Running automation by pressing button - going round in circles

[unserrer]

Hello

Trying to do something very basic.

I have created an automation where all the steps confirmed as working except the trigger which is a button trigger. My understanding is to connect a button to the trigger I have to select it in the interface.

So I go to the interface, add button but under Choose Automation no automations are showing. Quick Loom here.

Any help much appreciated!

[Arthur_Tutt]

Got it @unserrer - thanks for the video that was very helpful! So I believe in this case the issue is the 'Blank' template, which is not properly connecting to your table/records.

Remember that a trigger for an automation has to be triggered from a specific record, but in List View with all records present, Airtable won't know which record triggered it. See the problem?

A couple thoughts:

Could you try creating a Record Review style layout and then add your button and list as elements? (screenshots). 

 

If that works, great. If not, can you tell me a little more about what your automation is intended to do, and what data it needs to trigger? There might be better ways of setting up the trigger for the automation. 

 

[unserrer]

Let me try and explain what I am trying to do.

I have a whole bunch of records. I want to go through them, select a few (have created a checkbox property so that the automation can work with them) and then output the records I have selected to a CSV.

Ideally list interface would be best so I don't have to go through each record.

[Arthur_Tutt]

hey @unserrer alright I've got something for you. May not be a perfect solution, but will get the job done. As I understand it you've got the export to CSV automation working fine, it's just about having the correct trigger to launch it. Recorded a Loom Video to take you through step by step. Here's my example:

*** Remember to change all my Table / Field / Variables to match yours ***

Base Setup:

Automation Trigger Setup:

Automation Script (to get data of ALL records with export box checked)

var dataTable = base.getTable("Form Data")
var dataQuery = await dataTable.selectRecordsAsync({fields: ["Field A", "Field B", "To Export"]})
var dataRecords = dataQuery.records;
console.log(dataRecords)

var exportDataType = dataRecords[0].getCellValue("To Export")
// console.log(exportDataType)

var exportedData = [];

for (var i = 0; i < dataRecords.length; i++) {
  if (dataRecords[i].getCellValue("To Export") == true ) {
    exportedData.push({
      "Field A": dataRecords[i].getCellValue("Field A"),
      "Field B": dataRecords[i].getCellValue("Field B")
    })
  }
}

console.log(exportedData)

 Automation Output:

 

 

[unserrer]

That's amazing! Thank you so much! I've still got my fundamental question though - my automation seems to work but Airtable isnt letting me assign an automation to the button!

[Arthur_Tutt]

@unserreryeah it's super frustrating, but I think you're trying to do something that Airtable is not designed for (hence why the automation option is grayed out for you).

I gave you a solid workaround, will it get the job done for you for now? 

[unserrer]

Am going to try that tomorrow thank you! Really!

[Arthur_Tutt]

Awesome, let me know how it goes!