Some bugs in the latest vs.

[martin c]

Hello ..

Im new too this app , but im not new to the concept ..

So … I have issues , that forms that have an photo field do not show the drop field on record change … I have to click somewhere to “reset” this behaviour …

the gerneral issue/behaviour is somehow reset of the view … its jumping to the first field in the table on every edit of properties / field types / formulas etc …

it would be great to have a consistent flow ::: if I select a field I get all the actual settings for that field , like :: the field type , field value , formula etc … it has all to be in sync , but ist jumping around , making endless selection on every edit … BAD !!

The Photo field is treated some how different from the other fields … I try to calculate some text based ops on the file name but I can’t choose this field at all in the list … maybe someone can show me a simple way to get a file name from the photo field in another cell, so i can just set the image and get the fields filled with file names ?? thx ..

great app !! thx …

[Brendan]

Hi Martin,

When you edit a property for a field I do refresh the form because the changes you make do affect the display of the form. So that’s normal behaviour.

I’m not sure about the photo field issue though. Nor the issue with jumping around when editing a property. Are you referring to the field properties not being the right properties for the selected field? I’m not seeing that behaviour.

For the Photo field, you can’t reference a photo field in a formula.

But you can in a Script field. A Photo field is basically an array of dictionaries. So when you ask the record for the value of a Photo field, that’s what you’ll get. There’s a filename property in the dictionary you can get to give you the value of the filename.

Thanks!

Brendan

[martin c]

ok …

at first :: I select a cell >> then I have it in an form / a field property / the list view etc all the panels I can have for that cell/entry/single value .. it does not select on it own … so in every window/panel I have to scroll, choose the option/cell etc … disaster :) It should be all syncd to each other , so I select a cell or a position in a form and I get all the actual values in all panels like selection in all the current views/options >>> efficient workflow ??? bidirectional , no matter where selected from ….

I have strange behaviour with the app … inconsistent … some fields showing up , some not , if I move the photo field on top it does not update in the list view etc … try to uninstall/reinst. the app … some liquid feeling :)

ok … I give the script a chance :)

thx …

[martin c]

some thoughts ::

what I described on the non auto select topic :: it could be called >> data entry mode ??

my situation is :: I import a data/records , they have let say 40-50 columns/fields

at the beginning I have to select all the fields (they can’t be saved via preset!!!) like 0 is a number, yes is a checkbox etc … they all are text from beginning >>> could be some kind better ?? like numbers are numbers . dates are dates etc … some of recognition of the field data .

I have then edit the fields to my concern manually … change field types etc …..

and please :: can you provide a code for get filename from a photo field ?? im not the coder , not js … or a link to advanced tutorial on this topic ???

great app :) thx !!!

[Brendan]

Hi Martin,

Are you using the multi-column list view? If so, configuration of that is done separately from the single-column list view and the record details view. See this topic in the help manual for info:

https://www.tapforms.com/help-mac/5.3/en/topic/multi-column

Look for the sub-topic Editing the Multi-Column View.

Perhaps that’s why you’re not seeing things sync up or some fields not showing up. You can control that all separately from the other views.

Here’s a script to loop through the array of photos to get a list of the photo filenames:

function Photo_Names() {
	var photo_filenames = [];
	var case_cover = record.getFieldValue('fld-54ed276ee9054d73843865f9c716e851');
	for (var index = 0, count = case_cover.length; index < count; index++){
		var photo = case_cover[index];
		photo_filenames.push(photo["filename"]);
	}
	var filenames = photo_filenames.join(", ");
	return filenames;	
}

Photo_Names();

I’m not entirely sure what you want to do with them, but there it is. It will just log a list of the filenames.

[martin c]

ok …. thx a lot … the script is working well ..!!

the other thing I can’t get to work ::

I read the manual on multicolumn edit …

Still have this issue that if I select a cell non of the other panels update FOCUS to this cell >> panel view , in the form , the fields view etc ..

Is this by design ?? Should it work so ?? .. is there any way to have this panels synced up in view /cell selection in the multicolumn view ??? any magic option I could not find ?? sorry maybe its that easy …. but the pics in the manual are from older versions …. can’t figure it out …

thx ..

[martin c]

and :: if im in a form >> particular field editing and hit the next record all resets to default view of the beginning of the form …

what I want to say is :: if im editing a field in form hitting next record arrow on the bottom I should land in the exact place in the form @ next record …

do you get the whole idea of synced data entry ?? editing fields etc … multidirectional sync to all views auto selecting the cell/field … no matter where you click you should be able to enter the change , from record to record …

meanwhile my views resets to the first cell.row on every change of something on a particular cell.
very distracting , actually not able to work , I have 50+ fields !! jumping around in view to the first cell.row

thx ….

[Brendan]

Hi Martin,

When you type in a value into the multi-column list view then press the tab key, that’s when the other views will sync the data.

I’ve never designed Tap Forms to select all the other areas of the application for that field just because you clicked on a cell on the multi-column list view. So when you say you’re still having that problem, it’s not a behaviour that I’ve programmed into Tap Forms. In the 12 years that I’ve been programming Tap Forms, I’ve never had a single customer ask me to move the views to show the selected field when you click a cell on the multi-column list view. I’m not sure how popular a feature that would be. The data definitely updates. But I think that’s different than what you mean.

If you’re typing into the last field in a form and you press the tab key, Tap Forms will jump back up to the first field.

But when you press the arrow buttons at the bottom of the record details screen, Tap Forms should maintain the scroll position. Are you entering into the Default Layout or a custom layout?

[martin c]

case one :: select field in the fieldsview>> do change an option = srcipt / field type / name it:) >> conform change >> result is a jump to the first field

case two >>> im in layoutview >> make change/value to a field>> hit arrows for next record > result :: the layout shows next record but not the current field i have just edited , it resets back to the top of layout

consequenses are ::: realy messy workflow!! by 50+ fields its disaster, scrolling around as dumb:)

im using default layout.

i see great potential of this app but::

sync is loosing data —- dont working, i know the reason
sync destroys whole project on instant synicing mistakes, no real files in the cloud/folder, no real save function , no master vers so every sync it degrades more>>> loosing whole project

export and reimport of same csv shows not the same results >>> inconsistent!!! loosing data

please add me into beta testing, im have programmed 20 years ago, now im an advanced user, want to have my few words on this app, cozz its great as an concept, needs some basic core concepts mod to make it good!! and reliable !! for now its more like a toy…

thx

[Sam Moffatt]

Re: Case One

You mean that when you change the type of a field, the field title is selected in the field editor?

What is your expected behaviour?

Re: Case Two

I haven’t seen this behaviour for a really long time though I have seen the situation where if you have a variable sized field (link, table or notes commonly) that the offset pushes the record down and I end up at the bottom of the record. I do note that when you change record, the focus in the SCLV shifts to the record list. Perhaps you could share a video of what you’re seeing?

sync is loosing data —- dont working, i know the reason

What do you suspect the reason is? Which sync tool are you using?

sync destroys whole project on instant synicing mistakes

The point of sync is in part to replicate the changes, good or bad. Tap Forms does have a built in backup feature that you can use to create backups of your document. You can use “Export Tap Forms Archive” to get a complete copy. I also use Time Machine to snap a copy of my documents as well. If you want to go all out you can use my CouchDB based backup solutions as well to get fine grained control of your data and restores.

export and reimport of same csv shows not the same results

What is your use case where you’re exporting to CSV and then re-importing? If you’re doing a backup use case, why not use the Tap Forms archive feature?

Perhaps you could share some concise example cases where you see the CSV export for a particular form behave differently during an import?

[martin c]

case one expectations ::

stay put!! not jump to the first field, coz i want maybe?? do other changes to it, then again jump… so do you understand that jumping at 50+ fields can be a problem??

case two::

sure video is great, but not at 4mb atachment limit, where can i send it?? else??

sync::

icloud!!

so, the sync can not happen until you will: by saving, colsing dokument, a situation you are sure you do accept the work…. thats the idea of saving, not saving…. it can not be done on every little change, cos it leads to problems like we have here>> destroying project!! why?? simple solution ::: dokument in the icloud as real file, on storage, accesible via finder, opening closing saving file then the sync… every app does it that way…

reimport::

just wanted to check the conistity of data!! it fails, fields fall apart, records are empty etc…so its the eport or import failure?? is the data exported well?? can i trust??

my case:::

i doing a database work on woocommerce eported csv of products from the shop, 50+ fields , a photo field, where i wanted the filename script to generate filnames in a field, cozz i need it on reimport to woocommerce… its a kind of inventory with photos, kind ob batch modification of fields , all cozz the import of products to worpress woocommerce…

thx

[Sam Moffatt]

Case 1: I’ve got a form with 124 fields in it and I personally don’t understand the problem you’re talking about (125 now because I added a test field at the end to see what it did which was focus the field title text box). It doesn’t seem to disrupt me though I might be missing something obvious.

Case 2: Forum is reasonably generous at uploads as well with a max upload size of 4MB, a lot of use cases I manage to fit in that (use smaller window size, don’t record in retina resolutions, squeeze the frame rate down to 15 fps if it isn’t there already). For those that don’t, I put videos on YT as you can upload them as unlisted and get a private link to share.

Sync
Many applications use iCloud to sync in the same way as Tap Forms does, including many Apple apps like Contacts, Notes and more. Agenda is another app I use with iCloud that as changes are made on one device, they become available on all devices. Almost any multiuser based synchronisation system will sync changes as they are made not when you close the document because then you have to wait to upload the data. I would expect any sync solution to be progressive, especially on iOS where you only get time to do work whilst your app is active. iCloud does seem to have issues especially relating to rate limits on non-Apple products which is why I’ve consistently recommended youor own CouchDB for higher throughput.

If you want a sync solution where you open the document, you are the only one who makes changes to it and then save it back, you copy your Tap Forms documents to and from more traditional folder sync platforms like Dropbox or iCloud Drive. This would only work on the desktop and there was an earlier thread that described the process. Seems like it worked for them, might work for you. The important thing is that he’s quitting TF and copying the document to and from shared storage each time. If you edit your TF document there directly on two devices, it can corrupt the database as noted in that thread. You could do some scripting to automate this to make it smoother as well.

All told it’s also been noted that Brendan is working to implement another sync backend rather than CouchbaseLite that would add support for Dropbox back though it might be the simple file you are expecting.

reimport: if you’ve got concise use cases you can share where you notice data being transformed inconsistently then I have to assume that would help get any bug that exists fixed, I know in my own coding that when I’ve introduced a bug a concise reproduction case is great for testing and validating the fixes.

Woocommerce: interesting use case, why round trip the data through Tap Forms though? Why not build something in PHP to work with the database or manipulate the data export directly if the ultimate aim is to import back to Woocommerce? Alternatively is there an API for Woocommerce you could use via the Javascript API to more directly interact with the platform?

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