Having Column as an option

[mgoldberg]

Hi, have sheet I used for years with classic version of apps and having trouble making the conversion. On various sheets, am making various relation columns, query columns, etc. in the app and not the google sheet, but can not, for the life of me, get them to show up as an option in the app part itself. The columns have the data that I want but.
I have screenshots, and this particular option worked two days ago so IDK.

The roster column (nor others) just isn’t an option.

Have this problem on multiple sheets.
What am I missing? Thx.

[Jeff_Hager]

First of all, a relation does not contain information about a specific column. It’s a pointer to related Rows of data. Not a Specific Column. Normally a Lookup would be used to retrieve a specific column value out of a relation.

That brings us to the second issue. You are trying to set the Title, which can only hold a single value. While the relation is not referring to a specific column value, a Lookup against that particular relation would still return an array of multiple values, which you can’t place into something that only accepts a single value. The alternative is a Joined List column that returns a single comma delimited list of all values that would be in an array.

To back up a little bit, did you used to build relations the way we used to 5 years ago where you had to define it in the google sheet? Is that why you are rebuilding these relations and computed columns? Are you aware that you can create a New App from Data where it retains all of your computed columns used in a Classic app, but let’s you build the front end using the new app structure?

Is your actual goal maybe to set the source of your collection to the relation instead of the table???

[mgoldberg]

hey,
Thanks for the reply.
Your first point. So a relation column isn’t something that the app is going to use? Is there a list of types that the app will pick up? Like if I use a lookup, it will always pick that up?

Second - I really am not trying to set the title, the title is just there to show that the other options (column headings), aren’t. So jumping down to 5 years ago. Yes, I created this then, using google sheets. It worked (and still works) fine. And I don’t really look at glide much during the school year, just in the summer as I just update the info during the year, as needed. So when I logged in and read that my classic apps were no longer supported, I started converting them to new apps. And I’m using the same google sheets I used then. Those columns work in the new app in that the data is there (in the data columns), but the columns are selectable for the app.

In this particular instance, for the roster tab, I want to pull all the homerooms with the number of unaccounted for. That works. When I select one of the homerooms, I want the list of kids who are not accounted for, with the checkbox to click to make them accounted for (writes to student sheet). This worked two days ago but isn’t working now. Between then and now i was trying to get other things to work so don’t know what I screwed up. What worked in the original 5 years ago was HR=Students:HR:Multiple.

I’m having the same issue elsewhere, but I think it is all the same problem so if I can figure what I need to do here, I can apply it elsewhere.

thanks

[Jeff_Hager]

@mgoldberg

So a relation column isn’t something that the app is going to use?

Relations are used quite often. Just not the way you think they should. When you see values in a relation column, that’s just telling you that it found matching rows in the related table. The column values you see in that relation can be random. It’s an indication that the relation found rows. It does not return a specific column in those rows.

@mgoldberg

Is there a list of types that the app will pick up? Like if I use a lookup, it will always pick that up?

I’m not sure what you mean. Pick up what? You can point a Lookup column to a table, relation or query, and from there you select which column in that table, relation or query you want to return to the Lookup column.

@mgoldberg

Second - I really am not trying to set the title, the title is just there to show that the other options (column headings), aren’t.

This is deliberate. Simply put, you can’t put multiple values in something that can only hold a single value (ie. any type of array, including Lookups that refer to multiple relations or directly to tables), and in the case of relations, they don’t actually hold values.

@mgoldberg

So jumping down to 5 years ago.

Ok, makes sense. Yeah, I definitely recommend creating relations in the Glide data editor instead of the google sheet. In most cases, the google sheet should do nothing more than hold data. Almost everything else can be done in Glide. If it works as is, your probably fine with what you have, but do consider building that logic in Glide instead of in the sheet.

Have you used the ‘New App from Data’ option? It keeps your tables as is and the only thing you need to rebuild is the front end.

Duplicating Apps | Glide Docs

So, back to your original question, is there something specific you are struggling with? What you are trying to show in your screenshot is something that has never been possible, and for logical reasons, never should be. The Title can only display a single value. It cannot display an array, and on a similar note, cannot display a relation because a relation does not contain values. A relation only points to rows. You can use a relation for things, such as the source of collections, or use in combination with Lookups, Joined Lists, Rollups, etc…which would reach through the relation to get to a specific column.

[mgoldberg]

I’m doing a really poor job of explaining, so I apologize. And thanks for the video, that’s how I created it, using the same data.
I’m going to move to something else for today but I do have one question.
I use a google sheet for the data. That’s really handy for me as the list of kids changes throughout the year. I think the reason I keep breaking things is the sync. Since I’ve made changes to the data on the glide side but not the google side, that seems to totally mess up the stuff I did on the glide side. Does that make sense? Is it possible to still have the google sheet AND do some of the stuff on the glide data side and not continue to break things? By break things, I mean I had a list or something and that changes, points to something different, etc.
Thanks again.

[Jeff_Hager]

@mgoldberg

I’m doing a really poor job of explaining, so I apologize.

To put it simply, Glide is only going show the columns that can acceptably be used when and where they apply. I can’t set the source of a collection to a basic column, however I can use a relation as it’s source. Likewise, I can’t use a relation as a title, but I can use a basic column. If a column type doesn’t apply to a certain scenario, glide hides it so it doesn’t cause confusion. When you do come back to this, it would help to see an actual case of something you are trying to achieve in your app, but are struggling with. What you showed earlier is an impossible scenario because a relation can never be a title, so it’s unclear what you are trying to do.

@mgoldberg

Since I’ve made changes to the data on the glide side but not the google side, that seems to totally mess up the stuff I did on the glide side. Does that make sense?

Hard to say. I would need to see screenshots and an explanation of what you mean by “messed up”. That could mean anything.

@mgoldberg

Is it possible to still have the google sheet AND do some of the stuff on the glide data side and not continue to break things?

Yes, that’s completely possible. A whole lot has changed in the last five years. While a google sheet can still be a data source, there is a lot less reliance on doing additional computations (math, formatting, building relations, arrayformulas, etc.) directly in the google sheet. My main app is google sheet based, but all computed columns are built in Glide, so the computed columns live in Glide in the same table, but only the actual data in the basic columns sync with the google sheet. My google sheet is purely there to store the data and nothing else. I don’t have any additional “logic” in the google sheet other than a place to store raw data. All my relations, math, etc. happen in Glide which leads to a much improved experience because those computed columns compute directly on the user’s device instead of having to wait for data to sync back and forth between device, glide server, google servers, and back again.

@mgoldberg

By break things, I mean I had a list or something and that changes, points to something different, etc

Yeah, you need to explain this in more detail, along with screenshots if possible. Explain what happens before and after it breaks. Things shouldn’t break spontaneously. If it does, that usually means something isn’t configured correctly.

[FrancoisDigico]

Agree, usually you can choose even a table as choice

[mgoldberg]

Again, thank you all so much for helping. I should probably just start all over but I’m kinda short on time and this is the last bit I need to do.

I was going to send examples of “mess up” but of course, it isn’t happening now.

So I decided to create a new tab in my ss inside glide - Office 2.

1. I want the first column to be the list of Homerooms. I manually correct this each year (they change) in the Roster tab. Is there a way to get that column of info into the Office2 tab so I don’t have to do it twice? I’ve manually done it for now. I tried a couple ways but could only get the homerooms in the first row.

2. So the info I want to show in the app under Office at the bottom is in the query column.

So that when I click the homeroom in this screenshot (which give the info I want)

HR is the only option I have from the Office2 ss tab. I want the list of kids in that homeroom that are unaccounted for.

Now, I am pulling the count data from rosters and then clicking on something and hoping to get it to show something from the office2 ss. BUT there is the exact same query in the Roster ss tab and it isn’t showing for me either.

The only things I’m getting to choose from there is the count which I use in the previous screen.

Here’s the roster ss for reference.

So what do I need to do, either in Roster ss or Office2 ss to get the unaccounted list to show up by homerooms, like it does in the spreadsheet?
Yes, they are both queries but I need them to be. So I’m guessing there’s some other sort of column I need to make that basically repeats those entries, but this is where I get lost.

Thanks for any help.
Missy

[Jeff_Hager]

@mgoldberg

I want the first column to be the list of Homerooms. I manually correct this each year (they change) in the Roster tab. Is there a way to get that column of info into the Office2 tab so I don’t have to do it twice? I’ve manually done it for now. I tried a couple ways but could only get the homerooms in the first row

Looks like you’ve created a new Glide table. You could have created a new tab in your Google sheet and duplicated the data within the google sheet. However, when working within the data editor you can either import data into an existing table, or simple copy/paste it from somewhere else.

@mgoldberg

So that when I click the homeroom in this screenshot (which give the info I want)

When you click on a home room, by default you are taken directly to the detail screen for that one specific HR row in the Office2 table. Just writing this out so we are on the same page.

@mgoldberg

HR is the only option I have from the Office2 ss tab. I want the list of kids in that homeroom that are unaccounted for.

The problem here is that you have the source of your collection (on the HR detail screen) set to the Office2 table. The only thing that’s in that table is your homerooms, so that’s the only thing you can select. Since you have already selected a home room and you are currently within the row for that selected home room, what you want to do is change the source of your collection on that screen to point to the Query column instead of the Office2 table. That way the collection will display data from queried Student table via the UnaccountedOffice query. Since it will ultimately be pulling data from the Student table, you will be able to set your title and description using student table columns.

Let’s just start with making the small change of changing the source of your collection to be the query. Then we’ll see if there’s anything else you need help with.

[mgoldberg]

Again, thanks so much for taking the time.
Yes, I made a new glide table. Your point was good so I created it in the google sheet to make it easier to just repeat the homerooms and only have to change it in one place going forward. I also added the unaccounted count in that table. Both of those are “selectable” in the glide app part.
Where I’m running into trouble is getting the list i want like I did in the old app.
Yes, now realize I was crossing tables/tabs so I have moved the list I want (unaccounted for students) into the office2 google sheet. Except I can’t create that list in the google sheet like I want so it has to be done in the glide sheet. So I did. It’s a query column. But it doesn’t show up as selectable for the app, I’m guessing because it is a query?
So I basically want to repeat that info again in the office 2 glide sheet so that I can then select it for the app.
What kind of column does it have to be?

When I do it in the old app, I get what I want which looks like this - I selected PK2 on the previous screen.

Thanks
Missy

[Jeff_Hager]

Please change this to use your query. Don’t even touch the title or description until you set the source of the collection properly. Once you change that, only then can you bother with configuring the rest of the collection.

[mgoldberg]

Sorry, I had done that, just didn’t send the pic.

And have been playing around and finally got it to work - at least for now. I needed to add a collection list, again.
Thanks, again for ALL your help.

Missy