glide.ui.reference.readonly.clickthrough

[G24]

Regarding the sys_property "glide.ui.reference.readonly.clickthrough", I understand that if it is set to false then whenever a reference field is in a READ ONLY state, the Preview (I) button will be hidden, thus preventing the user from Previewing the referenced record, and preventing the user from easily Navigating to the reference record.

My question is this:  Why the heck would I want to do that to my users?!

Why would I want to make it hard for my users to get information or to get to referenced tables?  I just don't get it.  Can someone please give me an example use case of why I might want this setting set to false? 

Or, can someone tell me what problems I might run into if this value is set to true?

Thanks!

[Sai Shravan · Accepted solution]

Hi @G24 ,

The sys_property "glide.ui.reference.readonly.clickthrough" controls the behavior of reference fields when they are in a read-only state. By default, when a reference field is read-only, users can click on the Preview (eye) button to view the referenced record and navigate to the reference table easily. However, when this property is set to false, it hides the Preview button in read-only reference fields, making it difficult for users to access the referenced information or navigate to the reference table.

While it may seem counterintuitive to make it harder for users to access information or navigate to referenced tables, there could be some use cases where restricting these actions might be desired. Here are a few examples:

1. Security or compliance: In certain situations, there might be restrictions on accessing or viewing certain types of data. By disabling the click-through functionality, you can ensure that users with read-only access cannot inadvertently access or view sensitive information.

2. User experience customization: Some organizations may have specific user experience requirements or workflows where they prefer to limit the options available to users in read-only fields. By hiding the Preview button, they can create a more streamlined and focused user interface.

3. Performance optimization: In cases where reference fields are used extensively in large tables or forms, enabling click-through functionality might result in additional database queries or performance overhead. By disabling it, you can potentially improve the performance of the system by reducing unnecessary queries.

It's important to carefully consider the implications before changing this property to true. If the value is set to true, the Preview button will be available even in read-only reference fields. This can allow users to access and navigate to referenced records, which may have consequences depending on your specific business requirements and security concerns. Some potential problems you might encounter by setting the value to true include:

1.Data exposure: Users with read-only access could potentially access sensitive information or view records they are not authorized to see.

2.Inconsistent user experience: If the Preview button is available in some read-only reference fields and not others, it can lead to confusion and inconsistency in the user interface.

3.Performance impact: Enabling click-through functionality in all read-only reference fields may result in increased database queries and potential performance issues, especially if the system deals with large amounts of data.

In summary, the decision to enable or disable the click-through functionality for read-only reference fields depends on your specific use case, security requirements, and user experience considerations. It's recommended to carefully assess the implications and consult with stakeholders before making any changes to this property.

[G24]

@Sai Shravan Thank you for that detailed response.  Curious what your sources are.