AppSheet Won't Display PDF Files

AppSheet AppSheet Q&A
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1

I’ll try to describe the problem as briefly as possible.

I have a records table, let’s say TAB_Records, and a related table for PDF files, called TAB_PDF. A bot creates a PDF file and then triggers an action that creates a record in the TAB_PDF table, where the link to the generated PDF file is stored.

The bot is set to use this path: “/Files/Work/”.
The PDF file name is set as [Vir_PDFName], where [Vir_PDFName] is a virtual column in the TAB_Records table, containing this formula: CONCATENATE(“File-prefix-name-”,[Vir_LastName],“-”,[Vir_FirstName],“-”,[WorkID], “-”, TEXT(NOW(), “YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS”), “.pdf”).
The timestamp is disabled in the bot.

When creating a record in TAB_PDF, the bot sets these values:

  • Column PDFName: [Vir_PDFName]
  • Column PDFLink: CONCATENATE(“/appsheet/data/MyAppsheetName/Files/Work/”, [Vir_PDFName]), which is of the “File” type.

In the database, the file is correctly stored, for example: “/appsheet/data/MyAppsheetName/Files/Work/File-prefix-name-Rambo-John-5a5752f2-20240817_210959.pdf”.
The file name and path contain no spaces, diacritics, or any forbidden characters.
The file is indeed saved at the specified path on Google Drive. It really exists.
I’ve checked the path and file name about 100 times, and everything matches.

However, when I click on the PDFLink icon on the frontend, I get an error: see listing below.

It was working fine in the morning. Then I started experimenting with changing the paths so that the files would be saved according to CustomerID and EmployerID.
After that, it seemed to stop working.
Even when I revert back to a previous version of the app, the same error persists.
It’s as if AppSheet has lost access to Google Drive or something like that.
I’m wondering if there’s some limit for API calls?
If so, what is it?

I even turned off Require Image and File URL Signing in the app’s security settings.
I also shared the folder on Google Drive where the files are stored with everyone who has the link and gave them Editor access.
Nothing helped.

I’m not sure, maybe I’m doing something wrong, but I can’t see the error.

The path in the database is correct.
The file really exists.
Clicking on it - error.

Thanks for the help.

        <html>
        <body style="margin:20px">
          <div>'/appsheet/data/MyAppsheetName/Files/Work/File-prefix-name-Rambo-John-5a5752f2-20240817_210959.pdf' not found</div>
          <div>Probable cause: N/A</div>
          <div><ul><div>
   <div>Path: Root</div>
   <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
   <div>Message: N/A</div>
   <details>
<ul>
<li><div>
      <div>Path: Root</div>
      <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
      <div>Message: N/A</div>
      <details>
<ul>
<li><div>
         <div>Path: Root</div>
         <div>Result: Success</div>
</div>
</li>
<li><div>
         <div>Path: Root</div>
         <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
         <div>Message: N/A</div>
         <details>
<ul>
<li><div>
            <div>Path: Root</div>
            <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
            <div>Message: N/A</div>
            <details>
<ul>
<li><div>
               <div>Path: Root</div>
               <div>Result: Success</div>
</div>
</li>
<li><div>
               <div>Path: Root</div>
               <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
               <div>Message: N/A, Searching for 'Work', File entry not found</div>
               <details>
<ul>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</li>
<li><div>
            <div>Path: Root</div>
            <div>Result: FAILURE</div>
            <div>Message: N/A, Searching for 'File-prefix-name-Rambo-John-5a5752f2-20240817_210959.pdf', File entry not found</div>
            <details>
<ul>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</details>
</div>
</ul></div>
        </body>
        </html>
2

It’s not entirely that I don’t know how to do it all and set it up.
I’ve been using the application for almost a month now, and until today I used to print PDFs and open them through the application.
Just today, I started editing the paths where the files are stored and it stopped working. I don’t know if it’s related, maybe it’s a coincidence.

3

Okay, I guess I’ll be a fool.

As I sent this question, I thought of uploading a file to the PDFIco column and watching in the database how its path is saved…

Of course it was saved after the slash after the app name, so no, like I had it: “/appsheet/data/MyAppsheetName/Files/Work/File-prefix-name-Rambo-John-5a5752f2-20240817_210959.pdf”." , but only:

“”/Files/Work/File-prefix-name-Rambo-John-5a5752f2-20240817_210959.pdf"."

And of course it already works.

I used that appsheet route for over a month and it worked. I don’t understand. I guess I’m overworked.

So maybe it will be useful to someone here.

4

I have the same problem how did you slove it?