Virtual column changes without explanation

[tvinci]

Hello AppSheet Community

I have this virtual column that is very important for the functionality of the app. I added an actual column to the table titled “Print?” that switches to true at the press of a button. Once the value is switched to true, I receive an email. So I’m happy with how the button works, EXCEPT for the fact that when I press the button, the virtual column stops working and becomes blank. This significantly impedes the end user experience. How do I stop this from happening?

Thank you!
Tiffany

[Steve]

Perhaps explain what the images have to do with your problem?

[tvinci]

Okay so the first image is the column whose values change when I click the aforementioned button. The second image is a column included in the first image.

The images are related because the second expression is included in the first expression.

I don’t know why adding another column to the table would jeopardize these expressions.

[Steve]

Please post screenshots of the action’s configuration screen, and of the column list for the table involved, being sure to include the key column, the two columns corresponding to the screenshots already posted, and for the Print? column.

[tvinci]

[Steve]

Please post the other requested screenshots.

[tvinci]

[Steve]

I don’t see anything wrong with what you’ve posted. You didn’t post a screenshot of the action config as I requested, but there’s likely nothing wrong with it, either. Instead, I suspect you’re being bitten by one or both of two long-standing bugs: 1) updates to the system-generated REF_ROWS() columns lag, so changes in the related rows aren’t seen until a sync; and 2) virtual columns that are constructed from values outside their own row–for reasons that have never been clear to me–will appear to go blank when one of those outside values change. I don’t know why a change to the Print? column would trigger either of these, unless the action that sets the column also makes other changes elsewhere.

This looks like an AppSheet bug or limitation. I encourage you to engage support@appsheet.com for further help.