Referenced fields on custom dashboard collections do not work properly

[jamespsterling]

I have a custom dashboard collection using reference fields. When I use the reference fields in the standard model, they work as expected. When I use them in the custom dashboard collection, they do not work at all, except when I define their type as reference_many. In this case, they work sporadically. (ex see: submissionMonth and carrierId fields)

Standard data model:

    // submissions
    submissions.listView()
    .title('Submissions')
    .fields([
        nga.field('id').label('Id'),
        nga.field('status').label('Status'),
        nga.field('dateSubmitted', 'datetime')
            .format('yyyy-MM-dd')
            .isDetailLink(true),
        nga.field('dateAccepted', 'datetime')
            .format('MM dd, yyyy'),
        nga.field('submissionMonth', 'reference')
            .label('Submission Month')
            .targetEntity(months)
            .targetField(nga.field('month')),
        nga.field('submissionYear'),
        nga.field('carrierId', 'reference')
            .label('Carrier')
            .targetEntity(carrier)
            .targetField(nga.field('name'))
    ]);

Custom collections model:

    admin.dashboard(nga.dashboard()
        .addCollection(nga.collection(submissions)
            .name('accepted_submissions')
            .title('Accepted Submissions')
            .fields([
                nga.field('status', 'choice')
                    .choices(statusChoices)
                    .cssClasses(function(entry) {
                        if (!entry) return;
                        if (entry.values.status == 'accepted') {
                            return 'text-center bg-success';
                        }
                        if (entry.values.status == 'rejected') {
                            return 'text-center bg-danger';
                        }
                        return 'text-center bg-warning';
                    }),     
                nga.field('dateSubmitted', 'datetime').format('medium').label('Submitted').isDetailLink(true),
                nga.field('dateAccepted', 'datetime').label('Accepted').format('MMM d'),
                nga.field('submissionMonth', 'reference')
                    .label('Month')
                    .targetEntity(months)
                    .targetField(nga.field('month')),
                nga.field('submissionYear').label('Year'),
                nga.field('carrierId', 'reference')
                    .label('Carrier')
                    .isDetailLink(false)
                    .targetEntity(carrier)
                    .targetField(nga.field('name')),
            ])
            .listActions([
                '<ma-edit-button entry="::entry" entity="::entity" size="xs" label=""></ma-edit-button>',
                '<approve-submission size="xs" review="entry"></approve-submission>'
            ])
            .sortField('submissionYear')
            .sortField('submissionMonth')
            .sortDir('DESC')
            .order(2)
            .perPage(10)
            .permanentFilters({status: 'accepted'})
        )
        .template(customDashboardTemplate)
    );

[fzaninotto]

Let me reduce the description to your problem. You say that the following configuration works in the listView:

// submissions
submissions.listView()
.fields([
    nga.field('carrierId', 'reference')
        .label('Carrier')
        .targetEntity(carrier)
        .targetField(nga.field('name'))
]);

While the following doesn't work in the dashboard:

admin.dashboard(nga.dashboard()
    .addCollection(nga.collection(submissions)
        .fields([
            nga.field('carrierId', 'reference')
                .label('Carrier')
                .isDetailLink(false)
                .targetEntity(carrier)
                .targetField(nga.field('name')),
        ])
    )
);

Right? Are you using the HEAD of the master branch, or a tagged version?

[jamespsterling]

Correct. Using HEAD on master.

[jamespsterling]

If it helps any, this is the error I get when trying to use reference columns on custom dashboard layout,

TypeError: Cannot read property 'getFirstEntry' of undefined
    at link.pre (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:14:26710)
    at http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:23:3694
    at ae (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:23:3751)
    at w (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:22:29682)
    at s (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:22:25689)
    at http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:22:25185
    at link (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:14:22773)
    at http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:23:3694
    at ae (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:23:3751)
    at w (http://fitise.corp.york-claims.com/scripts/vendor/ng-admin.min.js:22:29868) <ma-reference-column field="::field" value="::value" datastore="::datastore">

[josephwmorse]

I am having the same problem as well. When I use a reference field in a list or show view, it works fine. But if I use it in a collection, it rarely works (never in a custom dashboard, and only sometimes in the out-of-the-box dashboard). The error I get is e.datastore does not exist (using the minified version of 0.9.1)

[josephwmorse]

My issue was fixed by adding a datastore="dashboardController.datastore" attribute on my ma-dashboard-panel tags in my custom template HTML. That attribute is missing from one of the columns in the default dashboard; also the dashboard configuration documentation does not mention that it needs to be included.

[jamespsterling]

Confirmed, solved my issue as well. Thanks @josephwmorse