expr column in ColumnsSheet is hidden, or how to config default columns in built-in sheets

[betamint]

The expr column in ColumnsSheet (appeared after press Shift+C) used to be displayed by default, but is hidden on v3.0.2.

When I need to view or edit expressions, I have to do the following tedious procedure each time. I think I must be missing something here.

1. Press Shift+C to open ColumnsSheet;
2. Press Shift+C again to open ColumnsSheet of the ColumnsSheet;
3. Edit the width of expr to unhide it.

How to change expr's default width to unhide it in ColumnsSheet?

Or, is there anything general to edit defaults for built-in sheets like ColumnsSheet?

[saulpw]

Hi @betamint,

If you want it to be exposed by default, you can add this to your .visidatarc:

ColumnsSheet.knownCols.expr.width = 10

This will work for any sheet and column too, not just internal sheets.

I'll take this as a vote to make the expr unhidden by default again, which I'm not opposed to. We hid the expr column on the ColumnsSheet by default because it seemed like it was internal clutter.

[betamint]

It seems to me that an editable expr column is a must if one wants to use expressions. Expressions dropped from a major feature to something I avoid to use when expressions cannot be easily edited.

[saulpw]

Well then how about an edit-expr command that will allow you to edit the expression of the current column?

Sheet.addCommand('', 'edit-expr', 'cursorCol.expr=inputExpr("edit expr: ", value=cursorCol.expr)', 'edit expression for current column')

This is a matter of workflow taste; I use expressions all the time and hardly ever edit them--I just delete/hide the column and create another one, up-arrow to get history. But if you want to edit the expressions, let's make that as easy as possible for you. I mean this is VisiData, you're minutes away from the workflow you want.

[betamint]

That's definitely better.

I mean this is VisiData, you're minutes away from the workflow you want.

This just made my day :)