Can custom Rich Text fields include field references?

Feature Requests
1

If this is not yet possible, would really like to see it added.

Thus I could write something like:
**Name:** {Name}

Would like that extended to allow fields from other sheets too. Format might be something like: {Sheet:KeyField:Key:ValueField}

1 Like
2

Why not use the Template column for this?

3 Likes
3

Basically, for this scenario, using a Template and Single Value is too complicated and data excessive, and possibly processor intensive.

That method requires

  • a sheet with the single value - i.e. the template (Letā€™s call this sheet Templates)
  • a Single Value Column in the data sheet linking to that template (Letā€™s call this sheet Content)
  • a Template Column in the Content sheet rendering that template using the single value column

(On a side note, it would be nice if the Template Column options allowed directly choosing the template from the Template sheet instead of having to go thru the Single Vale column)

Depending on how Glide is storing those columns in the Content sheet, that could also be either data intensive and/processor intensive, especially if the sheet has thousands of entries.

From a design/layout POV, data management and possibly performance too, it makes more sense to manage that directly on the relevant screen.

It also gives the designer more flexibility and doesnā€™t require them to do so much work if they just want to make a simple Rich Text field layout with an inline field. e.g. like that ***Name:** {Name} example. Thereā€™s been plenty of times thatā€™s all iā€™ve wanted as I donā€™t like the current limited Glide formatting and/or layout for fields and their labels.

Another example, in one of my apps, I want to show the current date on the screen. To use the Single Value Column in the Content sheet method is overkill.

I do like the idea of using a Template sheet for more complicated layouts - like the Refund Policy example.

But it would be nicer to directly use it on the screen by simply calling it in a Rich Text field with something like {Sheet:ValueField} and the templating for Glide to support field references like {Name} where Name is the column name in the current sheet.

Or alternatively, a component that has the same options as the Template column in the data editor but also allows the selection of the Template sheet and relevant column from it.

The Template Column is very, very useful but not sure itā€™s ideal or the most efficient method for this scenario or the Refund Policy example.

Hope thatā€™s all clear and not confusing. :slight_smile:

4

Glide is incredibly powerful, but I agree with this poster that there are a few extremely convoluted techniques for achieving simple tasks like this. That said, this product is so young. I expect the devs are aware of all of this and as this product grows weā€™ll eventually ā€œremember the days when we had toā€¦ā€

2 Likes
5

Glide is smarter than you give it credit for! Using Single Value and Template columns computes template values on-demand (just for the screen you are looking at). Itā€™s neither data-intensive nor processor intensive.

Someday our Rich Text component could have some way to include replacement values for a literal template, but donā€™t hold your breathā€“we have too many other priorities so we likely wonā€™t do this for a while.

2 Likes
6

Thanks for that clarification, David. I am excited at the thought of what you might be working on that I havenā€™t even thought of yet! Glide is incredibly powerful and such an easy entry into app development.

7

It still would be nice (tidier) though if the Template Columns could reference the single value directly from its sheet rather than first having to make the Single Value Column. Be nice too if there were Single Value and Template components. :smiley:

8

Definitely.

9

I know this thread is 3 years old, but it would be extremely nice to be able to do this:

Order Number: {Order Number} ā† from rows.

I know you can do this in the data rows, but it just gets convoluted because of repetition. It just gets confusing after a while if you have many references. Maybe create a ā€œTemplateā€ component?

For instance, letā€™s say on a list I just want to display ā€œOrder Number: 1098ā€, but on another page I want to put ā€œOrder Number: 1098 - Placed: 3/13/23ā€ thatā€™s two new fields in my table ā€¦ this gets out of hand quick, not to mention the fact that I have to name all these new columns. It would be sooo much easier if you could do this on the page you are editing and it would make more sense.

Plus the template would be where it would actually be used.

1 Like