What's the difference btw 'slice actions' and 'update mode' (specifically: add, edit, delete) ?

[yumei]

I know if I include an action in a slice, say 'add', then I can place the 'add' icon somewhere on the page. But what role does the "Update Mode" play? 

[SkrOYC]

Good question.
Based on my experience:

When you don't add anything to your actions, all of the table's actions are included.
Now, Update Mode deactivate the actions related to each of the mentioned modes if they are not selected.

Consider the Slice Actions as a way to whitelist just the ones that you consider important for the sake of the filtered data and the Update mode as a more higher level control over those.

In other words, you could control updates, adds and deletes by removing the actions asociated with those but by using Update mode you can do so on an easier way

[yumei]

Thanks for the explanation. Still, my question is: What does 'Update mode' do? It must have some role in data management, right? Or else why should it be there?

[Marc_Dillon]

Update Mode is a higher level of control of all CRUD operations on the Slice. You can disable ALL updates/adds/deletes on the entire Slice at once with this.

Allowing certain Actions on Slice is a lower-level more specific, or fine-grained, level of control, the same as edit_if for individual columns. You can specify whether individual actions can be used, or individual columns can be edited.

If you specify conflicting rules, the higher level one, the 'Update Mode' here, takes priority. For example allowing edit on a column, but if the Table or Slice is set to read-only, you still won't be able to edit the column.

[yumei]

That makes sense because once I took away the 'add' in 'Update Mode', I got an error warning about the form view (which wouldn't be needed if no add was allowed). 

On the same vein: Are the actions in "Actions" of higher level control still than "Update Mode" (for the slices), since "Actions" control tables from which the slices are made?

[yumei]

Part of the reason for my original post relates to a specific set of issues I am trying to untangle. In the app I am working on, I want to disable the "New" function in the dropdown menu in a form view. For some users, that function may lead them to what looks like a circular loop, and the spreadsheet may end up with duplicating entries. I read in here that it is impossible to disable "New" in dropdowns in form views. But I was thinking of somehow finding a "backdoor" via controlling the functions of a slice.

Another tricky piece relates to wanting to have the CRUD functions easily available without making them available all the time. Say I have a view to a table that I usually don't want anyone to modify, but occasionally modifications are needed. So I can 1) "turn on" a function, say 'add', to allow some quick add work (this app will be used by only a few people at a time), and then turn it off; or 2) make the edits directly on the spreadsheet. Neither seems ideal, and making changes to the spreadsheet directly while having an AppSheet app seems a bit anachronic (for lack of a better word). I looked into creating a user table, but given the small number of users, it may be more hassle (and unnecessary complication) that it's work. So I was thinking of perhaps finding a workaround via fine tuning CRUD control on slices.

If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.

[Marc_Dillon]

Are the actions in "Actions" of higher level control still than "Update Mode" (for the slices)

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No.

I read in here that it is impossible to disable "New" in dropdowns in form views.

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That is definitely incorrect. There's the "allow other options" (or whatever the text is) option for an Enum column. Or if it is a Ref, you can point it to a read-only Slice instead of the base Table.

via fine tuning CRUD control on slices.

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Yes that seems like it could be a good direction for you to go.

[yumei]

It is indeed a Ref column in a table called "enrollment" that points to a table called "ppl". Actually, both of the tables are slices of their respective tables. I have created direct links to the slice form views. So a user can create an entry in "ppl". Or a user can create an entry in "enrollment" for either an existing user or create a new user. 

I actually created an action to the "enrollment slice" that points to views in the "ppl slice" form view. But it's not working - the "New" is still in the dropdown when I open the "enrollment slice form".

 How do I point it to a read-only slice?

[Marc_Dillon · Accepted solution]

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@yumei wrote:

How do I point it to a read-only slice?

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In the Ref column's config.

[yumei]

I can't believe it's that simple! Thank you so much!