Overriding Approval Button Label

I had a recent need for override the label of the 'Submit for Approval' button, which is enabled by creating an approval process on an object out of the box in Salesforce.  Unfortunately, since the Submit for Approval is sort of generic across different objects, there is no way of overriding the label through Setup->Customize->Tab Names and Labels.

The solution is to implement a two line VF page and hook it up to it's own button, complete with the new label.  The VF page still uses standard out of the box functionality, and no apex was used nor harmed during this customization.  

The trick is to utilize the $Action global variable.  If you take a look at the Name of the Submit For Approval button on the page layout, you should find the name of the button/action is "Submit".  Going forward with this, I created the following simple Visualforce page:

<apex:page standardController="Case" action="{!URLFOR($Action.Case.Submit,case.Id)}">

apex:page>

Note that utilizing the action parameter is considered a CSR security risk and will be flagged if you depend on packaging up the Visualforce page.

After the Visuaforce page is created, the next step is to create a custom detail page button, opening the page in existing window with sidebar.  Set the label on the button to the text you desire.  Finally, modify the page layout(s) and replace the 'Submit for Approval' button with your custom VF button.

There you have it, an easy-peasy way to "override the label" using (mostly) out-of-the-box functionality.

Adding a default value for Campaign Standard Field

Scenario: Without needing to enter the Campaign Name field on the edit Campaign screen, have a trigger define the Campaign Name field based on a formula like criteria.


Problem:  The Name field is required on the Campaign, and saving the page layout fires a field validation rule before the before update trigger runs.  Furthermore, there is no option to provide a default value for the Name field unlike custom text fields.


Solution: Feed a dummy data value into the Campaign name through a custom Visualforce solution.  The solution involves overriding the New button on the Campaign and directing the user to the Campaign edit page with the Campaign name pre-populated, allowing the campaign to save and fire the trigger.


Step 1) Create a Controller extension to prepopulate the Campaign Name:

Apex controller extension (CampaignExtension.cls):

public with sharing class CampaignExtension {

  public CampaignExtension(ApexPages.StandardController stdController) { 

  }

  

  public PageReference gotoUrl(){

    PageReference pageRef = new PageReference('/701/e');

    Map params = pageRef.getParameters();

    params.put('nooverride','1');

    params.put('RecordType',recordType);
    //See notes below

    params.put('cpn1','Campaign Name');

    return pageRef;

  }

}

** Notes:  

The 'cpn1' parameter is related to whichever field to default.

Viewing the HTML source of the Campaign edit screen reveals that the HTML id of the Name field is 'cpn1', hence the cpn1 parameter for the Campaign Name field.

Step 2) Create a VF page:

<apex:page standardController="Campaign" 

  extensions="CampaignExtension" 

  action="{!gotoUrl}" />

Step 3) Override standard new button for Campaign:

1. Setup->Customize->Campaigns->Buttons and Links
2. Click Edit next the standard New button
3. Select the Visualforce Page radio button and select the Visualforce page from Step 2 above.
4. Validate that "Skip Record Type Selection Page" is unchecked. 
5. Save the override properties

Wa-la, you should have a mechanism to set the default value for a required standard field on a standard object.

Inheritance and Visualforce page controllers

Salesforce Apex is pretty finicky with inheritance in comparison to Java.
Even though it is Java based, there are many caveats, especially in inheritance and OO related principles.

In Visualforce, you have the option of denoting either a StandardController or Controller, in addition to controller extensions.  The extensions may or may not have code in common with the controller.  If they do, then you'll want to take advantage of inheritance and creating an abstract controller.

Below is a simple example of a Visualforce page utilizing an abstract controller.

Test.page:

<apex:page controller="Test" extensions="Test1,Test2,Test3">
<apex:form>
<apex:commandButton value="Go" action="{!go}" rerender="out" />
<apex:outputPanel id="out">{!output}</apex:form>
</apex:page>

Test.cls:

public abstract class Test {
  public String output {get; set;}
 
  private Test controller = null;
 
  public Test(){}
 
  public Test(Test controller){
      this.controller = controller;
  }
 
  public virtual void go(){
      output = 'Test';
  }
}

Test1.cls:

public class Test1 extends Test{
  public override void go(){
      this.output = 'Test1';
  }
  //Visual force needs this constructor to perform the controlling logic
  public Test1(Test test){ super(test); }
}

Test2.cls:

public class Test2 extends Test{
  public override void go(){
      this.output = 'Test2';
  }
  public Test2(Test test){super(test);}
}

Test3.cls:

public class Test3 extends Test{
  public override void go(){
      this.output = 'Test3';
  }
  public Test3(Test test){super(test);}
}

FYI, if you're reading through the Advanced developer study guide, 'Test1' is printed after clicking  the go command button.