Using a script to add values from one field to another

Hi @Bill.French ,

I believe you can make a quick template and put it on the Universe that takes the value from 2 cells and concatenate it into a 3rd cell, this will be very helpful to many people.

Something like

The reason for this would be so the 3rd field is a linked field instead of a formula.

BR,
Mo

Well, yes - this might be a useful template, but that’s not the requirement (as I perceived it). @JonathanBowen seems to have nailed it.

Sidebar

I’m not convinced Universe is where script block examples are best shared. Imagine if Duracell shipped you one triple-A battery in a giant box. I think this new feature has created an opportunity for a kinder, simpler approach where entire bases are not required to share such simple code fragments.

We recommend sharing on Universe in cases where the script relies on a specific base schema. This makes it easier for other users to see the script in context (and enables one-click install), without having to reverse engineer the relevant structure. For smaller code fragments that are more general purpose, feel free to share them as-is in code blocks on the community forum.

Hi @Jens_Schott_Knudsen1 - try this script:

// set the table
let notesTbl = base.getTable("Notes");
// get the table records
let notes = await notesTbl.selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of notes.records) {
    // set variables to the record values
    let notes = record.getCellValue("Notes");
    let notesHistory = record.getCellValue("Notes History")
    // set variable for today's date
    let now = new Date().toLocaleDateString("en-GB");
    // define the newNotes variable with starter text (includes the date)
    let newNotes = "======= Copied " + now + " ======= ";
    // only run on records which have notes
    if (notes) {
        output.text(`Copying notes for record ${record.name}`)
        // build the newNotes value from the notes...
        newNotes = newNotes + notes;
        // ...and the notes history 
        newNotes = newNotes + notesHistory;
        // update the notes history value and reset the notes value
        notesTbl.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Notes History": newNotes,
            "Notes": ""
        })        
    }
} 

WARNING:

Quickly put together so please try this out on a copy of your base and check that it works for you before you put it into production!

It takes the text from the “Notes” field and prepends it to the “Notes History” field with a date stamp:

JB

Hi @JonathanBowen

I was wondering if this script can be used/modified for copying a list of multi select options from one field (filled in already) to another filled in multi select field.

If so, could someone help me with this?

Thank you,
Mary Kay

Hi @M_k - this script does it:

// set the table
let table = base.getTable("Table 1");
// get the table records
let query = await table.selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of query.records) {
    // check that Multi-select 1 is not empty...
    if (record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")) {
        output.text(`Copying the multi-select values for record ${record.name}`)
        // now update Multi-select 2 with the array of ids in Mulit-select 1
        let msCopy = await table.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Multi-select 2": record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")
        })    
    }
} 

In some ways, it is a bit simpler than the other script as we don’t need to take account of values in the 2nd multi-select (I assume), just copy MS1 to MS2:

If you wanted the script to be additive rather than replacing, then it would be a bit more involved as you would need to form an array of IDs from MS2, then add the IDs from MS1 to it, before saving this array to back MS2.

One thing to be aware of is that the script cannot create new multi-select values in MS2, so if you have a record in MS1 with a value of “Five” and this doesn’t exist as an option in MS2, then you will get an error. Also, nothing to stop the second multi-select being in a different table, just need to set the second table and reference this in the update.

Hope this helps

JB

Hi @JonathanBowen

Thank you!

It will only be to copy Multi select field options, since I have the list created already, so this will be great.

Now, silly question. Do I just copy and paste the script into the block? Once I do this, do I need to do anything in the multi select field?

Pardon my questions, this is quite new to me.

Thank you for your patience.

Mary Kay

Hi @M_k, so the only things you should need to change are the table name (my script refers to “Table 1”) and the two multi-select field names (where I have “Multi-select 1” and “Multi-select 2”). Change these values to match your base. In fact, maybe make a copy of your base first, edit the values noted above to match your base, then try it out. Assuming all is well, then move it over to your original base (making sure the table and field names are still good).

Beyond that, there should be nothing. The script doesn’t care what the multi-select values are as long as they are the same in both MS fields.

Any probs, post back here :slightly_smiling_face:

JB

Hi @M_k - this script does it:

// set the table
let table = base.getTable("Table 1");
// get the table records
let query = await table.selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of query.records) {
    // check that Multi-select 1 is not empty...
    if (record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")) {
        output.text(`Copying the multi-select values for record ${record.name}`)
        // now update Multi-select 2 with the array of ids in Mulit-select 1
        let msCopy = await table.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Multi-select 2": record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")
        })    
    }
} 

In some ways, it is a bit simpler than the other script as we don’t need to take account of values in the 2nd multi-select (I assume), just copy MS1 to MS2:

If you wanted the script to be additive rather than replacing, then it would be a bit more involved as you would need to form an array of IDs from MS2, then add the IDs from MS1 to it, before saving this array to back MS2.

One thing to be aware of is that the script cannot create new multi-select values in MS2, so if you have a record in MS1 with a value of “Five” and this doesn’t exist as an option in MS2, then you will get an error. Also, nothing to stop the second multi-select being in a different table, just need to set the second table and reference this in the update.

Hope this helps

JB

These are great examples, I’m seeking to use the script block to populate image url’s into image fields. I have an image url field and have been attempting to modify your code to copy / past to the image field, but it needs an array.

“Error: Can’t set cell values: invalid cell value for field ‘Image’.
Cell value has invalid format: must be an array.
Attachment field value must be an array of objects. New attachments must have property ‘url’ and optional ‘filename’. Existing attachments must be passed back unmodified.”

Do you have any ideas as to how to go about using the script block for image updating in this manner?

Thank you.

@JonathanBowen thanks for the multi-select script example. I have a similar challenge, but would like to copy comma separated values from one field to another which is a linked value field (so the unlinked values become linked values). Any ideas?

Hi @M_k - this script does it:

// set the table
let table = base.getTable("Table 1");
// get the table records
let query = await table.selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of query.records) {
    // check that Multi-select 1 is not empty...
    if (record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")) {
        output.text(`Copying the multi-select values for record ${record.name}`)
        // now update Multi-select 2 with the array of ids in Mulit-select 1
        let msCopy = await table.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Multi-select 2": record.getCellValue("Multi-select 1")
        })    
    }
} 

In some ways, it is a bit simpler than the other script as we don’t need to take account of values in the 2nd multi-select (I assume), just copy MS1 to MS2:

If you wanted the script to be additive rather than replacing, then it would be a bit more involved as you would need to form an array of IDs from MS2, then add the IDs from MS1 to it, before saving this array to back MS2.

One thing to be aware of is that the script cannot create new multi-select values in MS2, so if you have a record in MS1 with a value of “Five” and this doesn’t exist as an option in MS2, then you will get an error. Also, nothing to stop the second multi-select being in a different table, just need to set the second table and reference this in the update.

Hope this helps

JB

I have tried the same thing and copy exactly everything, yet I still get this error

P: Can't set cell values: invalid cell value for field 'Multi-select 2'.
Could not find a choice with that ID or name
at main on line 12

Your multi-selects were probably created in a different way so the choices have different ids and/or names.

If you are sure that the target field contains all of the choices in the source field, you can map the original choices to make the array match the write format for a multi-select, using the name but not the id of the choice.

Hey Everone! Similar to @Jens_Schott_Knudsen1 above, I’m wondering if I could get some scripting help. It’s super similar to her request (but not similar enough for me to figure out on my own…).

I’m looking for a script that will take a numerical value from one “Added Quantity” and add it to a numerical value in “Current Quantity” … then clear the “Added Quantity” cell.

Is anyone able to give me a hand with this one? I can’t crack the code and am not much of a script’er :frowning:

Thanks!

• Adam

Hi @Adam_Finley, were you able to find a solution to this? I have a similar issue.

Thanks,
Erica

Hi @Jens_Schott_Knudsen1 - try this script:

// set the table
let notesTbl = base.getTable("Notes");
// get the table records
let notes = await notesTbl.selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of notes.records) {
    // set variables to the record values
    let notes = record.getCellValue("Notes");
    let notesHistory = record.getCellValue("Notes History")
    // set variable for today's date
    let now = new Date().toLocaleDateString("en-GB");
    // define the newNotes variable with starter text (includes the date)
    let newNotes = "======= Copied " + now + " ======= ";
    // only run on records which have notes
    if (notes) {
        output.text(`Copying notes for record ${record.name}`)
        // build the newNotes value from the notes...
        newNotes = newNotes + notes;
        // ...and the notes history 
        newNotes = newNotes + notesHistory;
        // update the notes history value and reset the notes value
        notesTbl.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Notes History": newNotes,
            "Notes": ""
        })        
    }
} 

WARNING:

Quickly put together so please try this out on a copy of your base and check that it works for you before you put it into production!

It takes the text from the “Notes” field and prepends it to the “Notes History” field with a date stamp:

JB

Such a cool example and an excellent script for an Airtable Script App introduction.

Thanks to your post - Airtable scripts are all starting to make sense to me. So much so that I modified your original script to remove a “null” string bug and also amended the output with the copied notes detail.

// set the table
let notesTbl = base.getTable("Notes");
// get the table records
let notes = await base.getTable("Notes").selectRecordsAsync();

// loop through the records
for (let record of notes.records) {
    // set variables to the record values
    let notes = record.getCellValue("Notes");
    let notesHistory = record.getCellValue("Notes History")
    //clear the History cell for first entry - removes "null" string
    if (notesHistory == null)  {
      notesHistory = ""
     }
    // set variable for today's date
    let now = new Date().toLocaleDateString("en-GB");
    // define the newNotes variable with starter text (includes the date)
    let newNotes = "======= Copied " + now + " ======= ";
    // only run on records which have notes
    if (notes) {
        output.text(`Copying notes "${notes}" for record ${record.name}`) //print notes in debug.
        // build the newNotes value from the notes...
        newNotes = newNotes + notes;
        // ...and the notes history 
        newNotes = newNotes + notesHistory;
        // update the notes history value and reset the notes value
        notesTbl.updateRecordAsync(record, {
            "Notes History": newNotes,
            "Notes": ""
        })        
    }
} here

Oh man, I’m going to lose hours… days? to Airtable scripts! So cool!