(enum_List) Is there a way to get all the columns of an table in a list?

AppSheet AppSheet Q&A
1

I am new to Appsheet…

Question:

Is there a way to include all or part of the columns names in an enumlist?

Description:

I am using a form to input data in a table with about 30 columns to store field data tests results. (There are 5 types of tests and each has about 5 result columns) Each row in the table represents a site visit to a construction site, and during each visit, more than one test may need to be performed (The test required depends on the site condition on the date of the visit - so I do not know what test they will perform on a given day).

I tried to organize the test-related columns in “Appsheet Show Pages” in an attempt to simplify the field input. However, that did not work, because I ended up with 6 pages and needed to scroll through all of them before saving the data. (This turned out to be too cumbersome to use in the field).

Now I think a better approach is to show only the columns related to the test in an “Appsheet Show Section”. I like to use the Show_If of each “Appsheet Show Section” to determine what columns are shown.

Now to avoid hardcoding the columns in the Show_if formula, I like to get all the column names in an enum list that I can use to select the columns I need for each test.

Therefore the question: How can I get the column names in a list?

(PS: Hope this makes sense to the other uses… otherwise send me questions…).

Thanks.

2

I do not believe there is a way to get the names someone else asked this question recently and is also waiting for a response. My best recommendation is you can make a static list of the column names in the field, as you are likely not adding columns names as the app is being used. Also you can use show columns to display the title of any column names or headers you want to use in the app.

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So here in my data table you can see that the calendar event and additional info are both to be show columns because I want to see text in their fields as headers but they do not and will not ever contain data.

So either statically show the column names or use column type: show columns in your app. I’ve linked someone else asking how to get the name of a column in appsheet through the expressions.

Craig

QREW Technologies

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3

Craig,

Thank you for your reponse…

I am just looking for a dynamic way controling what columns are displayed in a set of forms. If we can get all the columns in a list, then we can create enum_list from it and select the columns we want to display in the forms from there.. (especially at the beginning of an app where I do not know how many -or what items need - columns.

I am sure this can be useful to other Appsheet users.

Will make a