Theory. Configuration object editor and property palette

At first glance, the configuration object editor window and the property palette seem redundant. Indeed, the property palette displays all of the configuration object properties. So why create the object editor window on top of that? And if the object editor window is available, why do we need the property palette, which provides the same data in a different layout?

The configuration object editor window is primarily intended for quick object creation. This involves entering exhaustive information about the object and therefore requires a thorough knowledge of the object structure. Learning all that takes time, so how are we supposed to create an object quickly?

Easy enough. The object editor window is implemented as a wizard. It takes you through the proper sequence for entering the required data. The data entry sequence is designed so that previously entered data serves as the basis for entering new data. You can use the Next and Back buttons for navigation. At each step, you are prompted to enter a group of logically related items of information.

Now imagine that you are already comfortable with the object structure or you only need to change a few object properties. So not to "replay" the entire process from the very beginning, the object editor has tabs that let you go directly to the required step. Hence, the object editor window is handy for creating configuration objects and it provides easy access to specific properties that require editing.

But when it comes to the property palette, it provides an absolutely irreplaceable feature. Its structure is not tied to any specific configuration object type. So its content varies depending on the selected object. The property palette also "remembers" which property is selected, and when you move through the tree to another object, this property stays selected, while the property palette displays its value for the new object.

This feature of the property palette is necessary when, for instance, you have a few dozens of catalogs and you need to quickly find those that are subordinate to some particular catalog. In this case, you would click the Owner property in the property palette of any catalog. Then switch to the configuration object tree and simply scan through it using the Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys.

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