virtual field not available

[Sam23]

I need to use a virtual field to capture user input in a search report, but virtual field is not available. Why are virtual fields not consistently available? Anyway to resolve this?
 

[kpcollier]

What is the virtual field going to be used for? A parameter for something else?

The reason for no virtual field in a report page is because it's for reporting information that is already saved in the table. Virtual fields don't get saved to the table, and if you have virtual fields in your Report page, it would show as a column. That column would be blank for every record. If you were somehow able to get a VF into the report, clicking Edit and entering something into it and then clicking update would also result in a blank, because VFs don't save information. 

 

[GoodBoy]

Hi.

@kpcollier is right! Virtual fields are mainly used for displaying purposes and not available in a results page. This article about Virtual fields might also help: https://howto.caspio.com/datapages/datapage-components/virtual-fields/

[NiceDuck]

As a follow up to @GoodBoy, Just remember that Virtual fields are only available on FORM type of Datapages such as the submission form, single record update or the report details page. They are also available on search forms but I'm not that familiar for what their use there.

 

[cheonsa]

On 6/11/2021 at 9:56 AM, Sam23 said:

I need to use a virtual field to capture user input in a search report, but virtual field is not available. Why are virtual fields not consistently available? Anyway to resolve this?
 

If you just wanted to capture the search inputs and display it on the report, you can actually use the Header/Footer. Pass the value of the search fields on exit, and receive it on the Header.

[Sam23]

Thanks all for the clarification. I am still getting familiar with Caspio and learning that when I stay within their expected boundaries, everything I need is there. When something isn't available, that's a clue that I am trying to do something the element wasn't designed for, ie not best practice. 

Thanks for your patience

Sam

[Jodie]

This might seem super obvious to others, but using a virtual field in a calculated value requires using a virtual field thats set to calculated value. A calculated field won't let you use a virtual field.  Hopefully, I'll finally remember this myself, and won't keep trying to  use a calculated field!