Make it Easier to Edit Existing Elements

[Pepy]

Note: This was a request I asked of Martin in a PM not too long ago and he said that it would be great if I were to post this and get some feedback from others in the Forum about this. After having thoroughly examined how useful this feature would be, I decided to finally make a thread for it.

Let's say I want to edit the title or contents of a certain element; the steps I'd go have to go through to achieve this is probably:

• Clicking on the "+" icon
• Selecting the type of element (action or condition)
• Tap and hold on the desired element
• Tap "Edit"

After doing this, if I were to want to save the changes, the list would be closed and the element would be added into the flow... but what if I just wanted to make a small change without including the element into the flow or better yet, if I wanted to edit more than one element? If it were the latter, I would need to go through the exact same steps mentioned in the list above every single time as the list is closed whether you tap on "cancel" or "save".

[Desmanto]

Wow, I never know this exist I never edit previous element, always recreated a new one and then choose reuse if it is the same already. Since I usually use my flowception to create the frequent used elements, so much faster for me to create new element instead. For me, editing any element without seeing the real flow which use that element, increase the risk of changing something somewhere and we lost the track of it. If you really need to edit it this way, may Martin can include the edit Triggers, Condition, Action in the maintenance section. That will allow you to edit without adding new element. SInce it is maintenance list, choosing save or cancel, only close the editing UI, back to the list of the element.

[Pepy]

Wow, I never know this exist I never edit previous element, always recreated a new one and then choose reuse if it is the same already.

You never knew this existed?
Of course this would have to be a thing if existing elements were to be linked together based on their given name.
The way you do it also works, but won't you find having to re-write a similar Script tiring?

Since I usually use my flowception to create the frequent used elements, so much faster for me to create new element instead.

Are you trying to say that you use a flow to manipulate elements inside of other flow(s)?

For me, editing any element without seeing the real flow which use that element, increase the risk of changing something somewhere and we lost the track of it.

I'd say that's the reason why I give a pretty generic name especially to elements like a long Script action so that it makes it easier to maintain throughout multiple flows.

If you really need to edit it this way, may Martin can include the edit Triggers, Condition, Action in the maintenance section. That will allow you to edit without adding new element. SInce it is maintenance list, choosing save or cancel, only close the editing UI, back to the list of the element.

Two problems here:

• Maintenance section only shows you lists of unused elements.
• I usually discover that I want to change something (such as how Expression conditions with simple boolean statements are named), meaning that if I were to use the Maintenance section, I would have to exit out of the flow, open up the side menu to go into the Maintenance section just to go through another series of taps to get back into the flow I was previously working on.

[Desmanto]

You never knew this existed?
Of course this would have to be a thing if existing elements were to be linked together based on their given name.
The way you do it also works, but won't you find having to re-write a similar Script tiring?

Yes, never knew it. I ever thought about giving unique name when the first time I switch to Automagic. But soon, I found out most of my element are unique. Even script are different from each other, I only copy part of it, not to reuse the whole same script. Even if I have to recreate the same input dialog, I just add it again and type it the same variable and choose reuse later. Much easier for me rather than to give name and keep track on what name to search for when I want to reuse that element.

Are you trying to say that you use a flow to manipulate elements inside of other flow(s)?

Yes, The favourite elements feature which I ever requested too. I just use Control UI to help create elements. Many of my flow depends on this, favourite element, List splitter for multiple parallel expression, Trigger tester (will be abandoned after this), HTTP response saver, Widget to set Execute Flows and later I want to create another named element just like what you have done here, but using Control UI to help me instead.

I'd say that's the reason why I give a pretty generic name especially to elements like a long Script action so that it makes it easier to maintain throughout multiple flows.

I don't maintain long script thru multiple flows, I usually make it unique enough for each usage case. Just add some comment or maybe notes outside to identify the element.

Two problems here:

• Maintenance section only shows you lists of unused elements.
• I usually discover that I want to change something (such as how Expression conditions with simple boolean statements are named), meaning that if I were to use the Maintenance section, I would have to exit out of the flow, open up the side menu to go into the Maintenance section just to go through another series of taps to get back into the flow I was previously working on.

- Currently Maintenance only show unused elements, hence we can request it here to add section to show all used elements, not only the unused ones.
- If you only need to edit single element, then just edit as usual using the + sign, then delete the element afterward. Going back to maintenance will be longer.