Is it possible to loop over a list e.g. SPLIT...

[Yossi_Oulu]

Is it possible to loop over a list e.g. SPLIT(“email1, email2, email3”, “,”) and for each email create a row in a table?

[GreenFlux]

Yes, there is a SPLIT() function that can do this.

help.appsheet.com - SPLIT() SPLIT() help.appsheet.com

[Yossi_Oulu]

Well I know there is a split function, the question is can I loop over it somehow?

[Aleksi_Alkio]

Not directly but you should be able to do that with the Webhook / Appsheet API.

[pravse]

The part that is a problem is “create a row”. We don’t yet have an action to create a row in another table. Once we do, it will become easier to support this kind of composite action.

[Riazsg]

Some kind of iteration is essentially required.
There are scenarios:

1. I need to perform iterate / loop records and select records based that match specific logic / condition. So far I am not able to find an appropriate action / function.
2. I need to add a variable number of new records, such as 300 new records

While() or Loop() function will definitely help
Is there any alternative available? Any concrete example?

[Steve]

Check out this post…

Add any number of rows from any row within a table Tips & Tricks 💡

Definitely a frequently-asked question: how do I add some number of rows to a table automatically? It’s possible, but it’s not easy. This article details an approach that can be accomplished entirely within AppSheet (no API use), within the app itself (no workflow use), and accommodates an arbitrary number of rows (no built-in count maximum). While I’ve tried to make the guide accessible for less-experienced app creators, make no mistake: this is an advanced technique. I hope you find this us…

[Riazsg]

Hi Steve

I am trying to develop an app for EHR (Electronic Health Records). But I get stuck due to these type of limitations. Just imagine if I have to repeat this implementation many times, how much effort will get involved. Appsheet needs to come forward and address its limitations

[Riazsg]

Hi Praveen

Without this missing feature, I have to use FileMaker Pro to develop my app for Electronic Health Records. For sure, Appsheet has best architecture for mobile apps development. But it still lacks some essential features.

[Riazsg]

Hi Praveen

Please take lead to take initiative. Do not miss this opportunity for making 

Appsheet a true leader in mobile app development

[Yossi_Oulu]

Yes, this is indeed missing. I ended using zapier-code, it gets very complicated to do it in appsheet. I almost managed to simulate a loop with Action and Workflow, but the workflow does not response to a second event on a table in the same round.

[pravse]

Hi @Riazsg, I would first like to understand why you need to “iterate” over a list of records. That is fundamentally a programming construct and AppSheet is fundamentally trying to be a no-code (i.e. no programming environment). So you won’t see us provide loops and iterators. On the other hand, we try to provide mechanisms to specify end-states or results.

For example, a SELECT() function allows you to select records in a table that match a filter condition. It is logically a query rather than an iterator.

If you could describe your use case further, I can try to steer you in the best direction. Thanks

[Riazsg]

Hi Praveen

   Thanks for your interest. Appsheet is a no-code platform with sugar-coated low-code. 

My background is health informatics. I am planning for different apps.

1. I want to create an app for potential patients with clinics data viewed as Onboarding. Instead of clicking back and next or moving across manually, I want it to happen automatically with ability to configure time interval and pause and stop the flow.

2. Depending upon my need or some business rule, I want to be able to select only records of specific clinics to be displayed. I understand, currently Select function / expression works only on a single table

3. Workflow 1: Create New Clinics
   Login into Appsheet app
   Select a template to create new clinics
   Specify type and number of clinics
   Create required number of clinics with pre-filled data
   Verify created clinics
   N.B Inability to add required number of records negates the purpose of automation.
   Currently, appsheet allows to add only 1 row based upon a row

4. Workflow 2: Search and View Clinics
   Login into Appsheet app
   Specify a search to find only a specific category of clinics
   Goto result view
   View results as Onboarding view

5. Workflow 3: Preview a report before generating it

I think appsheet needs need to enhance the view capabilities of Onboarding widget and add add more to do steps

I will really appreciate if you help me in some way

Regards, Riaz

[Steve]

Riazsg:

I want to create an app for potential patients with clinics data viewed as Onboarding. Instead of clicking back and next or moving across manually, I want it to happen automatically with ability to configure time interval and pause and stop the flow.

Not possible with AppSheet.

Riazsg:

Depending upon my need or some business rule, I want to be able to select only records of specific clinics to be displayed. I understand, currently Select function / expression works only on a single table

A SELECT() expression can only return results from a single table, but can use data from any table.

Riazsg:

Currently, appsheet allows to add only 1 row based upon a row

Look here.

Riazsg:

Preview a report before generating it

Not possible.

[Riazsg]

Hi Praveen,

I have replied to your message and have provided a sample for 

the type of work I am trying to achieve. I will appreciate your help
to achieve my goal

I wonder how soon some response or some communication will start
in this direction

[pravse]

@Riazsg, of the workflows listed, I think it is workflow1 that we tend not to focus on. This pre-population of data is usually an “invoked occasionally” backend/scripting task rather than an “invoked daily” user-facing app task. Our customers tend to solve for this by just accepting the user input (type and number of clinics) and then have some backend logic populate the data. As @Steve points out, you could do this this with a workflow rule that populates N rows, but this is not a sweet spot for AppSheet.

For the search & view scenario, why do you want to use an Onboarding view? Why not use the Details view which is intended for this purpose?

For previewing a report, you can save a report as a file. So that is definitely an option. @Steve don’t you think this addresses the need?

[Steve]

praveen:

don’t you think this addresses the need?

I’d think so, myself, but I keyed on “before generating it”.

@Riazsg, Praveen’s suggestion is that the report can be generated and saved. You can then view the saved report, and chose afterward to distribute it. It’s not what’s commonly expected with the term “preview”, but it is an available workaround.