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Question

[Feature Request] - Forms - tables with 'horizontal columns'

asked on July 8, 2019 Show version history

I've been playing around with a table in a form that needs to collect a series of dates. To do this I started using a fixed number of rows where each row has its own label, as per the screenshot:

This is the 'look' and layout I want; but the problem is that I need unique variables per entry. Doing it this way won't allow for that (unless I'm missing something?). I need the unique variables to be able to populate a word doc with merge fields.

One way this could be done would be to have a 'make table rows vertical' option... which would make columns horizontal... if that makes sense? Then, in the above example I could have columns displayed as 'rows' each with unique questions, and the row data being '13 x unique date fields'.

As it is I will just go back to individual date fields instead of a table and use CSS to make it look like a table; just wanted to float the idea of a 'vertical table' as a feature idea :)

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Replies

replied on August 26, 2020

I am looking for a way to accomplish this without knowing css, etc. Any advice on how to individually name rows so values can be input to the right?  

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replied on July 9, 2019

Is the only reason for using a table the styling? If so, then for the layout you have CSS is probably going to be a much better option anyway.

Something to consider is that even if you had a "vertical" table with 1 "row" a table is still a collection, so the variables will never behave exactly the same as independent fields.

Technically, you can use indexing to retrieve the values from a specific row. You wouldn't have separate variables, but you could still get the column variable from Forms and use the index associated with each row to get just that value.

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replied on July 9, 2019

Thanks Jason, all useful suggestions. I understand what you mean about rows technically not being truly unique variables, but they're unique enough in that, in the example screenshot above, you'd get something like: "{timeline/plan_approved}" and "{timeline/docs_completed}". 

Yes - the main reason is for syling (it looks natively a LOT tidier and more compact than just a bunch of fields one after the other), so will use CSS for now.

 

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replied on July 9, 2019

I totally understand.

I just usually recommend against using tables for purely aesthetic reasons since they introduce other complications, like using the variables in gateways.

From a programmer's perspective it is the difference between a variable and an Array. Even if you only have 1 item, a 1-item Array is not the same as a variable.

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replied on July 9, 2019 Show version history

That all makes sense. What might be better would be a separate set of 'advanced' layout tools; essentially a GUI designer for CSS-like functionality to have greater control over field elements, spacing and and so on.

CSS is easy enough for those of us who have at least some familiarity, but a GUI workspace would be better.

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replied on July 9, 2019

100% agree and I know requests like that have been made before so hopefully it is just a matter of time.

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