path: root/docs/CBI.md

# CBI models
are Lua files describing the structure of an UCI config file and the resulting HTML form to be evaluated by the CBI parser.<br />
All CBI model files must return an object of type **luci.cbi.Map**.<br />
For a commented example of a CBI model, see the [Writing Modules tutorial](ModulesHowTo.md#cbimodels).

The scope of a CBI model file is automatically extended by the contents of the module **luci.cbi** and the _translate_ function from **luci.i18n**

This Reference covers **the basics** of the CBI system.


## class Map (_config, title, description_)
This is the root object of the model.

* **config:** configuration filename to be mapped, see [UCI documentation](https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/base-system/uci) and the files in /etc/config
* **title:** title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :section (_sectionclass_, ...)
Creates a new section
* **sectionclass**: a class object of the section
* _additional parameters passed to the constructor of the section class_

----

## class NamedSection (_name, type, title, description_)
An object describing an UCI section selected by the name.<br />
To instantiate use: `Map:section(NamedSection, "name", "type", "title", "description")`

* **name:** UCI section name
* **type:** UCI section type
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :option(_optionclass_, ...)
Creates a new option
* **optionclass:** a class object of the section
* _additional parameters passed to the constructor of the option class_

#### property .addremove = false
Allows the user to remove and recreate the configuration section.

#### property .dynamic = false
Marks this section as dynamic. Dynamic sections can contain an undefinded number of completely userdefined options.

#### property .optional = true
Parse optional options

----

## class TypedSection (_type, title, description_)
An object describing a group of UCI sections selected by their type.<br />
To instantiate use: `Map:section(TypedSection, "type", "title", "description")`
* **type:** UCI section type
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :option(_optionclass_, ...)
Creates a new option
 **optionclass:** a class object of the section
 _additional parameters passed to the constructor of the option class_

#### function :depends(_key, value_)
Only select those sections where _key == value_ <br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

#### function .filter(_self, section_) -abstract-
You can override this function to filter certain sections that will not be parsed.
The filter function will be called for every section that should be parsed and returns **nil** for sections that should be filtered. For all other sections it should return the section name as given in the second parameter.

#### property .addremove = false
Allows the user to remove and recreate the configuration section

#### property .dynamic = false
Marks this section as dynamic. Dynamic sections can contain an undefinded number of completely userdefined options.

#### property .optional = true
Parse optional options

#### property .anonymous = false
Do not show UCI section names

----

## class Value (_option, title, description_)
An object describing an option in a section of a UCI File. Creates a standard text field in the formular.<br />
To instantiate use: `NamedSection:option(Value, "option", "title", "description")`<br />
 or `TypedSection:option(Value, "option", "title", "description")`
* **option:** UCI option name
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :depends(key, value)
Only show this option field if another option _key_ is set to _value_ in the same section.<br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

#### function :value(key, value)
Convert this text field into a combobox if possible and add a selection option.

#### property .default = nil
The default value

#### property .maxlength = nil
The maximum inputlength (of chars) of the value

#### property .optional = false
Marks this option as optional, implies .rmempty = true

#### property .rmempty = true
Removes this option from the configuration file when the user enters an empty value

#### property .size = nil
The maximum number of chars displayed by form field

----

## class ListValue (_option, title, description_)
An object describing an option in a section of a UCI File.<br />
Creates a list box or list of radio (for selecting one of many choices) in the formular.<br />
To instantiate use: `NamedSection:option(ListValue, "option", "title", "description")`<br />
or `TypedSection:option(ListValue, "option", "title", "description")`
* **option:** UCI option name
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :depends(key, value)
Only show this option field if another option _key_ is set to _value_ in the same section.<br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

#### function :value(_key, value_)
Adds an entry to the selection list

#### property .widget = "select"
**"select"** shows a selection list, **"radio"** shows a list of radio buttons inside form

#### property .default = nil
The default value

#### property .optional = false
Marks this option as optional, implies .rmempty = true

#### property .rmempty = true
Removes this option from the configuration file when the user enters an empty value

#### property .size = nil
The size of the form field

----

## class Flag (_option, title, description_)
An object describing an option with two possible values in a section of a UCI File.<br />
Creates a checkbox field in the formular.<br />
To instantiate use: `NamedSection:option(Flag, "option", ""title", "description")`<br />
 or `TypedSection:option(Flag, "option", "title", "description")`
* **option:** UCI option name
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :depends (_key, value_)
Only show this option field if another option _key_ is set to _value_ in the same section.<br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

#### property .default = nil
The default value

#### property .disabled = 0
the value that should be set if the checkbox is unchecked

#### property .enabled = 1
the value that should be set if the checkbox is checked

#### property .optional = false
Marks this option as optional, implies .rmempty = true

#### property .rmempty = true
Removes this option from the configuration file when the user enters an empty value

----

## class MultiValue (_option'', ''title'', ''description_)
An object describing an option in a section of a UCI File.<br />
Creates a list of checkboxed or a multiselectable list as form fields.<br />
To instantiate use: `NamedSection:option(MultiValue, "option", ""title", "description")`<br />
 or `TypedSection:option(MultiValue, "option", "title", "description")`
* **option:** UCI option name
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### function :depends (_key, value_)
Only show this option field if another option _key_ is set to _value_ in the same section.<br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

#### function :value(_key, value_)
Adds an entry to the list

#### property .widget = "checkbox"
**"select"** shows a selection list, **"checkbox"** shows a list of checkboxes inside form

#### property .delimiter = " "
The string which will be used to delimit the values inside stored option

#### property .default = nil
The default value

#### property .optional = false
Marks this option as optional, implies .rmempty = true

#### property .rmempty = true
Removes this option from the configuration file when the user enters an empty value

#### property .size = nil
The size of the form field (only used if property _.widget = "select"_)

----

## class StaticList (_option, title, description_)
Similar to the MultiValue, but stores selected Values into a UCI list instead of a character-separated option.

----

## class DynamicList (_option, title, description_)
A extensible list of user-defined values. Stores Values into a UCI list

----

## class DummyValue (_option, title, description_)
Creates a readonly text in the form. !It writes no data to UCI!<br />
To instantiate use: `NamedSection:option(DummyValue, "option", ""title", "description")`<br />
 or `TypedSection:option(DummyValue, "option", "title", "description")`
* **option:** UCI option name
* **title:** The title shown in the UI
* **description:** description shown in the UI

#### property :depends (_key, value_)
Only show this option field if another option _key_ is set to _value_ in the same section.<br />
If you call this function several times the dependencies will be linked with **"or"**

----

## class TextValue (_option, title, description_)
An object describing a multi-line textbox in a section in a non-UCI form.

----

## class Button (_option, title, description_)
An object describing a Button in a section in a non-UCI form.