How to link databases in different spaces?

[Koloman Pfeffer]

I am currently playing around with Confluence databases in beta and for us especially the ability to aggregate data from different databases into one is especially interesting.

To test this, I set everything up, connected the databases and except for some minor hiccups it worked fine. Then I moved the aggregating database to another space, it also showed the same data, but it doesn't update anymore, if I change something in the other, linked, databases.

So apparently this data-link only works if the databases are in the same space, which is not clear from any descriptions or documentation and a big restriction of this feature.

Did anyone find a way to fix this or is this something that will be changed in future updates?

[Kristian Klima]

Hi @Koloman Pfeffer 

How did you connect two Confluence Databases? By exporting DB 1 as a file and importing it into DB 2? I'm genuinely interested.

I have entries from multiple spaces A, B, and C in a DB in space D and those individual entries update just fine.

What I know IS happening with export / import is the following. Your target table should have the exact same setup enabled so that columns are matched and values are interpreted properly.

I tested it with exporting a column of page links and importing it into another DB which did not have the corresponding column defined as page links. If I remember correctly the Confluence links became just regular HTTPs (or text values). Which, I think, is breaking the connection and preventing auto updates.

Don't know if it's your case but perhaps it can give you an idea as to what might be an issue.

(I'm a big fan of Databases, so I'm eager to find out the solution :) )

[Koloman Pfeffer]

Hi Kristian,

thank you for your answer.

So I didn't use the export/import feature, as I assumed, this only inserts static data and doesn't create a link between the two databases.

The way, I linked them was via the "entry link field", which let's me choose a database to link to and then chose the value I want to link from (basically just indicates, which row is chosen to display data from) and then the "entry details field" to chose which value I want to have displayed from the row I previously set in the "entry link field".

I hope this explanation makes sense - I had to tinker a bit with it, as the documentation on this feature is a bit lacking, but it worked perfectly when the databases were in the same space, but not anymore, when I moved the database that just displayed the data from two others.

Because of this, I think this "entry link field" is restricted to databases in the same space, but I hope they change this, because it would make this feature a lot more powerful.

[Kristian Klima]

Thank you, Koloman, I'm gonna give it a try.