Able to switch the underlying field (layout field) in an entrytype within acceptable field-range

[The-Dan-Main]

I set up my crafts with only a minimal field selection with reusabilty in mind, so i dont have to have create five "similar" fields and can just reuse a existing field and rename it within the entry type. But once it is set, i cannot switch the underlying field. I can add a new field , delete the old and rename the new as the old, but loose all data in this process.

I found out, that i can manipulate directly in the database:
Table: fieldlayouts
col: config
there i can change the "fieldUid" to the fieldUid of my desire.

This is like changing the type of an existing field, it shows to which types i can convert without data-loss.

A similar way to change the "layout-field" would be so much easier than a risky DB-manipulation:

So for example, if i have two ckeditor fields with different configs. In an entrytype i use one, but then realise that i need to change to the other config. Now i cannot change the used field, as i don't want to change the config of this field in other places i used it.

[thupsi]

This has been brought up before, see #14566. Hope it lands someday soon.

In the meantime, you can copy the value of the "old" field to the "new" field via Craft's CLI resave commands, without messing with the database.

[thupsi]

And IMO, #17506 would have the positive side-effect of making "swaping" fields a little less long-winded.