# Text Length in Experimental Column is not working

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Created:** [June 13, 2023, 3:40am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700 "2023-06-13T03:40:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![colind](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/colind/32/45450_2.png) [@colind](https://community.glideapps.com/u/colind)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 3:40am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700/1 "2023-06-13T03:40:21Z")

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Hi,  
I discovered that the **Text Length** (experimental column) functionality no longer works!!! (I’m using Classic Apps)  
On opening the column in the data editor I get this message:

_Error: Loading the manifest “glide.json” failed. Is the URL correct, and the hosting set up correctly?_  
**Reload**** Learn More**

The **Reload** option does nothing.

The **Learn More** option takes me to a Page Not Found on the Experimental Column [https://www.glideapps.com/docs/experimental-code-column](https://www.glideapps.com/docs/experimental-code-column)

**Is there a replacement to the Text Length function?**

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![colind](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/colind/32/45450_2.png) [@colind](https://community.glideapps.com/u/colind)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 3:53am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700/2 "2023-06-13T03:53:19Z")

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The column has now started working! That was scary.  
However, the link [https://www.glideapps.com/docs/experimental-code-column](https://www.glideapps.com/docs/experimental-code-column) is still not found.

**What is the right way to determine the length of a string in glide?**

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Darren\_Murphy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/darren_murphy/32/47326_2.png) [@Darren\_Murphy](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Darren_Murphy)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 4:01am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700/3 "2023-06-13T04:01:04Z")

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> [@colind](#):
>
> However, the link [Experimental Code Column | Glide Docs](https://www.glideapps.com/docs/experimental-code-column) is still not found.

Yeah, that link is broken. The correct link for that plugin is [Text Length column | Glide](https://www.glideapps.com/plugins/text-length)

> [@colind](#):
>
> What is the right way to determine the length of a string in glide?

There is no right or wrong way, but using the above plugin is probably the easiest way 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![colind](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/colind/32/45450_2.png) [@colind](https://community.glideapps.com/u/colind)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 4:47am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700/4 "2023-06-13T04:47:49Z")

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Thanks for your reply, Darren.  
I was concerned that Glide had deprecated the Text Length functionality when I got the error message. Thankful it is now working.

Have a great day!

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**Author:** ![ThinhDinh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/thinhdinh/32/49_2.png) [@ThinhDinh](https://community.glideapps.com/u/ThinhDinh)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/text-length-in-experimental-column-is-not-working/62700/5 "2023-06-13T23:02:16Z")

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Probably the same issue as I experienced yesterday (the thing I told you I had to switch VPN for). It started working again later in the day.