Column type: File

[BenH]

When using the column type “File”. is there a way to change the file File Name Prefix, just like you can with a workflow? So when a user uploads a pdf it automatically creates the name based on a expression?

Thanks!

[Aleksi]

I’m afraid you don’t have that possibility. You can only play with the key value and column name.

[BenH]

This would be an excellent feature

[WillowMobileSys]

I agree it would be nice to have the flexibility to directly change the file name prefix while uploading the file. Maybe a Feature Request should be added?

While you cannot directly change a file name, AppSheet does change the name while saving the file. You can manipulate the saved file name once you understand the properties used to construct the name.

AppSheet changes the file name prefix based on these properties:

<row key id>.<column name>.<timestamp> - there are periods in between.

The <timestamp> appears to be scraped from the original FILENAME if there is already a timestamp in the name. Otherwise, a timestamp is given.

So, as I test, I create a table where the key is “CompanyName_” + a sequential number. I named the column of my files as “ScreenShot” since i was testing with screenshot files.

You can see the results of the added files in the table below. I was also able to add an XLSX and a PDF file (shown). The first file was inserted before the key and column name changes were made.

NOTE: I also inserted the folder path in the column to control where the folder was created. By default a folder is placed at the root level.

Hope this helps…some!!

[BenH]

@WillowMobileSystems that is a clunky workaround, but its nice to see visually how it works.

For my situation, we have contractors and field guys who upload their reports (for each line) to dropbox. They dont generate a PDF from appsheet, rather on their own. If they could upload that file and have it save with a specific name to the dropbox while having it easily accessible via the app, would be a game changer.

[WillowMobileSys]

@BenH Software is full of clunky workarounds!

Is generating from AppSheet an option? Then you can specify the filename you want and, I believe but no experience, upload that file to DropBox.

[BenH]

@WillowMobileSystems

We generate our internal reports via appsheet. Contractors are a different beast, we are getting them to adopt our apps, but also getting them to generate reports from them might be a bit much when they have multiple customers and the same reporting on their end.