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[glynor]

When you make a Calculated Field with an expression, you can make it show up in Media Center with a different edit type, like Rating Stars or a Checkbox.  That's great, but the dialog is clumsy.  I explain how this works here in the Data Types and Calculated Fields in the Manage Library Fields Dialog section of this post:

Also, a note about the way the Data Type setup works in MC.  The default settings are User Data with the following settings:
Data Type: String
Relational: Not relational
Edit Type: Standard

When you switch to Calculated Data type instead of User Data, the User Data section greys out.  This probably shouldn't actually happen because the settings in User Data do still apply to the calculated field.

It works nicely (you can make checkbox columns for calculated fields), but the dialog fights you and it is terribly confusing. Edit Type, at least, should not gray out because it isn't actually disabled.  It still works, which is good, but it is obnoxious to get it set.

I suggest the Manage Library Fields dialog be re-jiggered a little bit, and it'll fix this and make it less confusing. It shouldn't be a big change.

Now:
* When you select the Field Type (User data or Calculated data) it grays out Edit Type, Relational, Acceptable Values, and Data Type.

Instead:
* Edit Type (and any of the other "grayable" settings in there that have an impact on the way Calculated Fields behave) is promoted "outside" of the User/Calculated Radio buttons, but still in that same section (either above or below the set of Radio Buttons and their associated controls).

You may also want to rename that section of the dialog. They're currently Name, Data, and Search.  "Data" is confusing because of the Data Type selection box within that section. I'd call the section Field Type, since that's what the User/Calculated radio buttons are.

Can I get some +1 action?

[mark_h]

+1

[ferday]

+1

[apostos]

Clarity is good... +1

[Bccc1]

+1

[Arindelle]

I think thats why I have been first saving list fields as data fields then once they are saved, I modify them to a calculated field.

so +1

[glynor]

Bumpity!

[Matt]

Next build:
Changed: The 'Edit Type' is settable for a calculated field.

[ferday]

so cool Matt

it worked fine before but this should be way cleaner!

[glynor]

Wow. Shoulda asked for Intercom. Nathan would have owed me big time.

[Matt]

Wow. Shoulda asked for Intercom. Nathan would have owed me big time.

Right, but then you'd be in the same loony bin as Nathan.  You don't want to be there

[JimH]

It's a small room, with no windows, and a bare light bulb.  You sleep sitting up, in an old office chair.  They play Adele all night.

And Nathan snores.