I’ve been working within Glide for about a week. There are things I love and things I’ve got concerns about being that I am using this to handle my company’s data.
The first thing is that when you add relations columns, that data is only in the glide data and does not push through to my actual google sheets. Maybe there is a way to make it do this, but I do not know how.
My question is, is there or will there be a way to export my data from Glide in the future? So that those connections that are made through Glide can be kept, even if I move to another platform, or glide no longer services their apps?
First of all, you would always have the data as it’s in your own personal Google drive, so there’s really nothing to export.
As for relations, I still use the old method (header syntax) of relations in several places, but I plan to slowly migrate to the new method whenever I can (relation column in data tab). The old method still works, but the new method is easier for many to understand and potentially offers performance improvements over the old method.
To create a relation using the old method, you need to structure your column heading like this: Sheet1Heading=Sheet2:Sheet2Heading:Multiple I don’t know if the old method will be supported indefinitely, but for the time being, it does work great and allows for relation visualization within the spreadsheet. Just keep in mind that you are tasked with keeping the column values populated using arrayformulas or some other method, so that the links work properly between sheets. I have no idea how this relation setup would translate to another platform as it may be only syntax that’s unique to Glide. There’s nothing too magical about relations. Setting them up in the Data tab is functionally the same as using the header syntax. It’s just a pointer.
I’m currently using the old method in several places in https://concepts.glideapp.io/ . Eventually I would like to update it with all of the new functionality that Glide is releasing.
The new method of relations does not flow through to my Google Sheet, I can only see it under data in glide. I would really only need access to the text in those fields, but it would be a huge amount of data loss for me as it connects all my customers to the projects they purchased in if Glide were to just close the doors or something. Being a newer company that concerns me, but I feel there’s something good here and I really like it.
What exactly would you expect to see in the relation data column if it was exported back to the Google sheet? It would be the exact same value as the column that you are using to establish the relation. If the relation linked to a sheet with 1000 related rows, they don’t actually pull that data into the first sheet, it’s just a pointer to the second sheet from the first sheet. There’s nothing useful there as far as Google sheets are concerned. It’s just like any database. You as the developer need to know what’s links each table together. The database is simply just a place to hold data and doesn’t hold the link.
Maybe I’ll ask this a different way. Say there was no app involved and you designed all functionality and modifications to be done only in Google sheets. How would you structure your data differently to establish a link between sheets?
I think answered my own question by reading your questions.
TECHNICALLY, I have that connected data in my sheets on one side of the relation. What I don’t have is the list of all the connections on the other side of the data. For example, I have my advertisers all connected to my projects, but with Glide, I can see those advertisers in one cell in the data sheet or one list in the app. That list/cell just isn’t pushed through to my project data in google sheets. I am sure there is a way to do that, but I’m I am moving from an Airtable database which sets things up much like the glide data sheets so I can see those connections in one cell. I think my mind just feels better knowing anything that’s selected in the app should flow through to a column in my google sheet somewhere.
Again, what you are seeing for a relation in the data tab is not an actual list that’s contained within a cell. It’s just a visual representation of the records it is linked to in a different sheet and only displays the values from the first column of the linked sheet.
If you wanted an actual list of linked records inside of your spreadsheet for visual reference, I would create a column and use a query or filter function combined with a join function. Something like this:
I think I understand what you are asking for, but that is not the function of a Relation. A relation is to create a link (like a URL)…not to pull in the contents of that link. If you had a Relation that linked to a million rows in a different sheet, would you want one cell to contain the entire row contents of all one million records?
I understand what you are saying with the functionality of an airtable database, but airtable is a bit more complicated that google sheets and essentially it’s a hybrid between a database and an app. It’s doing the same type of linking that glide does. A quick search of exporting airtable data to CSV led me to this post, https://community.airtable.com/t/exporting-data-out-of-airtable/14847/3 which just creates a column of comma delimited data from the related records in airtable. It doesn’t give you a functional link to another table, just a list for visual reference.
If you really needed that list, I would just create a column and populate it yourself using formulas.
Thank you. I think that’s what I need to do at some point. I’m really quite happy with Glide as an alternative to Airtable for the ease of use for my reps. They are used to interacting with apps and this makes the interface super user friendly. Thank you for helping my brain work through all of that
I hope I’m making sense. At least that’s how I personally perceive the relation column. Especially when you look at the old way that it needed to be set up. In one of my apps, I use a students name in a relation column to link to another Test Results sheet that also contains that student’s name. That link is just Student Name to Student Name. My primary Student sheet does not contain any data from the Test Sheet. All it does is tell the app that if I add an inline list to that students detail view, I only want to get the records from the Tests sheet where the Student Name in the Students sheet matches the Student Name in the Tests sheet. Good luck with your app!!!
All, about exporting data , it will indeed help us greatly if we have ability to export the database into a csv, xls or google sheet (which is not the same source google sheet) - here’s an example as why this is needed:
I have established relation links from Tab A to tabs B & C
I added x number of lookup, if-else and other expression columns in tab A based on data in B and C.
I can have this full view from Tab A database view for sure - but in in xls format.
I need all this data of tab A in csv or xls format where i can do my own analysis (back end detailed analysis) building pivot tables and such.
Glide database is equipped with powerful processing tools.
I have my google sheets setup to only host “raw data” where I rely on glide DB editor to produce lots of “processed data”. Therefore, it’s not about what can be done in google sheets, but rather how we can utilize the engine in optimal way. The advantage of this is make data maintenance minimal upon the administrator. However, going with this route, ability to export the data from the database is now essential for performing data analysis.
Glide database is faster than Google sheets. All I can do in Glide is not done in Google sheets.
But all info in sheets is needed for analysis with data studio for instance
I couldn’t find an existing feature suggestion in the Glide Feature Requests app, so I added one. It’s called “Export computed data columns to Sheets, CSV, etc.” I encourage you all to upvote it! I did find a related feature request, “Glide Data Column TO Google Sheet”, but it didn’t seem to fully match what I think has been described here.
Hi guys, same request here: I’d like to let my users export their data in Excel sheet, it’s the data they enter and it’s a common request where competitor apps fail Please build this feature, really need it!
I was wondering if maybe the Glide developers would implement some data export option type, whereby one can export the whole app to code. Maybe a java based document or any other language as well as html.
This could help the developers turning the whole project to a certain format, for example turning it to an APK format using java and other plugins which would make it easy to publish on the Apps stores since it’s now in an APK format. But as for the work space everything is great just missing the embed option and I like the user friendly platform both the community and the work space great work.
The main issue is when you have to publish or distribute the app but having a Glide App store is sort of a good idea with disadvantages for developers. I have a lot to say but I guess I’ll cut my report here
GS” step which would mess up your raw data. Did I understand it correctly?
