I want to reorder and / or limit columns in a...

[Skip2MiLu]

I want to reorder and / or limit columns in a form.

I noticed that the form view is the only view where you do not have an option to order the columns (PLEASE CHANGE THIS!!!)

I have a table called ORDERS. Both the table and details view are linked to this view as I do not want to exclude virtual columns and can arrange view as I please.

I however do want to limit these virtual columns in the form.

Unfortunately I have learnt that I can only way do this is by using a slice linked to the ORDERS table and then link create a new form view linked to the ORDERS table slice.

The question now is…how do I select ensure that the ORDERS slice form is upon on edit of the original ORDERS system detail and table view?

It always reverts to the system form view and not the slice view.

I thought I could just delete the system form view and that would mean Appsheet could only point to the sliced form view…but I noticed that system view just reappears.

[Aleksi_Alkio]

One simple way is if you hide the existing system generated EDIT action and then create a new one for your slice form.

[Skip2MiLu]

I have more that one table in the app that needs to be edited. Can this work around be setup specifically for the table?

Any idea if there is any plans to implement column order in forms in future?

[Aleksi_Alkio]

Yes you can show/hide the action button separately with a formula like IN(CONTEXT(“View”),{ViewName#1,ViewName#2})

[Steven_Coile]

The app will use the view associated with the table or slice the Ref is from. If the Ref is to a table, that table’s view will be used; if the Ref is to a slice, that slice’s view will be used.

I never use tables directly. Instead, I always create a slice for each table and use the slice exclusively (even in formulas). This gives me the ability to reorder columns in forms and I don’t have to worry about which view is going to be used to present rows.

[Steven_Coile]

I agree that it would be nice to be able to reorder forms as any other view. I offer my approach merely as the best option I’ve found with what I have to work with.

[Skip2MiLu]

+Steve Coile

Just want to be sure if we on the same page.

Am I not correct by stating that using slices in itself is not going to solve my problem. In my case I do not want to just reorder columns but REMOVE a few virtual or column with automated expressions from my form view of all the tables on my app. Using a slices from various tables achieves this if I link the form to it, I however want to show these columns in the higher related detail and table view levels.

I therefore cannot link the form and the related detail and table view to the same slice in this scenario where a columns need to be removed in a form but visible in other related views?

Am I correct in stating that I can only achieve this by either Aleksi’s work around, or combinations of slice (to reorder) and column showif (to exclude column in form view).

I believe that efficient data capturing (I.e. forms) is the most fundamental element of any good app and these are rather time consuming work arounds just to keep data capture efficient by having focused and well organised forms. Especially if you have a few tables.

It also defeats the purpose of

utilising system generated views and just making some changes as you see fit vs needing to create a whole “arsenal” of custom views, slices and actions that slow apps down just to keep an app organised.

It seems rather intuitive that form views need to have a column order option.

The exclusion of which would rather

be considered a bug compared to a feature request to include it! This is taking my above statements into consideration, every other view other than forms has this option and the amount of people requesting a column order option in forms.

Why do I get the feeling that most advanced apps with more than a handful of tables created by various users have really disorganised forms!

@praveen

Care to comment on this one. I am sure you are quite busy…but your feedback would mean a lot…following the amount of appsheet users I have come across regarding their frustrations on theit request of column order in forms.