Remove special characters when naming tables

[Justlookinghere]

Today I did an experiment on the BOT automation process in generating a PDF. When I tried to reference a table containing a special character for example: -, & I could not get my automation BOT to setup due to not recognizing the table. Someone must've posted about this issue previously but since I'm quite new to AppSheet and still in the midst of exploring things, I could not bear the thought of not warning new users about this issue I have encountered. I think AppSheet should make a warning or restrict users from using special characters in naming their table. Or I must've missed the warning...

Thanks everyone for the interest in reading my post 🙂 

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

Hi @Justlookinghere ,

You may wish to post such posts in Feature Ideas section in future. I have requested moderator to move this post to that section.

[Justlookinghere]

Thanks for the head's up @Suvrutt_Gurjar 

[Kirk_Masden]

I've found a way to "sneak" special characters into AppSheet via a Google sheet:

https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Tips-Tricks/Directional-quotes-anywhere-you-want-them/m-p/24...

I know that your issue is not directional quotes but the issue may be similar in that directional quotes don't work if you try to type them directly into an AppSheet virtual column (or, a bot expression) but, they can be pulled from a spreadsheet and then used in virtual expressions, etc.  I suspect that if you put the special characters in a cell in your spreadsheet or data source (I know it works with Google sheets) and then access them via expressions likes LOOKUP() and MID() etc. that you may be able to make something that works in your bot.