I am using an expression to count the number of records that meet certain conditions, but all columns that use the formula are blank

[jthurston]

Hello,

Our students have completed a form in which they expressed their preferences for fall classes. This data is stored in the [IntentToReturn] table. I am attempting to create a second table that will count the number of students in this table that meet certain conditions. For example, students who prefer both an online class and a morning class.

Here is template formula I am trying to apply:

Here is the table I created:

And here is the formula for one of the columns. All the columns have a similar formula:

There are no error messages, but the table that contains these formulas shows up as completely blank:

Any help or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

[Marc_Dillon]

General advise: Your super long column names are highly inadvisable. You should make those names a lot shorter, then utilize Display Name or Description fields for the columns for how they display in the app. If the editor is not giving a “column not found” error, then this probably isn’t the issue here, but it definitely makes it incredibly more difficult to read the expression and/or diagnose any issues.

Can you please show the column definitions for those columns with the super long names?

[jthurston]

Hi Marc,

Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate the advice about shortening the column names. I will absolutely do that. Here is the definition (at least I think it is - I’m not 100% sure this is what you’re asking for) for one of the columns. All the settings for the columns are identical, with the exception of the values in the Contains formulas:

[Marc_Dillon]

Marc_Dillon:

Can you please show the column definitions for those columns with the super long names?

[Marc_Dillon · Accepted solution]

Actually you can probably nevermind that, just noticed what is probably the actual problem. Case in point as to:

Marc_Dillon:

but [the super long column names] definitely makes it incredibly more difficult to read the expression and/or diagnose any issues.

This was the first thing I noticed, which completely distracted me from the rest of your situation…

---

I see your columns for the totalling table are Real columns. And your “Sharon Data” view is completely blank, not just blank columns values. You probably don’t have a record in the Sharon View table. And also, the real columns will NOT evaluate, unless there is some change made to that record. These columns should probably be Virtual Columns so that they evaluate on every sync.

[jthurston]

Thanks so much! That fixed it :). I also appreciate the additional advice about the column names, and the virtual columns!

[Suvrutt_Gurjar]

In addition to very relevant advice by @Marc_Dillon , one may typically avoid following while naming fields

1)Special characters (such as - , = , & [ , ] , @ and many such more)

2)Typically what are considered as reserved words (words associated with AppSheet functions ) such as LOOKUP , SELECT, FILTER etc. in naming tables, fields, views , slices etc.

AppSheet is in general very tolerant in accepting and allowing many such reserved words and characters, but while debugging expressions, it could be difficult. At times the expression may not parse as well.

[jthurston]

Thank you!