How do I reference another app?

Queries and Resources
1

Im quite out of my depth here, but kind of managing. But I cannot work out how to do the following. and hours of googling and reading support haven't enlightened me.

App1 is a job list
App 2 is a product database, There is a unique identifier (SKU) and then a description.

When I add a new job in app1, I want to type the SKU into a text input and it to autopopulate the description textbox with the description from the SKU in app 2.

thanks in advance.

2

@theandy
So you want to be able to add a new job in app1 that will include information from app2 (product database)? Correct?
If so, all you would need to do is create a simple text input field and have it query against "product database" (You will need a query in app1 to get the data back and add it to the "new job" form fields accordingly.
Any screenshots?
Based on the above you really don't need two apps but I don't know your current requirements/set up

3

@ScottR
Yes thats it, What I cannot work out is what the query would need to be to reference the table in a different app.

For example I could use the below to reference a selected cell from a table within the same app, but what would I have to use to shows that "table5" is part of another app?
{{table5.selectedRow.data.Name}}

4

You can’t do what you’re asking if I am reading your response right. But you can set localStorage or use query parameters to pass data along when moving from one app to another.

5

@ScottR
I thought that may be the case, but that is probably out of my ability.

Is there no way to setup another page that could have the table from app2 rather than having to have a separate app? As that would be a super simple way. I did try with a modal but its way too small to be of use.

6

Hard to say what you are trying to accomplish by having the table from app2 be separate from app1 if you don't want it to be seen then simply add true to the Hidden field in the table and select Always show in Edit mode this will allow you to see it but not the end user. Any screenshots?

7

Does App2 have a backend database or are you just creating all the information live in ReTool? How is it persisted?

8

Apologies, haven't had any time to spend on this. I can't really screenshot without blanking most of the info.
Both apps are based on a google sheets (same sheet but different tabs)

App 1 is a list of parts to be manufactured in a job list.
App 2 is the database of the parts

So on App1 I want to enter the product code, and then the description and various other info to be populated based on what App2 has listed against that product code. Hiding the table does work, but because we a mobile app its not an option on there (I think, otherwise that would be fine)

9

Hey @theandy! Trying to catch up here, so pardon any out-of-left-field messages I might send :sweat_smile:

We do have these docs on multi-page app setups: https://docs.retool.com/docs/share-data-between-apps

But it seems like your question if more related to being able to write a query/event handler/etc. to control something in another app.

Aside from updating the underlying data source from a query in app1 and then showing that underlying data source in app2, I think using local storage (as Scott mentioned) might be a good option.

It also seems like you're using a desktop and a mobile app, so I think that takes as back to just updating an underlying data source as our best option.