Update a child record from the parent

[gvlx]

Following this guide https://docs.budibase.com/guides/create-a-child-record-from-the-parent, it is very easy to create child records.

But to edit them, what do you need?

In this example, I have the child table child related to the parent table main through the field rel_main which has the reverse field in the parent table rev_child:

In the parent's screen (called with the parent's id) with a table of its children table_child (could also be a repeater) bound to the rev_child column.

Add an icon (in this case pencil-fill) with an action Navigate to with the url /child/{{ table_child.child._id}}

{{ table_child.child._id}} is the id of the child record select, as rev_child is the reverse field in the relation, it contains a collection of all its children, with their id and display value, which are individually exposed in each row of table_child.

This way you can call directly the child's edit screen make any changes and save it.

You can use the same approach of using the model screens as in the guide above, to avoid refreshing the screen too much.

[gvlx]

Problem

If not using the modal approach, the child's edit screen Save button should have an action Navigate to with the url //main/with_child/{{ Repeater.child.rel_main }}.

But this won't work as that field contains the display_name of the parent, not its id not even an object id+display name like in the reverse field above.

There is an easy solution, but it requires some 'extra magical steps'... 🪄

Solution
Basically, we need to create a new column on the child, formula, which captures the parent's id:

The result:

This value is now available in the child's edit screen and can be used to navigate to the parent's record:

[gvlx]

Where are the 'extra magical steps'? 🪄

Well, you see, in the Handlebars Formula help screen of the formula column, there is never any indication of such _id field:

But, in same cases, it is shown (here is helper in the parent's screen):

SO, I USED IT! 🤣 🪄

[mjashanks]

Nice write-up - thanks!

Another way you could achieve this, is by passing the Parent's _id into the edit screen, via the URL. So, you would change the edit screen to be:

/child/:parent_id/:child_id

Now, inside the Child screen, you have access to the parent _id via {{ URL.parent_id }}

[gvlx]

Nice, I didn't knew that one. :)