Direct Links Don't Work When Capsule is set to "Hide Screen List"?

wdeer · 2025-01-28T23:01:44+00:00

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Our platform team made the decision to turn on "Hide Screen List" for some of our more common capsules, specifically to avoid inundating our users with reports that they don't need to be bothered with, amongst other things.

However, whenever I try to send the direct link for a report to a user, it launches the home page of that capsule (when the capsule properties is set to "hide screen list"). Is this intended? If so, I would like to know the reason why as it doesn't make much sense to me and further restricts our ability to quickly navigate to a screens.

Is there an idea posted on the exchange or should I create one?

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Accepted answers

Helmut Heimann

Hi @wdeer ,

that behaviour is intentional. You can find the according information in our manual

The screenlist is nothing but a list of links. So, disabling it automatically disables the direct call of a link.

Best,
Helmut

Kevin Kowalski

Hi @wdeer,

As @Helmut Heimann mentioned this option is intentional. The best practice about the direct URL link is to provide another capsule without the "hide screen list" activated.

I do have a workaround that I have implemented for a customer requesting a direct link to a specific screen but it's requesting lot of development and maintenance. (and few conditions must be respected).

My case : URL link on an icon in Salesforce to let the user to reach a specific input screen.
Workaround :

Create a new capsule without "hide screen list" activated
Create a empty screen : "Redirect
Create a "Capsule Procedure" with a "Go to screen" step to the original capsule and the screen needed.
Add this procedure as "on open trigger" to the empty screen
Share and use the direct link of the "empty screen"
Repeat this in the same capsule if you have multiple direct link to provide.

Note : This custom link only work if the targeted screen is reach with a "go to screen" in the original capsule. Same with custom security and/or custom selection.

I confirm that this workaround should not be used as primary solution.

Kind Regards

Kevin

Helmut Heimann

@wdeer - this "all or nothing" is the crux of the matter.
Can't wait to see a positive update on that idea too ;-)

All comments

Helmut Heimann

Hi @wdeer ,

that behaviour is intentional. You can find the according information in our manual

The screenlist is nothing but a list of links. So, disabling it automatically disables the direct call of a link.

Best,
Helmut

Kevin Kowalski

Hi @wdeer,

As @Helmut Heimann mentioned this option is intentional. The best practice about the direct URL link is to provide another capsule without the "hide screen list" activated.

I do have a workaround that I have implemented for a customer requesting a direct link to a specific screen but it's requesting lot of development and maintenance. (and few conditions must be respected).

My case : URL link on an icon in Salesforce to let the user to reach a specific input screen.
Workaround :

Create a new capsule without "hide screen list" activated
Create a empty screen : "Redirect
Create a "Capsule Procedure" with a "Go to screen" step to the original capsule and the screen needed.
Add this procedure as "on open trigger" to the empty screen
Share and use the direct link of the "empty screen"
Repeat this in the same capsule if you have multiple direct link to provide.

Note : This custom link only work if the targeted screen is reach with a "go to screen" in the original capsule. Same with custom security and/or custom selection.

I confirm that this workaround should not be used as primary solution.

Kind Regards

Kevin

wdeer

Thank you @Helmut Heimann and @Kevin Kowalski . This answer my question. You've gotten quite creative with the workaround and I can see how that can work, but our use case isn't that important.

This does prompt another question - We did this because we are developing reports in "production" capsules, just in a "development" folder. We hide the screen list so users won't go into development folders and view half baked or confidential reports.

We thought of creating a Dev capsule then moving screens to the production capsule once ready; However, we ran into issues since all the capsule procedures would need to be recreated in production and it just didn't feel right. How are y'all developing reports and masking them from end users until they are ready?

Helmut Heimann

Hi @wdeer ,

I'd try to avoid developing in a productive environment to the utmost extent.

If you need productive data to check that your reports are working correctly, copy the database to the dev system—it'll be at least "near-productive".

Best,
Helmut

wdeer

@Helmut Heimann We have 3 environments and only develop in non-prod; However, since capsule transports are all or nothing, even reports we develop in non-prod will eventually be pushed to production if some other change needs to be promoted - This is a byproduct of having fairly large capsules.

I know there is already an idea posted about incremental capsule transports because I have upvoted.

Helmut Heimann

@wdeer - this "all or nothing" is the crux of the matter.
Can't wait to see a positive update on that idea too ;-)