Owl components¶

The Odoo Javascript framework uses a custom component framework called Owl. It is a declarative component system, loosely inspired by Vue and React. Components are defined using QWeb templates, enriched with some Owl specific directives. The official Owl documentation contains a complete reference and a tutorial.

Using Owl components¶

The Owl documentation already documents in detail the Owl framework, so this page will only provide Odoo specific information. But first, let us see how we can make a simple component in Odoo.

const { useState } = owl.hooks;
const { xml } = owl.tags;

class MyComponent extends Component {
    setup() {
        this.state = useState({ value: 1 });
    }

    increment() {
        this.state.value++;
    }
}
MyComponent.template = xml
    `<div t-on-click="increment">
        <t t-esc="state.value">
    </div>`;

This example shows that Owl is available as a library in the global namespace as owl: it can simply be used like most libraries in Odoo. Note that we defined here the template as a static property, but without using the static keyword, which is not available in some browsers (Odoo javascript code should be Ecmascript 2019 compliant).

We define here the template in the javascript code, with the help of the xml helper. However, it is only useful to get started. In practice, templates in Odoo should be defined in an xml file, so they can be translated. In that case, the component should only define the template name.

In practice, most components should define 2 or 3 files, located at the same place: a javascript file (my_component.js), a template file (my_component.xml) and optionally a scss (or css) file (my_component.scss). These files should then be added to some assets bundle. The web framework will take care of loading the javascript/css files, and loading the templates into Owl.

Here is how the component above should be defined:

const { useState } = owl.hooks;

class MyComponent extends Component {
    ...
}
MyComponent.template = 'myaddon.MyComponent';

And the template is now located in the corresponding xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<templates xml:space="preserve">

<t t-name="myaddon.MyComponent">
  <div t-on-click="increment">
    <t t-esc="state.value"/>
  </div>
</t>

</templates>

Best practices¶

First of all, components are classes, so they have a constructor. But constructors are special methods in javascript that are not overridable in any way. Since this is an occasionally useful pattern in Odoo, we need to make sure that no component in Odoo directly uses the constructor method. Instead, components should use the setup method:

// correct:
class MyComponent extends Component {
    setup() {
        // initialize component here
    }
}

// incorrect. Do not do that!
class IncorrectComponent extends Component {
    constructor(parent, props) {
        // initialize component here
    }
}

Another good practice is to use a consistent convention for template names: addon_name.ComponentName. This prevents name collision between odoo addons.

Reference List¶

The Odoo web client is built with Owl components. To make it easier, the Odoo javascript framework provides a suite of generic components that can be reused in some common situations, such as dropdowns, checkboxes or datepickers. This page explains how to use these generic components.

ActionSwiper¶

Location¶

@web/core/action_swiper/action_swiper

Description¶

This is a component that can perform actions when an element is swiped horizontally. The swiper is wrapping a target element to add actions to it. The action is executed once the user has released the swiper passed a portion of its width.

<ActionSwiper >"Object" >"Object">
  <SomeElement/>
</ActionSwiper>

The simplest way to use the component is to use it around your target element directly in an xml template as shown above. But sometimes, you may want to extend an existing element and would not want to duplicate the template. It is possible to do just that.

If you want to extend the behavior of an existing element, you must place the element inside, by wrapping it directly. Also, you can conditionnally add props to manage when the element might be swipable, its animation and the minimum portion to swipe to perform the action.

You can use the component to interact easily with records, messages, items in lists and much more.

The following example creates a basic ActionSwiper component. Here, the swipe is enabled in both directions.

<ActionSwiper
  >"
    {
      action: '() => Delete item',
      icon: 'fa-delete',
      bgColor: 'bg-danger',
    }"
  >"
    {
      action: '() => Star item',
      icon: 'fa-star',
      bgColor: 'bg-warning',
    }"
>
  <div>
    Swipable item
  </div>
</ActionSwiper>

Props¶

You can use both onLeftSwipe and onRightSwipe props at the same time.

The Object’s used for the left/right swipe must contain:

• action, which is the callable Function serving as a callback. Once the swipe has been completed in the given direction, that action is performed.

• icon is the icon class to use, usually to represent the action. It must be a string.

• bgColor is the background color, given to decorate the action. can be one of the following bootstrap contextual color (danger, info, secondary, success or warning).

Those values must be given to define the behavior and the visual aspect of the swiper.

Example: Extending existing components¶

In the following example, you can use xpath’s to wrap an existing element in the ActionSwiper component. Here, a swiper has been added to mark a message as read in mail.

<xpath expr="//*[hasclass('o_Message')]" position="after">
  <ActionSwiper
    >"messaging.device.isMobile and messageView.message.isNeedaction ?
      {
        action: () => messageView.message.markAsRead(),
        icon: 'fa-check-circle',
        bgColor: 'bg-success',
      } : undefined"
  />
</xpath>
<xpath expr="//ActionSwiper" position="inside">
  <xpath expr="//*[hasclass('o_Message')]" position="move"/>
</xpath>

CheckBox¶

Location¶

@web/core/checkbox/checkbox

Description¶

This is a simple checkbox component with a label next to it. The checkbox is linked to the label: the checkbox is toggled whenever the label is clicked.

<CheckBox value="boolean" disabled="boolean" t-on-change="onValueChange">
  Some Text
</CheckBox>

Props¶

ColorList¶

Location¶

@web/core/colorlist/colorlist

Description¶

The ColorList let you choose a color from a predefined list. By default, the component displays the current selected color, and is not expandable until the canToggle props is present. Different props can change its behavior, to always expand the list, or make it act as a toggler once it is clicked, to display the list of available colors until a choice is selected.

Props¶

Color id’s are the following:

Dropdown¶

Location¶

@web/core/dropdown/dropdown and @web/core/dropdown/dropdown_item

Description¶

The Dropdown lets you show a menu with a list of items when a toggle is clicked on. They can be combined with DropdownItems to invoke callbacks and close the menu when items are selected.

Dropdowns are surprisingly complicated components, the list of features they provide is as follow:

• Toggle the item list on click

• Close on outside click

• Call a function when items are selected

• Optionally close the item list when an item is selected

• SIY: style it yourself

• Support sub dropdowns, up to any level

• Configurable hotkey to open/close a dropdown or select a dropdown item

• Keyboard navigation (arrows, tab, shift+tab, home, end, enter and escape)

• Reposition itself whenever the page scrolls or is resized

• Smartly chose the direction it should open (right-to-left direction is automatically handled).

• Direct siblings dropdowns: when one is open, toggle others on hover

To properly use a <Dropdown/> component, you need to populate two OWL slots :

• default slot: it contains the toggle elements of your dropdown. By default, click events will be attached to this element to open and close the dropdown.

• content slot: it contains the elements of the dropdown menu itself and is rendered inside a popover. Although it is not mandatory, you can put some DropdownItem inside this slot, the dropdown will automatically close when these items are selected.

<Dropdown>
  <!-- The content of the "default" slot is the component's toggle -->
  <button class="my-btn" type="button">
    Click me to toggle the dropdown menu!
  </button>

  <!-- The "content" slot is rendered inside the menu that pops up next to the toggle -->
  <t t-set-slot="content">
    <DropdownItem >"selectItem1">Menu Item 1</DropdownItem>
    <DropdownItem >"selectItem2">Menu Item 2</DropdownItem>
  </t>
</Dropdown>

Dropdown Props¶

DropdownItem Props¶

Nested Dropdown¶

Dropdown can be nested, to do this simply put new Dropdown components inside other dropdown’s content slot. When the parent dropdown is open, child dropdowns will open automatically on hover.

By default, selecting a DropdownItem will close the whole Dropdown tree.

<Dropdown>
  <button>File</button>
  <t t-set-slot="content">
    <DropdownItem >"() => this.onItemSelected('file-save')">Save</DropdownItem>
    <DropdownItem >"() => this.onItemSelected('file-open')">Open</DropdownItem>

    <Dropdown>
      <button>New</button>
      <t t-set-slot="content">
        <DropdownItem >"() => this.onItemSelected('file-new-document')">Document</DropdownItem>
        <DropdownItem >"() => this.onItemSelected('file-new-spreadsheet')">Spreadsheet</DropdownItem>
      </t>
    </Dropdown>
  </t>
</Dropdown>

<t t-name="addon.MainTemplate">
  <div>
    <t t-call="addon.RecursiveDropdown">
      <t t-set="name" t-value="'Main Menu'" />
      <t t-set="items" t-value="state.menuItems" />
    </t>
  </div>
</t>

<t t-name="addon.RecursiveDropdown">
  <Dropdown>
    <button t-esc="name"></button>
    <t t-set-slot="content">
      <t t-foreach="items" t-as="item" t-key="item.id">

        <!-- If this item has no child: make it a <DropdownItem/> -->
        <DropdownItem t-if="!item.childrenTree.length" >"() => this.onItemSelected(item)" t-esc="item.name"/>

        <!-- Else: recursively call the current dropdown template. -->
        <t t-else="" t-call="addon.RecursiveDropdown">
          <t t-set="name" t-value="item.name" />
          <t t-set="items" t-value="item.childrenTree" />
        </t>
      </t>
    </t>
  </Dropdown>
</t>

Controlled Dropdown¶

If needed, you can also open or close the dropdown using code. To do this you must use the useDropdownState hook along with the state prop. useDropdownState returns an object that has an open and a close method (as well as an isOpen getter). Give the object to the state prop of the dropdown you want to control and calling the respective functions should now open and close your dropdown.

You can also set manual to true if you don’t want the default click handlers to be added on the toggle.

import { Component, onMounted } from "@odoo/owl";
import { Dropdown } from "@web/core/dropdown/dropdown";
import { DropdownItem } from "@web/core/dropdown/dropdown_item";
import { useDropdownState } from "@web/core/dropdown/dropdown_hooks";

class MyComponent extends Component {

  static components = { Dropdown, DropdownItem };
  static template = xml`
    <Dropdown state="this.dropdown">
      <div>My Dropdown</div>

      <t t-set-slot="content">
        <button t-on-click="() => this.mightClose()">Close It!<button>
      </t>
    </Dropdown>
  `;

  setup() {
    this.dropdown = useDropdownState();

    onMounted(() => {
      this.dropdown.open();
    });
  }

  mightClose() {
    if (Math.random() > 0.5) {
      this.dropdown.close();
    }
  }
}

DropdownGroup¶

Location: @web/core/dropdown/dropdown_group

You can use the DropdownGroup component to make Dropdowns share a common group, this means that when one of these Dropdown is open, the others will automatically open themselves on mouse hover, without the need for a click.

To do this, either surround all the Dropdowns with a single DropdownGroup or surround them with DropdownGroups with the same group key.

<DropdownGroup>
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
</DropdownGroup>

<DropdownGroup group="'my-group'">
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
</DropdownGroup>

<DropdownGroup group="'my-other-group'">
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
</DropdownGroup>

<DropdownGroup group="'my-group'">
  <Dropdown>...</Dropdown>
</DropdownGroup>

Notebook¶

Location¶

@web/core/notebook/notebook

Description¶

The Notebook is made to display multiple pages in a tabbed interface. Tabs can be located at the top of the element to display horizontally, or at the left for a vertical layout.

There are two ways to define your Notebook pages to instanciate, either by using slot’s, or by passing a dedicated props.

A page can be disabled with the isDisabled attribute, set directly on the slot node, or in the page declaration, if the Notebook is used with the pages given as props. Once disabled, the corresponding tab is greyed out and set as inactive as well.

Props¶

Example

The first approach is to set the pages in the slots of the component.

<Notebook orientation="'vertical'">
  <t t-set-slot="page_1" title="'Page 1'" isVisible="true">
    <h1>My First Page</h1>
    <p>It's time to build Owl components. Did you read the documentation?</p>
  </t>
  <t t-set-slot="page_2" title="'2nd page'" isVisible="true">
    <p>Wise owl's silent flight. Through the moonlit forest deep, guides my path to code</p>
  </t>
</Notebook>

The other way to define your pages is by passing the props. This can be useful if some pages share the same structure. Create first a component for each page template that you may use.

import { Notebook } from "@web/core/notebook/notebook";

class MyTemplateComponent extends owl.Component {
  static template = owl.tags.xml`
    <h1 t-esc="props.title" />
    <p t-esc="props.text" />
  `;
}

class MyComponent extends owl.Component {
  get pages() {
    return [
      {
        Component: MyTemplateComponent,
        title: "Page 1",
        props: {
          title: "My First Page",
          text: "This page is not visible",
        },
      },
      {
        Component: MyTemplateComponent,
        id: "page_2",
        title: "Page 2",
        props: {
          title: "My second page",
          text: "You're at the right place!",
        },
      },
    ]
  }
}
MyComponent.template = owl.tags.xml`
  <Notebook defaultPage="'page_2'" pages="pages" />
`;

Both examples are shown here:

Pager¶

Location¶

@web/core/pager/pager

Description¶

The Pager is a small component to handle pagination. A page is defined by an offset and a limit (the size of the page). It displays the current page and the total number of elements, for instance, „9-12 / 20“. In the previous example, offset is 8, limit is 4 and total is 20. It has two buttons („Previous“ and „Next“) to navigate between pages.

<Pager offset="0" limit="80" total="50" >"doSomething" />

Props¶

SelectMenu¶

Location¶

@web/core/select_menu/select_menu

Description¶

This component can be used when you want to do more than using the native select element. You can define your own option template, allowing to search between your options, or group them in subsections.

Props¶

The shape of a choice is the following:

• value is actual value of the choice. It is usually a technical string, but can be from any type.

• label is the displayed text associated with the option. This one is usually a more friendly and translated string.

The shape of a group is the following:

• choices is the list of choice’s to display for this group.

• label is the displayed text associated with the group. This is a string displayed at the top of the group.

Example

In the following example, the SelectMenu will display four choices. One of them is displayed on top of the options, since no groups are associated with it, but the other ones are separated by the label of their group.

import { SelectMenu } from "@web/core/select_menu/select_menu";

class MyComponent extends owl.Component {
  get choices() {
    return [
        {
          value: "value_1",
          label: "First value"
        }
    ]
  }
  get groups() {
    return [
      {
          label: "Group A",
          choices: [
              {
                value: "value_2",
                label: "Second value"
              },
              {
                value: "value_3",
                label: "Third value"
              }
          ]
      },
      {
          label: "Group B",
          choices: [
              {
                value: "value_4",
                label: "Fourth value"
              }
          ]
      }
    ]
  }
}
MyComponent.template = owl.tags.xml`
  <SelectMenu
    choices="choices"
    groups="groups"
    value="'value_2'"
  />
`;

You can also customize the appearance of the toggler and set a custom template for the choices, using the appropriate component slot’s.

MyComponent.template = owl.tags.xml`
  <SelectMenu
    choices="choices"
    groups="groups"
    value="'value_2'"
  >
    Make a choice!
    <t t-set-slot="choice" t-slot-scope="choice">
      <span class="coolClass" t-esc="'👉 ' + choice.data.label + ' 👈'" />
    </t>
  </SelectMenu>
`;

When SelectMenu is used with multiple selection, the value props must be an Array containing the values of the selected choices.

For more advanced use cases, you can customize the bottom area of the dropdown, using the bottomArea slot. Here, we choose to display a button with the corresponding value set in the search input.

MyComponent.template = owl.tags.xml`
  <SelectMenu
      choices="choices"
  >
      <span class="select_menu_test">Select something</span>
      <t t-set-slot="bottomArea" t-slot-scope="select">
          <div t-if="select.data.searchValue">
              <button class="btn text-primary" t-on-click="() => this.onCreate(select.data.searchValue)">
                  Create this article "<i t-esc="select.data.searchValue" />"
              </button>
          </div>
      </t>
  </SelectMenu>
`;

TagsList¶

Location¶

@web/core/tags_list/tags_list

Description¶

This component can display a list of tags in rounded pills. Those tags can either simply list a few values, or can be editable, allowing the removal of items. It can be possible to limit the number of displayed items using the itemsVisible props. If the list is longer than this limit, the number of additional items is shown in a circle next to the last tag.

Props¶

The shape of a tag is the following:

• colorIndex is an optional color id.

• icon is an optional icon displayed just before the displayed text.

• id is a unique identifier for the tag.

• img is an optional image displayed in a circle, just before the displayed text.

• onClick is an optional callback that can be given to the element. This allows the parent element to handle any functionality depending on the tag clicked.

• onDelete is an optional callback that can be given to the element. This makes the removal of the item from the list of tags possible, and must be handled by the parent element.

• text is the displayed string associated with the tag.

Example

In the next example, a TagsList component is used to display multiple tags. It’s at the developer to handle from the parent what would happen when the tag is pressed, or when the delete button is clicked.

import { TagsList } from "@web/core/tags_list/tags_list";

class Parent extends Component {
  setup() {
    this.tags = [{
        id: "tag1",
        text: "Earth"
    }, {
        colorIndex: 1,
        id: "tag2",
        text: "Wind",
        onDelete: () => {...}
    }, {
        colorIndex: 2,
        id: "tag3",
        text: "Fire",
        onClick: () => {...},
        onDelete: () => {...}
    }];
  }
}
Parent.components = { TagsList };
Parent.template = xml`<TagsList tags="tags" />`;

Depending the attributes given to each tag, their appearance and behavior will differ.