<p>The first column is reserved for whatever your element model's <code>__toString()</code> function returns. By default that is the element's title, if your element type has editable titles. Otherwise you will need to override that method and return whatever makes sense.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T12:58:27.113Z
This worked perfectly. Thank you so much!
user192
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T04:04:36.333Z
2014-06-27T04:04:36.333Z
Brandon Kelly
<p>I am creating a simple Element Type to hold form submissions, but I have hit a wall with this one issue I am having. For some reason I cannot get anything to output in the first column of my element type's index view. I have attached a screenshot. It doesn't matter what column comes first it is always blank. If I inspect the contents of the empty cells there is an empty anchor tag that links correctly to the edit/view entry template. I am not sure what I am doing wrong.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Ti8X5.png" alt="screenshot"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-27T06:03:37.187Z
This is a great question. Required reading for anyone working with Element Types.
Lindsey D
<plugin-development><elementtype>
In my element type index view, why is the first column always empty?
# In my element type index view, why is the first column always empty?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-27)

I am creating a simple Element Type to hold form submissions, but I have hit a wall with this one issue I am having. For some reason I cannot get anything to output in the first column of my element type's index view. I have attached a screenshot. It doesn't matter what column comes first it is always blank. If I inspect the contents of the empty cells there is an empty anchor tag that links correctly to the edit/view entry template. I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

![screenshot](https://i.sstatic.net/Ti8X5.png)

**Tags:** plugin-development, elementtype

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is a great question. Required reading for anyone working with Element Types.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-06-27. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The first column is reserved for whatever your element model's `__toString()` function returns. By default that is the element's title, if your element type has editable titles. Otherwise you will need to override that method and return whatever makes sense.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This worked perfectly. Thank you so much!  

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