Data Sources

A View reads its rows from one data source, chosen in Data source under View settings. Every source works with every layout type, and the server runs search, filters, sorting, paging and export for all of them, so the browser never holds more than it shows.

Choosing a source

The Data source field groups its choices:

A new View reads the Posts post type.

Post type

Post type is the default and the only source SleekView can write to. Inline table editing, moving Kanban cards, adding, editing and deleting cards and feedback items, upvotes and comments all change real posts, each checked against the user’s WordPress permissions for that post. Choose the post type in Post type.

Every other source is read-only

The other sources render the same layouts without write actions, and the inspector hides the settings that would need them: inline editing; Kanban sorting, add buttons, edit buttons, upvotes, the uncategorized column and comments; Feedback upvotes, edit button, sort options, submission and comments.

Custom table

Custom table queries a table of the WordPress database directly. Pick it in the Custom table field, which lists every table in the database, then map its columns in Field Mapping. The users and user meta tables are listed but never queried; a View of either shows no rows.

Remote sources

Custom REST URL

REST URL template holds an endpoint that should do the searching, sorting and paging itself. SleekView fetches it on each query and first replaces these tags with the layout’s current state:

https://example.com/wp-json/custom/v1/items?page={pageNumber}&per_page={perPage}&search={search}&orderby={orderBy}&order={order}

SleekView requests only URLs WordPress considers safe for a server-side request, which excludes private and local network addresses other than the site’s own host. A URL may name a port only when it is 80, 443 or 8080, or the site’s own port on the site’s own host, and every redirect passes the same check. The response is JSON, comments allowed, in one of the shapes below. When it also carries any of totalPosts, totalPages, postsPerPage or currentPage, SleekView treats the rows as already searched, sorted and paged by the endpoint and uses those numbers for the pagination:

{
  "items": [{ "id": 21, "title": "Fix checkout copy", "status": "Review" }],
  "totalPosts": 87,
  "totalPages": 5,
  "postsPerPage": 20,
  "currentPage": 2
}

Without them SleekView searches, sorts and pages the rows it received. The layout’s filters are applied to the returned rows either way.

HTTP CSV, HTTP JSON and HTTP JSONC

These fetch a file from a URL (CSV URL, JSON URL or JSONC URL) on each query, with the same URL check, and parse it on the server. A request waits up to 15 seconds and follows up to three redirects; a preset can change both. A failed request or a status outside 200-299 shows no rows.

Filesystem sources

Path CSV, Path JSON, Path JSONC and Path SQLite read a file on the server. The path is relative to the WordPress root, such as /wp-content/uploads/imports/data.csv. SleekView reads only files inside the WordPress root with the extension csv, json, jsonc, txt, tsv, sqlite, sqlite3 or db.

Path SQLite

Path SQLite queries a SQLite database with PHP’s PDO and its pdo_sqlite driver, which the server must have. SQLite table names the table to read; when the file holds exactly one table you can leave it empty. Search, filters, sorting and paging run as SQL against that table.

Media library sources

Media CSV, Media JSON and Media JSONC read a file from the media library, chosen in the file field. The View stores the attachment’s ID and reads its file on each query. Use them when editors should manage the file themselves.

File formats

CSV

The first row holds the column headers and each later row becomes one row of the View. The delimiter is detected from the header row: comma, semicolon, tab or pipe.

id,title,status,owner
1,Redesign homepage,Backlog,Anna
2,Write launch post,In Progress,Ben

JSON and JSONC

A JSON source is either an array of row objects, or an object that holds the rows under rows, data, posts or items, checked in that order. JSONC is JSON that may also contain comments and trailing commas, which SleekView removes before decoding, so it suits files people edit by hand.

{
  // Roadmap items maintained by the product team
  "items": [
    { "id": 1, "title": "Redesign homepage", "status": "Backlog", },
  ],
}

Field mapping

Sources other than a post type have a Field mapping section, which tells the layouts which source column plays each role:

A layout still shows the raw columns without a mapping, but cards and feedback items need a title to read well.

Column labels

Column labels renames columns for display without changing the source. Each column shows its machine name and a Display name field; clear the field to go back to the source’s own label. The names apply to table headers, column choices, sorting, filters and export in every layout of the View, and a different View of the same source can use different names. Post type sources have it too.

Presets

A preset is a ready-made data source: choosing it in the Data source field fills in the View’s data source in one step. Like any change of source, it clears the layouts’ column settings, as View Settings describes; nothing else in the View changes. A preset that fixes the field mapping or the column labels hides that section from the editor.

Built-in WooCommerce presets

While WooCommerce is active, Integrations offers three Custom Table presets, each only when its table exists:

• WooCommerce: Order Stats, the wc_order_stats table
• WooCommerce: Product Lookup, the wc_product_meta_lookup table
• WooCommerce: Customer Lookup, the wc_customer_lookup table

Each comes with column labels, and Order Stats and Customer Lookup with a field mapping.

Registering a preset

Site code registers presets with the sleekView/dataSourcePresets filter; its reference lists the fields a preset takes. dataSource is stored with the View like a data source configured by hand. fetch stays on the server: it carries request headers, a timeout and a redirect limit for a remote source, and never reaches the browser, which makes it the place for credentials.

add_filter('sleekView/dataSourcePresets', function ($presets) {
    $presets[] = [
        'key' => 'product-api',
        'group' => 'custom',
        'label' => 'Product API',
        'type' => 'customRest',
        'dataSource' => [
            'url' => 'https://example.com/api/products?page={pageNumber}&per_page={perPage}&search={search}',
            'fieldMapping' => [
                'id' => 'id',
                'title' => 'title',
                'content' => 'description',
                'date' => 'createdAt',
            ],
        ],
        'fetch' => [
            'headers' => ['Authorization' => 'Bearer secret-token'],
            'timeout' => 20,
        ],
    ];

    return $presets;
});

type is one of customTable, customRest, httpCsv, httpJson, httpJsonc, mediaCsv, mediaJson, mediaJsonc, pathCsv, pathJson, pathJsonc or pathSqlite; a post type cannot be a preset. A Custom Table preset names its table in dataSource.tableName:

add_filter('sleekView/dataSourcePresets', function ($presets) {
    global $wpdb;

    $presets[] = [
        'key' => 'support-tickets',
        'label' => 'Support Tickets',
        'type' => 'customTable',
        'dataSource' => [
            'tableName' => $wpdb->prefix . 'support_tickets',
            'columnLabels' => [
                'ticket_id' => 'Ticket ID',
                'created_at' => 'Created',
            ],
        ],
    ];

    return $presets;
});