InfoQube IM - Community

Submitted by David_H on 2019/03/31 02:34

One of the things I've always struggled with, with IQ, is the amount of columns I like to have visible vs them taking up too much space. Stacking columns can help, but only so much. Making them narrow is no good, because then you have to manually change the sizes whenever you want to see the column data.

Hidden columns seems like it would be the perfect solution, however it seems that if I hide several columns, the moment I unhide them the setting is erased. Now if I want to make them disappear I have to click on each and hide them again. Is there a way to create a set of hidden columns and turn them on and off as needed, without having to redo them all every time you unhide them?

Open to any suggestions how to achieve this now? I also looked at column sets but that won't work either.

Thanks

Comments

What do you mean by "the setting is erased"? Are you saying that yes/no columns lose their checkmarks? I use hidden columns but generally don't turn them on and off.

I struggle with horizontal space, too. I'll throw out a few ideas that you probably know about but maybe it'll spark an idea for you:

It seems like having a lot of hidden columns that you turn on and off would be cumbersome. Why not use separate grids, each of which has a different column arrangement for different purposes? You could have a main grid for a given usage plus related sub-grids with different column arrangements. You could have all the grid links in your favorites or in a constructed "home" grid, with descriptions of what each grid does..

With multiple grids, you also have the option of showing multiple versions of your grid in the same view (above/below or side-by-side).

I understand that having a proliferation of grids has its own management problems but I like going to a set grid where everything is there and always in place vs using filters etc to turn things on and off.

I think column sets could be a viable solution if there were some changes made to how it works (which I've brought up in other threads).

Wayne

[quote=WayneK]

What do you mean by "the setting is erased"? Are you saying that yes/no columns lose their checkmarks?[/quote]

Let's say I have "Column 1" and "Column 2" hidden and then I select "show all hidden columns". What I am saying is the memory of which columns were hidden is lost. There is no way to now select "rehide hidden columns".

[quote]I use hidden columns but generally don't turn them on and off.[/quote]

Maybe I am missing something. What is the purpose of hiding columns if you don't turn them on and off?

[quote]It seems like having a lot of hidden columns that you turn on and off would be cumbersome. Why not use separate grids...[/quote]

Been there done that. With the introduction of the tagging system I'm finding I need far fewer grids, and in the process of reducing them am finding IQ is working for me more efficiently than ever. One of the items on my long term wish list for the future of IQ is Saved Views for grids, where you could just select a view and repopulate columns and change filters, I think that could also reduce the need for different grids.

[quote]I think column sets could be a viable solution if there were some changes made to how it works (which I've brought up in other threads).[/quote]

Agreed.

re why I don't turn hidden grids on and off.

I use hidden columns mostly for assigning formatting (equivalent to Ecco Pro Tool Tips). I assign text to these formatting grids using forms so I never need to see the columns. But they have to be in the grid to work, so I just hide them.

Wayne

Use 4. Forms

once a Form is created with desired columns, either use it via the properties pane, or right-click the relevant Form titlebar and select 'Load column set'. To remove the column set, select 'Unload column set'.

[quote=Tom]

Use 4. Forms

[/quote]

WTF :-D?! I tried this yesterday before I posted and there was no "unload column set" command. Now it's there. Probably user error.

One limitation of this though is there is no way to just add and remove columns to the existing column set, only to override them.

[quote=David_H]

One limitation of this though is there is no way to just add and remove columns to the existing column set, only to override them.

[/quote]

Pierre is offering some other great solutions, but to be clear here:

do you mean the Form's columns are replacing existing columns in the grid? This not the case here.

Or do you mean changing the Form's columns?

Hi All !

Would having items span 2 or more rows help at all ?

As seen here

Pierre_Admin

IQ Designer

[quote=Pierre_Admin]

Hi All !

Would having items span 2 or more rows help at all ?

As seen here

Pierre_Admin

IQ Designer

[/quote]

That would be great. Right now I am doing exactly what us shown here by stacking columns that go together, but this would be so much better and more space efficient. For example I always have the columns ItemGrandparent and ItemParent in most grids so I can instantly see the context of items. Being able to place those types of columns as shown in screenshot would be fantastic!

That looks fantastic. I'd be even more enthusiastic if I understood it. By all means, implement it and I'll figure it out. I think you're stacking three fields in one column and showing three rows for those columns below, maybe?

Would also be interested in how you got the photos to display so uniformly and nicely since I haven't been able to resize images inside the grid and have struggled trying to integrate images with text.

Wayne

Hi,

Instead of hiding columns, what about grouping columns and using the + / - button to show / hide column sets ?

See 4. Grid Columns and Column Sets

[quote]

Group Columns: Select 2 or more columns to group them. Column groups have a + expand / collapse button:

(on the left, the column group is collapsed, hiding the End and Days columns)

[/quote]

Pierre_Admin

IQ Designer

[quote=Pierre_Admin]

Hi,

Instead of hiding columns, what about grouping columns and using the + / - button to show / hide column sets ?

See 4. Grid Columns and Column Sets

[quote]

Group Columns: Select 2 or more columns to group them. Column groups have a + expand / collapse button:

(on the left, the column group is collapsed, hiding the End and Days columns)

[/quote]

That looks like it will work, assuming that I can have multiple groups. About to review the documentation...

[quote=Tom]

Pierre is offering some other great solutions, but to be clear here:

do you mean the Form's columns are replacing existing columns in the grid? This not the case here.[/quote]

Whenever I load column set all the grids existing columns disappear with the exception of item #, item and done field. So for me the load column set functions to replace all the existing columns. Which is exactly how I'd expect it to operate. Now it's true that if I save I believe I'm given an option to combine the column sets.

[quote=WayneK]

re why I don't turn hidden grids on and off.

[/quote]

Neat, now that you mention that I think I remember you posting about it in another thread.

[quote=David_H]equivalent to Ecco Pro Tool Tips[/quote]

Did you by any chance mean "Text Touch-Ups" in Ecco? If not, I suspect I might have missed something important in my Ecco career.

Yes, I did. Thanks. I started to look it up but then thought "hey, my memory is infallible so just go with it."

Wayne

[quote=David_H]

[quote=Tom]

do you mean the Form's columns are replacing existing columns in the grid? This not the case here.[/quote]

[/quote]

turns out you correct,

I had an overlap in the fields already displayed and those in the Form, hence my misunderstanding the results