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I have never used App Maker before, but just spending times to learn the basics of it so that I render assistant service to clients who need to transform their existing App Maker App to Appsheet.
Most importantly, the question is how to access to data sources App Maker is referring to ? Based on my understanding, all the data for App Maker reside Cloud SQL, unless App Maker app creator do tricks, such as GAS, to read other data sources, like GoogleSheet, etc. In general, I understand App Maker data is sitting on Cloud SQL.
I read few community post, where users data resides on Could SQL, meaning the App creator need to go with Business subscriptions to access to Appsheet functionality to access SQL.
Is it end of story?
If Cloud SQL stors huge amount of data, yes, it is valid, then new Appsheet user need to move to Appsheet proper subscription so that they use this feature. But what if the data set is small enough and can manage with Google Sheet alone?
To establish the best practice for seamless transfer from App Maker to Appsheet, how do you think the best approach?
My thought is simply migrate / dump all the existing App Makers data sourcer (Cloud SQL) onto GoogleSheet at one point of time. I am reading App Maker documentation, and it looks this page is point of our reference?
For those who are currently in transition from App Maker to Appsheet, I m pretty much intereted in hearing your experiences and suggestion to share within the community.
Based on this App Maker docs, when we migrate (Export) data from Cloud SQL to spreadsheet, it also create the physical fields automatically to tie the table to table if there is relationship, but probably we wont need that as we are able to establish relationship without such physical mappings.
Correct that AppMaker data is sitting on Cloud SQL, but as youโve also indicated, it is correct also that some part of the AppMaker data can be exported to google sheet. Unfortunately, not all, specifically when the AppMaker Database is having calculated SQL (with SQL query), calculated type, or any other database (such as directory) which is not directly โSaveโ to Cloud SQL, It uses Similarity with AppSheet for virtual column where data is not โstoredโ directly in Google sheet, for example.
I am also one of the person trying to embrace the AppSheet solution and based on my one-month with AppSheet, I have concluded that the simplest ways to โtransferโ is to re-create an AppSheets apps based with google sheets and when the AppSheet-apps is ready after testing, we can start to copy that to the Cloud SQL. I have concluded that copying AppSheet apps to cloud SQL is much simple way to do for newbie like me.
There is a PRO-promo for us, so we are able to connect to to Cloud SQL. However, AppSheet is a platform and it has been continuously developed, someone like me will needs a learning curve to understand and to implement and not just simply use AppSheet to create an apps. There is a design data thinking and I do believed that the key with AppSheet is about data.
The relationship from the Cloud SQL is also included in the spreadsheet when exported, but there are things that requires deeper understanding on how AppSheet works with SQL query such as LEFT JOIN, etc which again, it is too early to be implemented from initial period without understanding AppSheet and I consider that an AppMaker background should learn deeply about AppSheet Expressions to be able to have better view on this.
In addition, there could be other unknown factor during this transition, such as where to keep the document/photo etc when using the promo-code with SQL data. But It should be cleared later down the line.
Again, it is my opinion as one of the DOER, that it is much better to learn AppSheet from the simple and basic steps (data, Ref, change UX view, create Action, de-ref, connect more data, making template report, security, etc) until I am ready to go further with more complex AppSheet apps and go with the Workflow. And only with the full understanding of AppSheet, I will then be ready to do real transition of the AppMaker apps to AppSheet apps.
If there are more ex-AppMaker person reading this post whoโs willing to share through this โtransitionโ journey is more than welcome to add value to this discussion for me and others.
Thank you very much @Heru for your valuable and comprehensive comments.
I did not know that App Maker could create virtual table (i would say in that way) which actually not existing physically on the data base. There should be a similarity as SLICE in Appsheet. Eitherway, it should be something like a VIEW in SQL world.
I dont know how your virtual tables within App Makers are created, but if it is a kinds of virtual table generated out of the physical table using Select * from xxx where zzzz type of SQL syntax, surely it is achievable in Appsheet slice. Question should be how to create the exactly same virtual table you created in App Maker within Appsheet Slice. But i m quite confident you can do and it is quite doable.
Yes, I read the doc, when we migrated table from Cloud SQL to googlespreadsheet, it also create the relationship with physical IDs, for one to one or one to many relationship. When we do establish the relationship in either way, to one or to many, which will be working as ref type in Appsheet terms. But it is also possible we dont need such a physical column to build a relationship between the tables within Appsheet. I need more exercise into this important point though.
In terms of saving files and docs, you should have bunch of options in Appsheet, so it probably wont be a big concerns I assume. Even if we set SQL (whatever SQL), the default of Appsheet is to save the files/docs /images into the cloud service app creator is logging in. For instance, if you use Google ID to log into your account, then the files will be saved to google drive.
If you wish to store, for instance, bucket, then you simply connect to AWS S3 bucket. I raise the feature request before, in response to the acquisition by Google, I m hoping we will be able to get further option to store the images or files as blog in Google Firestore etc. Reading heavy image and files should be read by clients app much faster!
Hope this threads will stand as a place of exchanging knowledge, opinion to assist smooth transitions. I m very happy to share my views, knowledge and experiences.
Based on my learning on App Maker, I would say with confidence, we can achieve the App Maker App with App. I dont say easy or not , as it is depending on the level of knowledge over Appsheet, but without fear, i would say you will find it easy as a matter of time.
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