Generate UUID value

[dexter]

I doesn’t;'t generate uuid all the new record are the same value. and how to only display value not with <function ID …

[dmitry-grist]

There is a detailed example of generating UUIDs here: Link Keys Guide - Grist Help Center.

Two important observations:

1. UUID is a function, and to get a value from it, it needs to be called with empty parentheses after the name, i.e. UUID() (this is similar to how Excel works, e.g. with its RAND() function).

2. Convert the column to a Formula Column to apply the UUID() formula to all rows. Then convert to Data Column to save these values, since they should never be recalculated. Converting is done via the “Actions” dropdown in the formula section of the creator panel:

You’ll see these points if you go through the article; I am just highlighting them as possible points of confusion.

[dexter]

Yes, I’ve done it exactly like Link Keys Guide - Grist Help Center.
also convert to Data column.

But still shown like this Loom | Free Screen & Video Recording Software

[dexter]

Never mind i figured it out thanks

should be UUID()

[dexter]

actually my question is how to grab UUID from another table and then use the SELF_HYPERLINK(LinkKey_UUID=$UUID) feature when on click go to that data directly.

[anais-grist]

You can see an example of this in our Private Tutor Billing Template. In the Families tables there is a hidden column called UUID. That’s being pulled into the SELF_HYPERLINK formula in the Link column.

Now let’s say we want to generate that link in another table, say the Students table. If there’s a reference linking the Students’ records to the Families’ records, this is pretty straight forward. There is, the $Family column is referencing records in Families.

Now I modify the SELF_HYPERLINK formula to SELF_HYPERLINK(LinkKey_UUID=$Family.UUID).

What is $Family.UUID?
This is a reference lookup which follows the format $ReferenceColumnID.FieldToLookupInReferencedTable

In the Students table the $Family column is a reference column pointing to the Families table. In the Families table, UUID is the field we want to look up.

You can see this in action in the modified template here: Modified Private Tutor Billing Template.

[dexter]

[Uploading: Screen Shot 2021-09-29 at 1.17.36 PM.png…](

in that case, the “family is within the same table” we are pulling UUID from the complete different table.
can you check where i did wrong? thanks

[dmitry-grist]

I think your screenshot didn’t get included properly.

actually my question is how to grab UUID from another table and then use the SELF_HYPERLINK(LinkKey_UUID=$UUID) feature when on click go to that data directly.

Generally, if you want to restrict access to a record in table A using a UUID in table B (which is what LinkKeys are used for), then somewhere there must be a reference from A to B, i.e. some way that ties together the UUID and the record it should give access to. If that reference is a column named “Foo”, then the formula would be SELF_HYPERLINK(LinkKey_UUID=$Foo.UUID).

It’s probably not super helpful because we don’t know the structure of your data. You could create a Template Copy of your document, i.e. with a copy of the structure with none of your data – then you could add a little sample data, make it public, and share the link here. This way we can see how the tables are related.