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create-live-resource

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Use when scaffolding a new Backpex LiveResource, setting up admin CRUD views, or configuring adapter_config, fields, filters, and routing for a resource.

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Creating a Backpex LiveResource

You are an expert at creating LiveResources for Backpex. When the user wants to create a new admin resource, follow this process:

  1. Identify the Ecto schema the resource will manage
  2. Generate the LiveResource module with adapter_config, fields, and callbacks
  3. Add the route to the router

LiveResource Module Structure

defmodule MyAppWeb.PostLive do
  use Backpex.LiveResource,
    adapter_config: [
      schema: MyApp.Post,
      repo: MyApp.Repo,
      update_changeset: &MyApp.Post.changeset/3,
      create_changeset: &MyApp.Post.changeset/3
    ]

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def layout(_assigns), do: {MyAppWeb.Layouts, :admin}

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def singular_name, do: "Post"

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def plural_name, do: "Posts"

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def fields do
    [
      title: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.Text,
        label: "Title",
        searchable: true
      }
    ]
  end
end

use Backpex.LiveResource Options

OptionTypeDefaultDescription
adapter_configkeywordrequiredEcto adapter configuration (see below)
adapteratomBackpex.Adapters.EctoData layer adapter
primary_keyatom:idPrimary key field
per_page_optionslist[15, 50, 100]Selectable page sizes
per_page_defaultinteger15Default page size
init_ordermap or fn%{by: :id, direction: :asc}Initial sort order
fluid?booleanfalseFull-width layout
full_text_searchatomnilPostgreSQL tsvector column name
save_and_continue_button?booleanfalseShow "Save & Continue" button
pubsubkeywordnil (falls back to :backpex, :pubsub_server app config, topic defaults to module name)[server: MyApp.PubSub]
on_mountatom/listnilLiveView on_mount hooks

adapter_config (Ecto)

KeyRequiredDescription
schemayesEcto schema module
repoyesEcto repo module
update_changesetnofn item, attrs, metadata -> changeset
create_changesetnofn item, attrs, metadata -> changeset
item_querynofn query, live_action, assigns -> query

The metadata keyword list contains :assigns and :target (the form field that triggered the change).

The item_query function must build on the incoming query argument (use from p in query, ...), not the schema directly.

Required Callbacks

CallbackReturnsDescription
singular_name/0stringe.g. "Post"
plural_name/0stringe.g. "Posts"
fields/0keyword listField definitions
layout/1{module, :function} or fn assigns -> ...Layout to use

Optional Callbacks

CallbackDefaultDescription
can?/3always truefn assigns, action, item -> bool
filters/0[]Filter definitions
filters/1delegates to filters/0Assigns-aware variant for dynamic filters
panels/0[]Field grouping: [key: "Label"]
metrics/0[]Index page metrics
resource_actions/0[]Resource-level actions
item_actions/1returns default_actions unchangedModify default item actions
on_item_created/2noopfn socket, item -> socket
on_item_updated/2noopfn socket, item -> socket
on_item_deleted/2noopfn socket, item -> socket
return_to/5index pageCustom redirect after save
index_row_class/4nilCustom CSS for table rows
render_resource_slot/3default HTMLOverride UI slots
translate/1delegates to Backpex.translate/1Override UI strings

Router Setup

import Backpex.Router

scope "/admin", MyAppWeb do
  pipe_through :browser

  backpex_routes()

  live_session :admin, on_mount: Backpex.InitAssigns do
    live_resources "/posts", PostLive
    live_resources "/users", UserLive
    live_resources "/categories", CategoryLive, only: [:index, :show]
  end
end

backpex_routes() must appear once per scope. live_resources/3 generates routes for Index, Form (new/edit), and Show views.

Options for live_resources/3:

  • only: [:index, :show, :new, :edit] to restrict routes
  • except: [:new] to exclude specific routes

Complete Example

defmodule MyAppWeb.ProductLive do
  use Backpex.LiveResource,
    adapter_config: [
      schema: MyApp.Product,
      repo: MyApp.Repo,
      update_changeset: &MyApp.Product.changeset/3,
      create_changeset: &MyApp.Product.changeset/3,
      item_query: &__MODULE__.item_query/3
    ],
    per_page_default: 25,
    init_order: %{by: :inserted_at, direction: :desc}

  import Ecto.Query

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def layout(_assigns), do: {MyAppWeb.Layouts, :admin}

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def singular_name, do: "Product"

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def plural_name, do: "Products"

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def panels do
    [details: "Details", metadata: "Metadata"]
  end

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def fields do
    [
      name: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.Text,
        label: "Name",
        searchable: true,
        panel: :details
      },
      price: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.Currency,
        label: "Price",
        panel: :details
      },
      category: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.BelongsTo,
        label: "Category",
        display_field: :name,
        live_resource: MyAppWeb.CategoryLive,
        panel: :details
      },
      published: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.Boolean,
        label: "Published",
        index_editable: true
      },
      inserted_at: %{
        module: Backpex.Fields.DateTime,
        label: "Created At",
        only: [:index, :show],
        panel: :metadata
      }
    ]
  end

  @impl Backpex.LiveResource
  def can?(_assigns, :delete, item), do: not item.published
  def can?(_assigns, _action, _item), do: true

  def item_query(query, _live_action, _assigns) do
    from p in query, where: is_nil(p.archived_at)
  end
end

Conventions

  • File location: lib/my_app_web/live/<resource>_live.ex
  • Module naming: MyAppWeb.<Resource>Live (e.g. MyAppWeb.ProductLive)
  • Changeset functions should accept 3 arguments: item, attrs, metadata
  • Use layout/1 callback instead of the layout: option (avoids compile-time dependencies)
  • Always build on the incoming query in item_query/3