[[disable]]
= `disable...()`

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The `disable...()` supporting method is called for properties, actions and action parameters.
It allows the modification of the property to be vetoed (ie made read-only) and to prevent the invocation of the action ("grey it out").
For parameters, it disables the entry into the parameter; this is for actions with dependencies between the parameters.

Typically modification/invocation is vetoed based on the state of the domain object being interacted with, though it could be any reason at all (eg the current date/time of the interaction, or the state of some other related data such as stock levels, or the identity of the calling user).

The reason for vetoing a modification/invocation is normally returned as a string.
However, Apache Causeway' xref:userguide:btb:i18n.adoc[i18n support] extends this so that reasons can be internationalized.

The signature of the supporting method is generally:

[source,java]
----
public String disableXxx() {
    // ...
}
----

where the returned string is the reason the property cannot be edited, or the action invoked.

For i18n, the supporting method returns a `TranslatableString`:

[source,java]
----
public TranslatableString disableXxx() {
    // ...
}
----

The returned string is then automatically translated to the locale of the current user.

To disable a property:

[source,java]
----
import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

public class Customer {

    @Getter @Setter
    private boolean blacklisted;

    @Getter @Setter
    private BigDecimal creditLimit;

    public String disableCreditLimit() {
        return isBlacklisted()
                    ? "Cannot change credit limit for blacklisted customers"
                    : null;
    }

    // ...
}
----

Or, to disable an action:

[source,java]
----
import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

public class Customer {

    @Getter @Setter
    private boolean blacklisted;

    @Action
    public Order placeOrder(
                    final Product product,
                    final int quantity) {
        // ...
    }
    public String disablePlaceOrder() {
        return isBlacklisted()
                    ? "Blacklisted customers cannot place orders"
                    : null;
    }

    // ...
}
----

It is also possible to disable an action parameter, so that it is disabled (greyed out) based on the value of earlier parameters.
For example:

[source,java]
----
public class ToDoItem {

public class ToDoItem {

    @Action(semantics = SemanticsOf.IDEMPOTENT)
    @ActionLayout(
            describedAs = "Update category and subcategory"
    )
    public Product categorize(
                    Category category,
                    Subcategory subcategory) {
        // ...
    }
    public String disable1Categorize(Category category) {
        return category == null || category.hasSubcategories()
                ? null
                : "The selected category has no subcategories";
    }

    // ...
}
----



