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TDT18-Opal
18-Opal
June 19, 2025
Solved

Use of getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition Method While creating Table Views from Table Builders?

The PTC Help Center recommends overriding the getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition() method to include new attributes.
However, when I click "Customize" in the table view, all attributes for the selected object type already appear under "Set Column Display."

Is there a specific reason or scenario where overriding getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition() is needed?

 

 

TDTAnswer
18-Opal
January 12, 2026

The getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition method is used to define a custom table column that is not stored in or related to any object, and to display its value using a data utility

 

The getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition is used along with getOOTBTableViews

 

@Override
public List<?> getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition(Locale locale) {
 
ArrayList localArrayList = new ArrayList();
localArrayList.add(AttributeHelper.newStringAttribute("customAttribute",
WTMessage.getLocalizedMessage(TestResource.class.getName(), "CUSTOM_ATTRIBUTE", null, locale)));
return localArrayList;
}
 
The customAttribute is used as the selector value to register the data utility.
 
 
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1 reply

TDT18-OpalAuthorAnswer
18-Opal
January 12, 2026

The getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition method is used to define a custom table column that is not stored in or related to any object, and to display its value using a data utility

 

The getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition is used along with getOOTBTableViews

 

@Override
public List<?> getSpecialTableColumnsAttrDefinition(Locale locale) {
 
ArrayList localArrayList = new ArrayList();
localArrayList.add(AttributeHelper.newStringAttribute("customAttribute",
WTMessage.getLocalizedMessage(TestResource.class.getName(), "CUSTOM_ATTRIBUTE", null, locale)));
return localArrayList;
}
 
The customAttribute is used as the selector value to register the data utility.
 
 
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