Might be related to this?: Multicolumn issue, getting unexpected exceptions
From my point of view, there is something working differently now than before DO12.
I remember that you were able to fill in all the multicol columns whenever a multicol function was called in DO11.
I also remember a discussion where I tried to make you understand that there are even sinclecol columns in the column map, when a multicol function is called and that this is unexpected. So there were even more columns in there at that time. And now not even all the multicol columns can be set - only the ones currently in data.columns?
This probably breaks existing scripts and I got the feeling it broke some of mine (ScriptWizard columns certainly do not work as expected anymore, but I'm not clear yet whether this is related to the bug Jon has fixed in the thread given above).
All singcol column values show up and disappear again depending on whether there are multicol columns in use at the same time and whether these multicols show up before or after the singlecol columns in the filedisplay.
I may cite the documentation, there's no hint to missing columns and a required/prior check to see if the ones to be set are in data.columns (as said, this map was always full and complete iirc):
If the ScriptColumn.multicol value is set to True when the column is added, then this property provides a Map that lets you return the values of one or more columns at once.
You may want to use this method if your script returns multiple columns that all share common calculations (e.g. reading the contents of a folder). That way, you can avoid repeating potentially time consuming operations when you're called for the second and subsequent columns.
The Map contains one member element for each of your columns. Each member element has group, sort, type and value properties which are equivalent to the ones described below.
For example, you might set the value of a column called MyColumn like this:
scriptColData.columns("MyColumn").value = "My Column Value";
I did not test what the current situation really is, if data.column really misses some multicol columns sometimes now with DO12. Hard to tell currently with the other issues mixing in.
It would be nice if there would be a clear statement on how this is meant to work (I also remember a recent discussion with Jon where he remembered some things differently and then came to the conclusion that it's rather like I meant it should be).
Confusion all over! Cya! o)