EnumList - Base type Ref - Occasionally not showing selections.

[Tom_Stevens]

I have a Calendar app that links to a list of purchases from a Purchase log app. In the calendar app you are able to select from a filtered Ref EnumList ( an EnumList with a base type of Ref) of purchases. Until a few days ago the system has worked flawlessly. 

We have encountered an issue where occasionally a selection will be made from the Ref EnumList, and the selection will not appear when the check box is picked after picking "Done". 

For example:

If the top entry is picked, nothing shows up.

If both are selected nothing shows up.

If only the bottom entry is picked the selection displays correctly as follows.

The "no show" error is not consistent and I'm having a hard time finding the cause. I have checked the following:

- Is it a character count limit on Enum or EnumList - Conclusion: It is not, as it works fine on other test entries

- Is it from picking multiple items - Conclusion: It is not, as it works fine on other test entries

- Is it always the top item or specific items - Conclusion: It is not, as it works fine on other test entries

- The data validity formula has been working well to date "SELECT(PURCHASE LOG[SUMMARY], ([TRACKING NUMBER KEY ID] = [_THISROW].[TRACKING NUMBER KEY ID]))"

- The app is not using any of the "Preview features"

- The error is occurring consistently on different computers. For example If I make a calendar entry for Job T8789. I get the same "No show" on the same item combinations.

Anyone have thoughts, hypothesis or conjecture on how to fix this or what's happening?

[Marc_Dillon]

Is [SUMMARY] the key column?

[Tom_Stevens]

It is not, it is the "Label". But in 2 years of operations, that has not been an issue. 

[Marc_Dillon]

You said "Ref EnumList" twice in your OP. Do you mean that it's an EnumList with a base type of Ref? If so, your valid_if would need to output a list of key values from the referenced table.

[Tom_Stevens]

Correct it is an EnumList with a base type of Ref. The valid_if is outputting the correct list. 

[Marc_Dillon]

The valid_if is outputting the correct list. 

---

It sounds like it's not though. A Ref column requires key values, you said your valid_if is returning non-key values.

[Tom_Stevens · Accepted solution]

My confusion is that the system has been working in a way that you say it doesn't for 2 years. But meh whatever, it doesn't matter, it's AppSheet and there are a million ways to do everything.

I've found a work around to my issue.  I needed the data table to show a record of the information that the KEY ID is referencing (not just the KEY ID). I have swapped over the EnumList to reference the KEY ID & added a new column to capture and convert the KEY ID's into text from the referenced summary column.

SUBSTITUTE(
[PURCHASE LOG][SUMMARY],
" , ",
"
"
)