From recent announcements and features, we can see that Appsheet is going through some fundamental 'under the hood' changes. I have no doubt that these changes are to allow the Appsheet platform to be able to do more at some time in the (near?) future. I feel that a very specific feature could be added NOW based on my observations on how Appsheet Platform is structured. Everything seems to have the Table_Schema as a core root for the creation of everything else. Once a table is added into Appsheet, system actions and views are created automatically based off the Add, Delete, Update, Read settings of the table being added. These actions are created/deleted on the fly as it were if those settings for the table change. A set of system views also get created with the suffix of _Form, _Detail and _Inline to represent the main Viewtypes of Appsheet. Those are System added and is performed at the time a new table schema is added into your app. Items added by the user to augment the table schema are setting column types, setting Initial formula, setting showIf formulas, requireIfs, adding NonRef type VCs (Ref type VCs usually added by the system once column types are set), setting column labels, indicating Key fields, creating Actions, creating Views/Subviews...you get the idea. When an Appsheet creator views their account, they can (currently) see a view of Apps and a view of Databases. I propose another (HIDDEN) place. This place is hidden to protect the IP of the Appsheet Platform, but is available to be used by App Creators. We shall call this place 'Schema Snippets'. On the Data section of Appsheet where you configure the columns I propose you add a new option to the menu. Add the item 'Copy to Schema Snippets' to this menu. The function of this menu item is to save a representation of every single augmentation the user has made with regards to this particular table schema, including new view definitions and so on, BUT, NOT THE SYSTEM parts. I am assuming that this definition is stored as a JSON structure within Appsheet anyway and should be easily extracted for this one table. The dialogue with the user for this menu item should present a list of already saved Schema Snippets (from the HIDDEN place) and an input to name that specific Schema Snippet. Of course, saving Schema Snippets would not be of much use unless you could use them right? So, there needs to be another option available when you Add data to your App The datasources section should have an option 'Schema Snippet'. Upon choosing this option, the system should present a list of Schema Snippets from the HIDDEN place and allow the user to choose one. Then the MAGIC happens! The table schema loads, the augmentations happen, the views create, the actions create, the formulas are set... You're grinning now right?? 😁 Finally the system checks run that validate the schema and add all the system buttons etc. Any error messages about missing fields, referenced tables etc would be expected, especially if the pasted snippet also expects other snippets to be added to flesh out the App. That is part of the normal config process App creators are used to. I NEED this to happen. I have created an app that does something complex and necessary. I have created it in such a way that I can add it into any app I create to provide it's functionality. But the tables have a lot of configuration to do everytime I add them to another app...it is soul destroying work. Having this schema snip option across Apps would be an incredible time saving option and I really do believe it's possible to implement in a short time frame...a few weeks? Come on Appsheet Devs... @ShirleyN @preethamm @cschalk_ws @Arthur_Rallu In time for Christmas? 😋
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