Trig Functions Formula?

[Bo-Fone]

It’s 2020 halfway through. Are we getting trig functions in formula field? I need to have the ability to instantly calculating values when some fields are populated (no script block manual triggering).

[kuovonne]

ScottWorld:

Telling us where the error is located.

I’m starting to see more error checking in the formula field editor. I now see wavy red underlines sometimes. Sometimes this is a false positive–I’ve typed the correct thing, but it doesn’t recognized it as correct. But it is a step in the correct direction.

The editor now also shows me line breaks.

[Justin_Barrett]

ScottWorld:

Are you doing something differently than I am?

Not sure. I’m using Chrome, but I don’t think that’s it. It might be a difference in your BBEdit preferences. Here’s how mine is set regarding line breaks. Perhaps this is a clue.

[ScottWorld]

Justin_Barrett:

Not sure. I’m using Chrome, but I don’t think that’s it. It might be a difference in your BBEdit preferences. Here’s how mine is set regarding line breaks. Perhaps this is a clue.

Oh wow, you just figured it out, @Justin_Barrett!

It wasn’t a BBEdit setting, it was the web browser! WOW. Thanks, Justin!

Airtable in Chrome keeps all the carriage returns intact, but Airtable in Safari strips all the carriage returns!!

This is huge. Looks like I’ll have to do all of my Airtable development work in Chrome from now on!

p.s. @Kasra and @Jason — it would be awesome if this same carriage return functionality could somehow be brought to Safari. Not sure how technically challenging that would be for you. I would switch to Chrome as my full-time browser, but the default web browser can’t be changed on iOS, and Apple has also done such an amazing job of keeping every single thing about Safari fully in sync amongst all their devices (open tabs, bookmarks, history, autofills, etc.),

[Jeremy_Oglesby]

ScottWorld:

it would be awesome if this same carriage return functionality could somehow be brought to Safari.

I’m pretty sure this is out of Airtable’s hands. This seems like the kind of thing that is being done by the browser when text is copied out of a field, and is possibly done as a security feature for some reason or other.

I mostly use Safari as well, but this functionality isn’t a concern to me for a reason that I might suggest to you…

I keep all of my formulas saved in text files anyways. I have a file for each base with markdown headers for table names and formula field names. I store all of my formulas this way, and only ever edit them in these files, never in Airtable itself. That’s my workflow — maybe not practical for others :man_shrugging:t2: … but at least I avoid all the trouble with Airtable’s formula editor.

[ScottWorld]

Jeremy_Oglesby:

I keep all of my formulas saved in text files anyways. I have a file for each base with markdown headers for table names and formula field names. I store all of my formulas this way, and only ever edit them in these files, never in Airtable itself. That’s my workflow — maybe not practical for others :man_shrugging:t2: … but at least I avoid all the trouble with Airtable’s formula editor.

That’s very cool! What app do you use to create these files? Can you post a screenshot of what one of your files looks like?

[Bill_French]

ScottWorld:

It wasn’t a BBEdit setting, it was the web browser! WOW. Thanks, Justin!

Dude! I said that way up here! Are my posts invisible or something?

Bill.French:

There are actually two copy buffers in all modern browsers; some actually employ three. This is why it’s possible to see two (or more) different outcomes depending on a menu-selected copy vs a keyboard-invoked copy. To truly test any of your outcomes, you must explore the outcomes based on which buffers are used.

[ScottWorld]

Bill.French:

Dude! I said that way up here! Are my posts invisible or something?

Lol! Your post seemed comedic, not sincere, since you were poking fun of me for using Safari! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

If I knew you were being serious, I would’ve tried a different web browser earlier!!

[Bill_French]

ScottWorld:

If I knew you were being serious, I would’ve tried a different web browser earlier!!

Bill.French:

Levity aside, I don’t see any mention in your tests concerning how you actually invoke a copy.

I made it clear that everything from that point down was sincere. Ignore my words at your peril. :winking_face:

Jeremy_Oglesby:

I’m pretty sure this is out of Airtable’s hands.

Yep - always was a non-Airtable issue.

Airtable has no dog in this fight. It’s the browser and all elements of the development climate you happen to choose, including (but not limited to) the process you choose to invoke a copy event in the first place. If you choose something (like Safari) which tends to lean into consumers, you’ll likely have issues if you are fundamentally engaging in development activities - i.e., any sort of significant copying/pasting/transformations.

ScottWorld:

… it would be awesome if this same carriage return functionality could somehow be brought to Safari. Not sure how technically challenging that would be for you

If Airtable seeks to make this possible, it would be like crossing the streams in Ghost Busters; things would get ugly and unpredictable. Furthermore, in my view, it’s not Airtable’s job to bring any behaviour to any modern browser except the full and complete embrace of modern browser standards.

Apple - as it is the case many times - tends to dodge certain standards to the direct benefit of its consumers and selfish support requirements. This is simply another case where it has tiptoed across a line where most browser vendors tend to be rigid about the adoption of standards. There is no shortage of articles about Safari becoming the new IE, a calamitous free-fall into the depths of obscurity.

[kuovonne]

ScottWorld:

What app do you use to create these files?

You were asking Jeremy how he keeps his formulas in text files, but I thought I’d mention my method too.

I also save my more complex formulas in text files and edit them using my code editor (Atom). Each formula is in its own file along with my personal notes about the formula (when to use it, how it works, limitations, etc.). All of these files are stored in a private GitHub repository.

I don’t keep copies of simpler formulas (e.g. formulas that take only a few functions or are only a few lines long).