Dereferences

AppSheet AppSheet Q&A
1

After I set up a dereferences, the info is only there if I go into each entry and save. How do I apply a change to my app all at once?

2

use virtual columns

3

This doesn’t answer my question. i already made the necessary dereference- now I need the app to autopopulate the info according to the new rules. There are thousands of items on my app- I can’t go into each and open and save each one

4

@Participant Actually that does answer your question :slightly_smiling_face:

Virtual columns are calculated on the fly, you don’t need to change the data values.

You may have used a real column for your calculation?

If so and if you wish to stick to real columns values, then I would suggest to create an action that will update the value “set a values for some columns of this row”, and create another action “execute an action on a set of rows” that will run for all of your records.

OR, you can replace your real column with a virtual column. You will probably benefit from it.

5

Will try that. Thanks!

1 Like
6

@Aurelien I tried that and I’m having the same issue with the virtual column- the value is only there once I go into the row and click save, not as an on-the-fly calculation

7

can you share a screenshot of your virtual column?

8

Participant_0-1684856338523.png

This column was taken off another table connected to the app

9

This is not a dereference expression?

In your case, it could be for example: [Site].[Position]

Where [Site] would be the value of one column of this record, and would be of type Ref, and [Position] would be a column FROM the source reference table.

10

Correct. This was the virtual column you suggested I create.

Originally I’d done a dereference (using the same column name as the table I was taking it off of):

Participant_0-1684857082119.png
Participant_0-1684857082119.png627Ă—842 36.8 KB

But for both columns I need to go into each entry, instead of the app picking it up on its own

11

Can you try copying this app formula in the virtual column app formula ?

12

No go

13

Participant_0-1684858129639.png
Participant_0-1684858129639.png287Ă—320 8.87 KB

Both columns are grayed out, and need to be manually saved. But that is way too tedious with the amount of info I’m doing this for

14

@Participant

Regarding your last screenshot, I think there is a confusion.

  • let’s name the current table TABLE1, and let’s name your virtual column [_virtualColumn_Position] for explanatory purpose.

  • on the same table, you have a column [Reference solution column]

  • let’s say you have another table named SOLUTION, which contains a column [Position].

So:

  • [Reference solution column] on TABLE1 should be a Ref column, with source table being SOLUTION

  • [_virtualColumn_Position] on TABLE1 should be a text column, that uses the dereference expression on its app formula:

[Reference solution column].[Position]

Thanks to this, the result on [_virtualColumn_Position] on TABLE1 will evolve depending on the option you pick for the [Reference solution column] column.

I hope it makes sense :slightly_smiling_face: