Deep linking to fields

✋ Feature Requests
1

Hi there,

I would love to have deep linking to fields into DatoCMS.
There was another feature request like this one : https://community.datocms.com/t/deep-linking-to-datocms-content-and-revisions/4355

Being able to target a Model record and its specific field ( including expanded modular content) would be awesome.

My use-case is pretty simple. We have a preview mode where we can highlight components reflecting the DatoCMS Blocks, or fields. We would like to direct link to these blocks in page context within DatoCMS back-office.

This feature would improve a lot authoring experience.
Regarding another feature request I’ve made, this one would match perfectly with it.

Thanks for your understanding.

Best regards.

2

We’ve heard this request a few times, and I hope it will get implemented!

In the meantime, just as a workaround:

We have an undocumented feature that might be able to do what you want… with some caveats.You can use append a URL parameter after the /edit link like #fieldPath=multiple_blocks.0.nested_block_multiple.1.example_field and that will point you to a specific field and highlight it. For example:

image
image1920×1099 86.4 KB

The downsides are that:

  • This is an undocumented, unofficial feature and may change in the future
  • It’s not super easy to figure out the exact fieldPath for a given modular content field/sub-field. It basically goes fieldName.nestedBlockNumberStartingFromZero.fieldName. You can also make a simple DatoCMS plugin and use the ctx.fieldPath prop to retrieve that (Edit: Actually, it’s pretty easy now! See next post about using the inspector).
  • It only works on certain field types (text fields, basically)… it’s a side effect of an enterprise feature (https://www.datocms.com/docs/content-link/how-to-use-content-link#which-graphql-fields-support-content-link) so it’s not really meant to be used on its own like this…
3

Also, if you use the browser inspector to inspect the field label, you can more easily identify the path:

e.g.

The "for" label is the fieldPath
The "for" label is the fieldPath1920×1099 174 KB

<label for="multiple_blocks.0.nested_block_multiple.1.example_field" class="form__label">

Becomes:

Append it to your URL with #fieldPath={path}
Append it to your URL with #fieldPath={path}1920×1099 174 KB

#fieldPath=multiple_blocks.0.nested_block_multiple.1.example_field
4

Thank you @roger , that will do the job !

:slight_smile:

1 Like
5

@roger , reading the documentation, this feature request is something “similar” to Vercel Content Link with a much more custom approach on linking from frontend ?

6

Yes, the in-page anchors and #fieldPath help support that feature, but there’s more that goes into Vercel Content Link than just that (as described in the article).

Nonetheless, it’s a useful, albeit unofficial, way to jump directly to a field even without Content Link.