How to hide the multiple-select checkbox on a table

[Kirk_Masden]

I would like to hide the multiple-select checkbox you see on the right side of this image:

The checkbox is showing because a delete action is in the slice. If the delete action is excluded from the slice the checkbox disappears.

The problem is that, of about 8,000 records, the delete action is only applicable to a handful of user-created records. So, to avoid confusion, I would like users to only be able to access the delete action from individual records in detail view. If the checkbox is available on the table, it is likely to confuse users as follows:

The user will be able to select records but there may be no applicable actions for those records – all dressed up and no place to go.

If you look at the “Only if this condition is true” expression in the first image, you can see that the delete action cannot be accessed for any records in table view. I checked and the condition is working properly; records that can be deleted in detail view cannot be deleted from the table. Still, the checkbox continues to be displayed, even though it cannot function on the table.

My questions:

1. Is there are workaround for this problem? In other words, is there a way to prevent checkbox from displaying other than removing it from slice?
2. Is this a known issue? It would seem to me that the checkbox should “know” not to appear at the top of a table when it has nothing to do on that table.

[_redline]

My understanding is that if there are any actions associated with that view (even if the action is invalid for that view), the checkbox will still show up. I have a similar situation.

Currently, the only way around it would be to add a slice and filter out the action for that view entirely.

[Kirk_Masden]

Thanks! Too bad. Perhaps I should make a feature request about this. Or, maybe I’ll contact AppSheet to see if they are aware of the problem.

I thought about having a separate slice but, in my app, that might cause some other problems.

[_redline]

Yeah, I feel you with that. At some point, it just feels like you almost have to have a slice for every single view which becomes cumbersome.

[Marc_Dillon]

I would remove the Action from the Slice. Then set a Row Select Behavior that transfers the user to the Detail view of the record on the main Table (or a different Slice), instead of the Detail view for the Slice. I use that trick for a lot of different things actually.

[Kirk_Masden]

I think that’s a good solution. I thought about that but the problem is that in this app, an important feature is for users to be able to sort the table by tapping on one of the columns, then, to view the details in slideshow mode in that order (as though one is turning the pages in a book). Having a separate slice or going to detail views on the main table (no slice) would cause the lose of that functionality. So, it looks like there’s no way to have my cake and eat it too given the current set up.

Even in situations where your approach would be just fine, Marc, I would think that it would be even better to have a simple on/off switch for this function, or, barring that, to make it smart enough to know when to get out of the way.