Changing Google Sheet for Existing App

From your screenshot it looks like you might have some columns missing that were in the original.

In the editor, under sharing, you could allow anyone to make the app copyable. If it’s a pro app you’ll have to make a duplicate first and then the duplicated app on free plan can be copied.

Alternatively you could downgrade a pro app, make app copyable, and then upgrade again.

Hi @Eric_Penn,
Could you please assist us with this dilemma? Perhaps you can share some light on other issues to pay attention to so this transition will work smoothly.
I’d hate to have to do all the work twice… :slight_smile:
Thanks

I’m pretty sure if you have glide computed columns that live in a glide table then those columns won’t make it through a duplication process. I don’t use glide tables but that was the case last time I checked.

If you are simply trying to replace the sheet with an IDENTICAL sheet then it should work.

It’s always a good idea to work inside a duplicate copy if possible or at least make a duplicate before you start.

My other advice would be never press the “sync and remove features” button. If you ever see that message, which you shouldn’t, try replacing the sheet again with the original and wait for sync.

I’ve used the replace data source feature a lot and it has worked for me.

The question is regarding Google Sheets as the data source, not Glide Tables :slight_smile:

I should clarify if you make a duplicate the computed columns in glide table won’t transfer.

Everything else should be fine as long as your structure is identical.

I encourage you to make a copy and try for yourself. Give the sheets different names so you could easily detect when the replace is successful.

Glide uses Google Sheets, sheet tabs, and column UUID’s to sync data between Google Sheets and the Glide native tables. It does not use Google Sheet names, sheet tab names, or column header (row 1) names to link the respective parts of the sheet.

However, when you replace one sheet with another, Settings>>Data Data sources (3 dot menu) Replace, as long as you are not already in a miss-matched sync condition, the matchup will be by sheet tab, and column header names.

So if you make a duplicate of a sheet tab, and then delete the original and rename the duplicate tab to what the original name was, Glide will not recognize that duplicate tab as a valid match and display that sheet tab as missing all columns.

As suggested by others it is always a good idea to make duplicates of live apps and test them before you try anything on live apps.

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Many thanks for this detailed response. It’s probably just me, but I am now confused.
Starting from a live Google Sheet system. The scenario was to make a copy of that system, without sharing the copy. Then I’ll program a Glide App based on that copy. Once finished, I’ll stop sharing the original live system (which has of course added new data since I made a copy of it). Once sharing is disabled, I’ll go back to the Glide App and change the data source to the “real” sheet, instead of the “frozen copy”. Now, what will happen?
Glide columns will surely be added during the programing, as well as form and other elements unique to Glide. Will these survive, including references, actions, etc?
If not, how do you migrate to Glide from a live Google Sheets? It’s not possible to take the system down for the entire duration of the programing.

We appear to have come full circle :slight_smile:

When you say “Glide columns will surely be added”, are you referring to Glide Computed columns? These will survive, as will all actions/components/etc that refer to them. As long as the basic (sheet based columns) are still there. As I said way back here…

The only thing you really need to worry about are columns that get renamed or removed in your master sheet while you’re working on the copy. As long as you can keep that under control, then you should be fine.

What throw me off was the post from @George-Glide. As I said

I’m fairing sure we’re indeed coming a full circle, but I am confused :slight_smile:

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Thanks for taking the time to record this video. Awesome!

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My recommendation would be to use the Publish feature and do small incremental changes to the live application, and publish often. Before publishing in the live app, and for testing, make duplicates of the live app. Test in the duplicate to be sure all of your changes are working. Then go back to the live app and publish it.

This method would be much cleaner than sheet replacement which as you can see could cause all kinds of issues.

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