Show PDF Thumbnails when using Folder as a Table

We can add a Google Drive folder as a data source. See this Post.

I thought it would be cool to have the PDF’s thumbnail like we have in Google Drive.
3X_5_d_5d3c2919dc7c2b4be6936cb9420a344c0dde4289.png

We can do this in AppSheet with Card View and XY column Type.
It will look like this:
3X_e_e_ee4d50ee8d5b0eeb2dfc0bcb405c1863d0646d83.png

Here is how to do it:

  1. Add your Google Drive folder as a new data source with “Documents on Google Drive”. This will generate a virtual table inside your App. In my case I called the table “Formulare”.
    3X_9_8_985cfa75822a2a15c9be7cde1aa0ab6369ab89d8.png

  2. Add 3 Virtual Columns to the new created table:

  • 3X_9_d_9d2e30a2925b2be82e70552194f6de54a94aa5e2.png

  • 3X_5_8_58a5a5affb614d4e4b44f95b7755eebcc8deefbb.png
    By setting the XY values, you can define which part of the document will be centered. For A4 I found XY(38,19) is good.

  1. Create a Card View
    I use LARGE.
    Column [Title] for the Title.
    Column [Ref_Rows] for the image.
    On click: Open File (File)
    3X_1_b_1bb9c4d45c411e4c67b52376a43355dca5cfe8de.png

  2. Create a Map View
    Position: Ref
    Map column: XY

  3. Hide the XY Map Pin

  • If you don’t use any other map view in your app, you can go to UX > Options > Map View and set the Map pin limit to 0.
  • If you use other map views, you can use a format rule to make the XY map pin transparent.
    Format these columns and actions: XY
    Highlight color: #0000
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1 REPLY 1

disposable
Participant I

thanks I tried it and it still works, even if you can’t customize the size of the “thumbnail” easily like with image thumbnail. I wonder if this is still the only way to show pdf thumbnail or if there’s something else
ATM i’m converting pdf tp jpg

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