How to conditionally load a template in a canvas?

[Freerk_Lap]

Hi there, I just got started with Coda and love it!
I was wondering: is it possible to fill a canvas with content conditionally, based on another column?

Here’s what I want to achieve:
When creating a new meeting, I want to be able to select what kind of meeting it is. Eg. ‘Onboarding’ or ‘Sprint review’.
Then, based on the value in this column, I want to populate a canvas in the same row with a template that contains the relevant meeting items.

Is this possible? Or is there a better way to do what I’m trying to achieve?

Thanks awesome Coda people :)!

[Quentin_Morel]

Hi @Freerk_Lap

Find this quick example with a conditionnal format for “value for new rows”.

I would put the select list outside of the table and a button to create the row, for coda to know what template it must use before creating the row

Tell me if this is OK for you.

Of course the template 1 and 2 here are pages in your doc.

Cheers

[Freerk_Lap]

Hi Quentin, that looks like what I was looking for! Thanks so much for that explanation

[Quentin_Morel]

Sorry that was very short usually I put more detailed example but I was in a hurry. Happy this was clear enough !

[Freerk_Lap]

I’m usually pretty quick with these things. It just takes knowing the right proces, and you explained it clearly

[Freerk_Lap]

Mmm this is frustrating. Although I get the concept, I’m struggling wit the syntax. I have created a page in my Databases page, which holds the page I want to use as template.

But how can I select this page from my formula? I try to type the title, but it doesn’t appear.
What am I missing?

[Pch]

@Freerk_Lap

But how can I select this page from my formula? I try to type the title, but it doesn’t appear.
What am I missing?

From the suggestion @Quentin_Morel made earlier, the selection of the template is not done in the button …

The button on the canvas just adds a row to the table and when the row is added, depending on the value in the canvas select list, the template is chosen within the canvas column using SwitchIf() in Value for new rows where you should be able to select the appropriate templated page

Note that, even in the Value for new rows formula editor in the canvas column, it is not that easy to write a formula using multiple pages … I had to first select all the pages I wanted to use in the SwitchIf() and then write the formula around …

Here’s a sample to illustrate

In this case, the button adds a row and adds the appropriate meeting type to the Meeting lookup field which is then used by the Value for new rows formula editor in the canvas column to select the appropriated page

[Quentin_Morel]

@Pch

Note that, even in the Value for new rows formula editor in the canvas column, it is not that easy to write a formula using multiple pages … I had to first select all the pages I wanted to use in the SwitchIf() and then write the formula around …

Yes Exactly the same for me. Not that easy but I probably missed something about pages selection.

[Pch]

@Quentin_Morel

Not that easy but I probably missed something about pages selection

I just had the same thought … But I don’t think you missed anything …
(It’s kind of reassuring to know that it wasn’t “just me” )

Selecting (sub)page(s) has sadly never been easy … I would have thought though that in a canvas column, it would have been easier than it was …

Maybe it will be improved in the future

[Freerk_Lap]

Thanks for your answer! This time it finally did click and I was able to select the pages. Somehow, before, I had a lot of trouble getting the normal pages (instead of tables) to show up in my function options.

[Pch]

No problem @Freerk_Lap !
I honestly didn’t do much here , just added a detail or two to the thoughtful suggestion of @Quentin_Morel .

I’m glad to know it helped you to solve your issue .

@Freerk_Lap

Somehow, before, I had a lot of trouble getting the normal pages (instead of tables) to show up in my function options.

As far as I know, you can’t reference (sub)page(s) (using something like @Name_of_the_(sub)page) anywhere else than on the canvas (in the content of a canvas column included) or in a text field … both would return the link to the referenced (sub)page(s) … (i.e.: (sub)page(s) can’t be used formulaically)

I think the only exception to this is the Value for new rows formula in a canvas column using the suggestions Coda gives us …

I could be wrong though (It’s been a while since I’ve played around with (sub)page(s) ) but this would explain why you could select (sub)page(s) for the canvas column but not in your button

Depending on the use case, there could also be workarounds involving the url of the (sub)page(s) but that’s another story

[Nina_Ledid]

Hi @Freerk_Lap , glad to hear the community was able to assist you! Just wanted to share another Community post on the same topic, which might be helpful to you or others reading this thread.

Conditional Canvas Column - Finally Figured It Out!

After much frustration , many Coda community and Google searches , and lots of yelling talking to my monitor “Why the XXXX doesn’t that work!?” , I finally figured out how to make canvas columns dynamic based on some condition(s). During my research, I saw other people and threads asking the same question, so I thought I’d share this with the community. Why Use Canvas Columns? Here’s one of many use cases. Meeting T…

[Freerk_Lap]

Great! Thanks. This looks like a comprehensive example.