Understanding Many2many Checkboxes and Many2many Tags Widgets in Odoo

Abid Patel
23-Oct-2024 Updated : 23-Oct-2024

Learn how to use the Many2many Checkboxes and Many2many Tags widgets in Odoo to create a flexible and user-friendly interface for selecting multiple records.

Understanding Many2many Checkboxes and Many2many Tags Widgets in Odoo

In Odoo, the Many2many field allows you to create a relationship between multiple records in two different models. To enhance the user interface and improve usability, Odoo offers two primary widgets for managing Many2many fields: the Many2many Checkboxes widget and the Many2many Tags widget.

What is the Many2many Checkboxes Widget?

The Many2many Checkboxes widget in Odoo allows users to select multiple options by displaying checkboxes next to each record. This widget is especially useful when you want users to select items from a list and need the interface to be clear and direct.

How to Use the Many2many Checkboxes Widget

You can easily implement the Many2many Checkboxes widget by specifying the widget="many2many_checkboxes" attribute in your form view. Here’s an example of how to use it:

xml

<field name="category_ids" widget="many2many_checkboxes"/>

In this example, we are displaying the category_ids field with checkboxes, allowing users to select multiple categories from the available options.

What is the Many2many Tags Widget?

The Many2many Tags widget is another useful widget for Many2many fields. It displays the selected records as tags, allowing users to remove or add more items dynamically. This widget provides a visually compact and user-friendly interface, especially when managing multiple relationships.

How to Use the Many2many Tags Widget

To implement the Many2many Tags widget, you can specify the widget="many2many_tags" attribute in your form view. Below is an example of how it can be applied:

xml

<field name="category_ids" widget="many2many_tags"/>

With this configuration, the selected categories will be displayed as tags, and the user can easily remove or add tags by clicking on them.

Differences Between Many2many Checkboxes and Many2many Tags

While both widgets work with Many2many fields, they offer different user experiences:

  • Many2many Checkboxes: Displays a list of items with checkboxes, allowing users to select or deselect options.
  • Many2many Tags: Displays the selected items as tags, offering a more compact and visually appealing interface. Users can add or remove tags dynamically.

When to Use Many2many Checkboxes or Many2many Tags

Both widgets are useful in different scenarios:

  • ▹ If you need a simple and clear interface with a defined list of items, the Many2many Checkboxes widget is the better choice.
  • ▹ If you want a more compact and flexible interface where users can quickly remove or add options, the Many2many Tags widget is ideal.

Practical Example

Let's consider a scenario where you have a field called category_ids in a product form. You want the user to either select categories using checkboxes or see them displayed as tags. Here's how you can set up both:

xml

<form>
    <group>
        <!-- Many2many Checkboxes -->
        <field name="category_ids" widget="many2many_checkboxes"/>

        <!-- Many2many Tags -->
        <field name="category_ids" widget="many2many_tags"/>
    </group>
</form>

Conclusion

The Many2many Checkboxes and Many2many Tags widgets in Odoo provide flexible ways to display Many2many fields. Depending on the user interface requirements, you can choose either checkboxes for a straightforward selection interface or tags for a more compact and dynamic user experience. Understanding when and how to apply these widgets can enhance the usability of your Odoo applications.

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