Add 'Table Link Preferences' Option to Column Menu #854
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ghislaineguerin
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Maintainer discussions
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To make sure I understand correctlyA contrived example:
Is that correct? Thoughts
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Context
In solving the design for foreign key constraints, we identified the need for defining table-level preferences. These settings would store the different user's preferences in displaying, retrieving, or using a specific table and its records within Mathesar.
One example of a table preference is 'Search Columns,' which stores the list of columns queried when searching records from that table. This preference applies to all instances where the table is being referenced.
In discussing the details for table preferences, there were some concerns about not letting users select a different set of columns when retrieving records for a particular column in another table. In other words, override the default 'Search Columns' that were set in the referenced table.
Overriding Defaults
While user defaults are best for maintaining a consistent user experience, we want to allow flexibility in situations where we think the user will gain efficiency, meaning we either reduce the number of steps or make a repetitive action easier. Retrieving records is likely going to be a constant task for a user setting up their data tables.
So, if we were to override these defaults, the design would have to introduce a new level of preferences for the columns of a table.
While we already have some column-level properties (e.g., type, name), we don't really differentiate between those and other more specific sets of preferences. In this case, these preferences would only be accessible if the column has a link to another table. So rather than having a general column preferences section, we might have a 'Table Link Preferences' section that contains options like record previews, search columns, and more.
This would eliminate my concern about overriding defaults from multiple places in the app and not having a single location to store, retrieve and modify them. The user would then know where to go if, let's say, they wanted to reset those columns to the default preference set in the reference table.
Proposed Menu Structure
Table Menu
Column Menu
Questions
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