# Preserve screen components when switching the screen source table in a custom style **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Created:** [November 8, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760 "2024-11-08T15:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaximeBaker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/maximebaker/32/80877_2.png) [@MaximeBaker](https://community.glideapps.com/u/MaximeBaker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/1 "2024-11-08T15:10:13Z")
Implement the ability to preserve screen components when changing the selected source table on the screen in the builder with a custom style. Keeping the components intact would ensure a smoother, more seamless workflow, allowing editors to make changes to the selected source table without losing current component configurations. ![chrome_pWpJTBuuMt](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/glideapps/original/3X/2/c/2c2632810257391d6b7b09fd1c612a08907ee96d.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Sekayi\_Liburd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/sekayi_liburd/32/77608_2.png) [@Sekayi\_Liburd](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Sekayi_Liburd)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/2 "2024-11-08T17:45:11Z")
or maybe provide “Use Last Screen Configuration” vs “Use Default Screen Configuration” options when creating a new screen. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![MattLB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/mattlb/32/41284_2.png) [@MattLB](https://community.glideapps.com/u/MattLB)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/3 "2024-11-08T18:42:05Z")
It is difficult to preserve components when the underlying table is gone - column names are different, etc. A warning should come up that you will lose all your components when changing a screen source. I may have put that in as a Feature request since this has bitten me more than twice. Best practice is to copy/duplicate the current tab/screen before changing the data source. Make the change and then paste in the components and see what Glide recognizes. In the future maybe this is something for AI? ---
**Author:** ![MaximeBaker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/maximebaker/32/80877_2.png) [@MaximeBaker](https://community.glideapps.com/u/MaximeBaker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/4 "2024-11-08T18:48:47Z")
It would be nice if you could change the source without having to redo all the components. ---
**Author:** ![Sekayi\_Liburd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/sekayi_liburd/32/77608_2.png) [@Sekayi\_Liburd](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Sekayi_Liburd)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/5 "2024-11-08T20:16:32Z")
> [@MattLB](#): > > It is difficult to preserve components when the underlying table is gone - column names are different, etc. This issue happened to me a number of times when using the same table as the source. Including the problem where innocently changing a setting causes all of the components to disappear. But with respect to the mechanism of using last components, why must it be connected to the data? A component can be added in an empty state, right? > [@MattLB](#): > > Best practice is to copy/duplicate the current tab/screen before changing the data source. I use this method too because I don’t know of another way at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![MaximeBaker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/maximebaker/32/80877_2.png) [@MaximeBaker](https://community.glideapps.com/u/MaximeBaker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/6 "2024-11-10T17:21:19Z")
I found a workaround solution! 1. Duplicate screen 2. Change the source on your screen 3. Right click the components In the duplicate screen → copy 4. In the main screen, paste the components one by one. Edit: thanks @MattLB [Preserve screen components when switching the screen source table in a custom style - #3 by MattLB](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/3) ---
**Author:** ![Sekayi\_Liburd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/sekayi_liburd/32/77608_2.png) [@Sekayi\_Liburd](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Sekayi_Liburd)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/7 "2024-11-10T17:28:40Z")
yes, similar to what @MattLB said. We’ll use these workarounds until Glide gives us a simple toggle option. ---
**Author:** ![MaximeBaker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/maximebaker/32/80877_2.png) [@MaximeBaker](https://community.glideapps.com/u/MaximeBaker)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/9 "2024-11-10T17:35:08Z")
Thanks ! You are right, missed that post 😂 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/system/32/53398_2.png) [@system](https://community.glideapps.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/preserve-screen-components-when-switching-the-screen-source-table-in-a-custom-style/77760/10 "2024-11-17T17:36:38Z")
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