Development Book V17: Context

By utilizing XML or Python, it becomes possible to transmit information within a given context. Hence, when writing code, having context becomes increasingly beneficial. In Python, a context refers to a dictionary that aids in conveying essential information to an Odoo function. It is noteworthy that nearly every method in Odoo incorporates a context argument for data transmission. Various examples showcasing different ways to employ the context are provided below.

1. To pass default values for fields:

                            <field name="work_location_id" context="{'default_address_id': address_id}" />
                            

By doing this, you can establish the default value for a field.

2. Setting default filters and groups by records:

    <group expand="0" string="Group By">
        <filter string="Department" name="department" domain="[]"
            context="{'group_by': 'department_id'}"/>
        <filter string="Company" name="company" domain="[]"
            context="{'group_by': 'company_id'}" groups="base.group_multi_company"/>
        <filter string="Employment Type" name="employment_type" domain="[]"
            context="{'group_by': 'contract_type_id'}"/>
    </group>

Within the context, you have the option to include the group_by field.

3. In Window actions

    
<record id="crm_lead_action_my_activities" model="ir.actions.act_window">
        <field name="name">My Activities</field>
        <field name="res_model">crm.lead</field>
        <field name="view_mode">tree,kanban,graph,pivot,calendar,form,activity
        </field>
        <field name="view_id" ref="crm_lead_view_list_activities"/>
        <field name="domain">[('activity_ids','!=',False)]</field>
        <field name="search_view_id"
               ref="crm.view_crm_case_my_activities_filter"/>
        <field name="context">{'default_type': 'opportunity',
            'search_default_assigned_to_me': 1}
        </field>
        <field name="help" type="html">
            <p class="o_view_nocontent_smiling_face">
                Looks like nothing is planned.
            </p>
            <p>
                Schedule activities to keep track of everything you have to do.
            </p>
        </field>
     </record>
     

To define default values for new records, utilize the context in window actions. In this case, the default type is configured to be opportunity.

4. Python has a function

Context is applicable within Python functions as well. You can retrieve any value from XML passed to your Python function, as demonstrated in this statement: env.context.get('partner id'), where self.partner_id is the value passed from the XML.

5. In search view and filters

    <group expand="0" string="Group By">
        <filter string="User" name="user" domain="[]"
                context="{'group_by':'user_id'}"/>
        <filter string="Type" name="type" domain="[]"
                context="{'group_by':'resource_type'}"/>
        <filter string="Company" name="company" domain="[]"
                context="{'group_by':'company_id'}"
                groups="base.group_multi_company"/>
        <filter string="Working Time" name="working_period" domain="[]"
                context="{'group_by':'calendar_id'}"/>
     </group>

Two filters have been included within the group tag, and the group_by has been transmitted by leveraging the context.