Settings objects to maintain flexibility across objects. Always keep an eye out for opportunities to reuse old code without having to have multiple copies of code to update each time something changes!

1. Get the Most Out of Your Code
Making Your Apex and Visualforce Reusable
Raleigh Chen, USAA, Sr. Software Developer/Integrator

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3. Raleigh Chen
Senior Software Developer/Integrator
Enterprise Decision Support Systems

4. Primary Problem
VS

5. What Makes Code Reusable?
Flexibility
Genericisation

6. Case Study Example
Two custom fields on two different objects – similar functionality
▪ Campaign
• Source System
• Subsystem Application
▪ Lead
• IT System (IT Source of Lead)
• Lead Application (Lead Generation Application)

7. Campaign – Starting Point
Visualforce Page for Campaign

8. Campaign – Create Component
Generic Object Components allow for a level of
flexibility/genericisation.
▪ Create new Visualforce Component
▪ Replace PageBlock with a Visualforce Component
Tip: The <apex:attribute> tag allows you to pass
values/objects from the visualforce page to the component

9. COMPONENTIZATION
“replacing a Visualforce Page with a Component allowing for
more flexibility due to the ability to embed Components in other
Pages and pass variables into Components”

10. Campaign – Add Component Controller
Reusable Logic should live in the Generic Component Controller
▪ Create new Component Controller
▪ Replace the Attribute Object being passed with a more flexible Object
ID
Tip: The assignTo property in the <apex:attribute> tag
allows you to pass values/objects from the Visualforce page
directly to the component’s controller

11. IDEEIFY
“passing an ID instead of an object or fields from an object to
ensure portability across any object type”

12. Campaign – Begin to Genericize Controller
Use GlobalDescribe to allow different Objects
▪ Add describe methods necessary for Generic Use
• getGlobalDescribe() – pulls all Object tokens
• getDescribe() – pulls Object details
• getName() – pulls Object Name
• getKeyPrefix() – retrieves the 3 character Object Prefix
▪ Remove Strongly Typed fields from the Visualforce Component
Tip: Using the Dynamic Visualforce Binding Notation
“runObject[fieldName]” allows using variables for field
names.

13. DESCRIBESPLOSION
“using a generic ID to determine object metadata such as
Object Name, key prefix, etc. without relying on hardcoded values”

14. DYNAMISUALFORDING
“using Dynamic Visualforce Binding notation to ensure flexibility
in your sObject’s field names so that they can be variablized and
determined at runtime instead of being hardcoded”

15. Campaign – Create Custom Setting Object
Custom Settings allow for faster access to metadata for mappings,
settings, environment variables, etc.
▪ Define a new Custom Setting
Tip: Custom Settings prevent developers from having to
alter code as it moves from environment to environment

16. Campaign – Add Campaign Entry to Custom Setting
The entry will map the 3 character Object Prefix to all the Object
specific information we need
▪ Define Object and Field Name fields
▪ Set Values for Campaign

17. METAFIELD METANAMING METADATA
“storing the field names that are needed to refer to an object
within another reference object, such as a Custom Setting so that
the fields that are used can be changed and new possible objects
added without code changes”

18. Campaign – Finalize Controller
Remove all mention of any specific Objects/Field Names
▪ Utilize Custom Setting to get Object/Field Names based on passed
Record ID
Tip: The getInstance() method of a Custom Setting allows
for quick retrieval of a row of data based on the Name.

19. DEPROPERIZE
“ensuring that there is no hardcoded object names or field
names (except for the Custom Setting object and fields) to ensure
that the component can be used with ANY object”

20. Lead – Try it out for Lead!
Create the same Page for Leads
▪ Add entry in Custom Settings for Lead
▪ Add Leads Visualforce Page

21. Review
Visualforce Components
▪
<c:component_name attribute_name=“{!value}” />
▪
<apex:attribute name="objID" description="The object ID" required="true" type="String" assignTo="{!
objectID}“
Dynamic Visualforce Field Bindings
▪
<apex:inputField value="{!object_name[field_name_variable]}" />
Describe Functions
▪
getGlobalDescribe()
▪
getDescribe()
▪
getName()
▪
getKeyPrefix()

22. Review (cont.)
Custom Settings
▪
Definition/Usage
▪
Custom_Setting_Object_Name.getInstance(rowName)
▪
Custom_Setting_Object_Name.getAll()

23. Raleigh Chen
Sr. Software
Developer/Integrator,
USAA

24. Chatter Challenge
On Chatter, Submit an example of this type of genericisation using
the new Fieldset.
Winner gets a gold star.