Builder Table Anatomy

A Darty-Ai sheet contains four header rows followed by one or more data rows. Builder adds visual organization and editing controls around that structure, but only the four Darty headers and data records are written to the saved table.

Read Darty Header for the general spreadsheet rules. This page explains how those rules appear inside Builder.

Anatomy at a Glance

The following example contains a two-column Text block followed by a two-column Barcode block. The leftmost Grid row column is explanatory and is not part of the sheet.

In the source table, the tag and method appear only at the beginning of each block. Builder can display their inherited values across the remaining columns so it is easier to see which columns belong together.

Builder-Only Grid Structure

Builder surrounds the saved sheet with controls that help you understand and edit it.

Method Block Headers

A group header spans every property column owned by one method block. It displays the method name and icons and provides controls for selecting, editing, moving, inserting around, or removing the block.

Method blocks remain contiguous. Moving a block moves all of its property columns as one unit; individual property columns cannot be dragged out of their block.

Column Letters

The [A], [B], [C], and later headings correspond to spreadsheet columns. Use these letters with Jump to Cell, column-focused search, and method-block move controls.

Row Number and Action Column

The pinned column on the left displays visible data-row numbers and row actions. It is not written to the saved spreadsheet. The four header rows use the same area for header identification and method-block editing affordances.

The Four Darty Header Rows

Builder pins these four rows above the data records.

Only Tag search and Label are free-text header cells. Method and Property structure is protected so the table remains consistent with the selected method configuration.

Method Blocks

A method block starts where the Tag search or Method header contains a new value. It continues through the following property columns until another Tag search or Method value begins the next block.

Each block contains:

• One method name.
• An optional tag search.
• One or more property columns.
• An optional label for each property.
• One value per property for every data record.

The method and tag cells after the first column are normally empty in the saved sheet. Builder may show inherited values in a muted style so the full width of the block remains understandable.

Blocks can use the same method more than once. For example, one Text block can target a product name and a second Text block can target a price.

See Builder Method Blocks for adding, configuring, inserting, moving, and removing blocks.

Property Columns and Defaults

The third header row defines the property handled by each column.

• fontSize is a property with no default.
• fontSize:12pt is the same property with 12pt as its default.
• format:Code 128 gives a Barcode format column a default value.

When a data cell is empty, Darty can use the default from that property's header. If both the data cell and default are empty, the method receives no value from that column for the record.

Builder can open property-aware default editors. Depending on the property, this can be a text field, true/false/unset choice, color editor, unit value, dropdown, searchable selector, or another method-specific control.

Required property columns cannot be removed. Removing an optional property column also removes its default and every data value stored beneath it.

Labels

The fourth header row is for optional descriptions such as Product name, Font size, or Barcode value.

Labels:

• Help people understand the sheet.
• Do not change method behavior.
• Can be edited directly in Builder.
• Are not automatically generated for newly built method blocks.

An empty label is valid.

Data Rows

Every body row is one Darty data record. The values in that row are read across all method blocks.

In the example above:

• Row 1 writes Alpine Jacket into the Text block and uses an explicit 18pt font size.
• Row 2 writes Trail Backpack and leaves Font Size empty, so the 12pt header default applies.
• Both Barcode records leave Format empty, so the Code 128 default applies.

A valid Darty sheet contains the four header rows and at least one data row. Builder maintains that minimum structure even for a new table.

Body cells can be plain text or use a property-aware editor. Select a row to access insert-above, insert-below, duplicate, delete, and method-row editing controls.

Editable and Protected Cells

Saved Data and Builder-Only Information

The interface-only elements help with editing but do not add extra rows or columns when the table is saved or loaded into Data.

Related Documentation

• Builder Overview
• Builder Method Blocks
• Builder Rows, Cells, and Navigation
• Darty Header
• Darty Methods Reference