Formatted as Text: Convert to Data Type Operator

boston85719 · 2024-12-14T11:54:31.971Z

When working with the formatted as text operator it is useful for creating ‘inline conditionals’, however, it falls short as the result is always text. It would make the operator a million times more powerful, if there was another operator available of :convert to data type, so that we can convert the text (which would have to be a unique ID of the data type) to a data type entry of our choosing.

This will help reduce the strain on Bubble system by allowing us as developers to remove make changes to thing actions that exist only to be able to set a related fields data type in the event it is necessary, which can be understood via a ‘inline conditional’

For example: I have a data field that is related to another data type. I only want to set that field value if it is already empty, and if it is not empty I do not want to change the field value. If this idea is implemented I could do something like if I have a data type of Order with a related field of Invoice

Invoice Field is not empty:formatted as text - Yes = Invoice Field unique ID; No = Result of previous step (ie: step where thing is created) unique ID:converted to data type Invoice

This will save strain on Bubble system, and thus reduce our WU costs by making it possible to avoid having to run extra make changes to thing actions based on conditions of whether or not the related field value is empty.

Please upvote HERE

As an illustration imagine if the red expression had the :convert to data type operator after

Screen Shot 2024-12-14 at 6.55.45 PM344×328 13.7 KB

It means I would not need to have this extra make changes to thing action which would save me 1.1+ WUs.

Screen Shot 2024-12-14 at 6.57.24 PM343×331 19.5 KB

There are times that I need to ‘make changes to previous step thing’ with conditionals for related fields like 3 or 4 times in a single workflow series…

@josh @nick.carroll Could we please get some features that will allow us to build optimally by reducing the stress on Bubble system and in turn reduce our WU costs?

petter · 2024-12-14T14:13:04.371Z

Been wanting something like this for a long time, upvoted

hi.luisacosta · 2024-12-14T14:23:55.083Z

Huge help

johnny · 2024-12-15T02:56:23.653Z

Would love to see this too!