Re: Can I have a Link to another View from a Form?

Nicolas_Feldman · 08-15-2020 03:25 PM

Hi everyone,

Can I have a Link to another View from a Form?
How may I do that?

I have an “App” type column with the LINKTOVIEW() formula, but its not generating any link on the form view.

Thanks in advance!

LeventK

Yes, you definitely can.

What expression are you using? And what’s the relationship of this app type column with your form?

Nicolas_Feldman

Hi @Levent, thanks for your feedback.

the “App” type column is one of the columns in the form.

I have in “App Formula” this: LINKTOVIEW(Guías)

“Guías” being the view I want to link.

LeventK

@Nicolas_Feldman
I got that already but I couldn’t be able to understand what it will do and what’s the use case?

Nicolas_Feldman

Oh Im sorry,

So, this is a form for registering wildlife.

I would like users to have the possibility to go to another view to consult a “Wildlife Species ID guide” while filling the form, in case they’re not sure what animal they are registering or how to spell it.

Thanks!

LeventK

If that’s the intention, than I would suggest using a SHOW type column with URL content. However, when the user clicks that link, they will be abandoning the current form view and all data will be lost.

Nicolas_Feldman

Thanks @LeventK,

I tried the “Show” column with the following URL content :(“https://www.appsheet.com/start/69f86b7a-221d-40c1-8800-e233cd3177b5#view=Guías%20de%20Identificación”)

Now, when users click the generated link instead of just taking the user to that view, it opens the internal Appsheet´s browser with the specified link.

There´s two things I dont like about this:

the user may continue using the app and see all other views in the browser, once it is open. So it may cause some confussion, as you would running the app inside the app´s browser¿?
This is an app intended to use mainly when offline. What will happen when users are offline? Will the browser work anyway?

Thanks!

LeventK

As I have expressed before, clicking any kinda URL inside a Form View takes you out of the form and you lose form data entry. Actually there is no meaning to place a clickable URL to a Form View. AppSheet can’t show URL content in a Pop-up window that you can view and then close and return back to the Form view.

I have explained this above.

There is no problem with the app’s internal data or back-end data when used offline. If there’s no active connection or the app will be used offline mostly, there is no meaning to use a URL link as it won’t work.

As a workaround to your issue, I believe it might be a better idea to launch that form via a LINKTOFORM() action from that Guías assuming that it’s a Detail View.

Nicolas_Feldman

Thanks @Levent for your patience.

Will try that last workaround and start with the “Guías” view.

LeventK

@Nicolas_Feldman
Another approach could be creating a helper table with the exact wording needed on the form associated with some tags. And then you can use the Suggested_Values property to create a dropdown of words related with those tags associated with that specific field. So that users can select a value, rather than trying to remember or need to lookup from somewhere else. Just an idea.

Steve

Why? It makes a difference.

Nicolas_Feldman

Hi @Steve,
The guides I´m trying to link, are a tool that will help users fill the form.

This app Im building is for a national park and will be for public use, so we´re expecting users that are not very familiar with wilfdlife monitoring reports, so offering a link directly from the form, we believe will help them input the appropiate information.

Steve

The user cannot leave the form incomplete while remaining in the app. In order to leave the form, the form must be saved or canceled first.

Nicolas_Feldman

Thanks @Steve,

We wouldn´t mind losing the info in the form, they can go back and fill that again after reviewing the Guide.

We just want to have there the link, so in case the user starts a form and then they dont know what to answer.
They have the option there to go to the “Guide” view.