UX Patterns: multi-select Common Data Service

[tofsweden]

Link to blog - @vasavib

Here you can read a superb article on multiselecting.

However, I don't work with sharepoint. I use Common Data Service and I haven't been able to make this work. Please read carefully and confirm whether I am wrong or right.

1. In the blog she made 4 entities, do I HAVE to use 4 entites to make multiselecting work?

2. Is multi-selecting possible with only 2 entities?

I need help with my case:

In my example I have entity1 with column PackageName which is text-type and consist of O365 licenses. In entity2 I have employee's forename, lastname, email and licenses (of which is multitext type).

I'am able to edit my employees forename, lastname, email however I want to implement multiple checkboxes with different O365 licenses.

I follow the guide step by step until step 5 and here is where the code doesn't work.

Step 5: Updating the ProfileSkillSets list

Select the EditForm1, and on the OnSuccess event, write the following code.

RemoveIf(ProfileSkillSets,ProfileID=EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID);

ForAll(Filter(Gallery1.AllItems,Checkbox1.Value = true), Patch( ProfileSkillSets, Defaults(ProfileSkillSets) ,{ ProfileID:EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID, SkillsetID:ID, Skillset:Title }))

Navigate(BrowseScreen1,Fade)

The problem for me, is that when writing 

ForAll(Filter(Gallery1.AllItems,Checkbox1.Value = true), Patch( ProfileSkillSets, Defaults(ProfileSkillSets) ,{ ProfileID:EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID, SkillsetID:ID, Skillset:Title }))

the dropdown with options for attributes is coming from entity1 and not entity2, even if EditForm1 is set with entity2 as source.

Thanks in advance for all help

Spoiler

Added screenshot of how it look like, before starting to code in step 5.

[tofsweden]

Up! Surely this feature is sought on other sources than SharePoint? Let me know if I am being unclear or there's something you need to know more of.

I would love to be able do this on Common Data Services! Let's do this folk.

[mr-dang]

---

@tofsweden wrote:

The problem for me, is that when writing 

ForAll(Filter(Gallery1.AllItems,Checkbox1.Value = true), 
    Patch(ProfileSkillSets,Defaults(ProfileSkillSets),
        {ProfileID: EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID, 
            SkillsetID: ID, 
            Skillset: Title 
        }
    )
)

the dropdown with options for attributes is coming from entity1 and not entity2, even if EditForm1 is set with entity2 as source. 

---

Hi,

I think I understand your situation. You only need as many entities as you want to write data. In the blog's example, each entity had different stored data. One entity was for the basics--the main data from the form. Another entity was for saving the skill sets.

It's not mentioned in the article, but somewhere on the screen should be a button that has a formula like:

SubmitForm(Form1)

This formula will save the main data that's linked to the form. In this case, it would be entity2.

If submitting the form is successful, that's when it would trigger the Remove, ForAll, and Navigate function. The ForAll is like another SubmitForm, but it specifically spells out what to write back. In your case, this is where you can save things to the entity that includes licenses associated with which user (entity1).

If you included dropdown menus where there were not previously in the Form and you want to write their values back to the datasource, then you will need to edit the Update property of the individual card in the Form so that it saves the information selected in the dropdown instead of what it normally would.

[tofsweden]

@mr-dang

Nice answer, do you think you have time to document a simply example with Common Data Service for future users (PowerApps growing fast eh?)

The other problem I faced with blog is that she used almost same identity for atributes from different entities. That made me confused while trying to compare and translate what i.e. SkillSet.ID would be in my case.

[tofsweden]

Still struggling with when writing code, powerapps suggest fields from wrong entity (even if editform is set with correct enity for DataSource). Anyone able to confirm facing same issue when using Common Data Service?

[tofsweden]

Pushing up, won't give up before someone else can confirm the issue with Common Data Service so I know whether I am doing wrong or it's an actual issue that needs to be lifted to Microsoft dev team.

It's simply for you, create two mockup entities in Common Data Service. First create, Entity1 with car attributes (columns) as door, engine, type, fuel-type then create Entity2 with attribute car brand.

Then follow the steps in the blog guide.

Please reply if you have tried!

[vasavib]

I see that in your scenario, you have got two entities. 

1. All different Office 365 licenses available.

- Assuming you have an ID column here called LicenseID.

2. User information with Name, email & Licenses.

- ID here would be UserID.

Are you planning to store the Licenses using a comma separated delimiter for each User? If not you will have to create another table called UserLicenses, with ID for this table as UserLicenseID. You will have to add 2 relationships one each for User table and one for License Table. In this table, you can store multiple licenses attached to each user. 

In your app, Using Step 5 from the blog, you can now write the licenses selected,  into to UserLicenses table. 

Step 5: Updating the ProfileSkillSets list

Select the EditForm1, and on the OnSuccess event, write the following code.

RemoveIf(ProfileSkillSets,ProfileID=EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID);

ForAll(Filter(Gallery1.AllItems,Checkbox1.Value = true), Patch( ProfileSkillSets, Defaults(ProfileSkillSets) ,{ ProfileID:EditForm1.LastSubmit.ID, SkillsetID:ID, Skillset:Title }))

Navigate(BrowseScreen1,Fade) 

[vasavib]

I've built an app for your scenario, and I agree that the behavior on CDS is a bit different from SharePoint. I'll try to create a new blog for CDS multi-select as well. But I'm quickly sharing the schema and the app I've built. 

Here is the changes you have to make on your OnSuccess event as per Step 5. Assuming you have built your app using the previous steps. 

RemoveIf('O365 User Licenses', UserID.PrimaryId = EditForm1.LastSubmit.PrimaryId); ForAll(Filter(UserLicenseGallery.AllItems,Checkbox1.Value = true),Patch('O365 User Licenses',Defaults('O365 User Licenses'),{UserID:EditForm1.LastSubmit,LicenseID:LookUp('O365 Licenses',PrimaryId=PrimaryIDText.Text)}));Back()

I've added a text field(PrimaryIDText) on the UserLicenseGallery, to hold the LicenseId of the Licenses table. This is used in getting the LicenseID for each selected license on the Gallaery. This is a bit complicated process currently, I agree. 

Here is link where you can download the msapp file. 

On the app, I'm using O365 users connector to search for and add a user. 

Let me know if you need help in understanding the app

[tofsweden]

@vasavib

Thanks for replying, your second post somehow disappeared from this thread. However luckily my email services caught your last reply and I could read it from outlook. As per your first post isn't workable.

Remember that my language settings put commas ',' as ';' & ';' as ';;' so my code i slighly different from yours.

I did two tries with two backend that should function the same:

Common DS

To be updated, currently working on it

I tried to import to new entities on CDS however it didn't work that the work got stalled.

I will instead try on the hard way.

ONEDRIVE

I took your excels and put them on OneDrive as backend, then set it up on PowerApps as according.

Triumvirate of the AxTables. Instead of same table names 'AxTable' on all excel files I did following:

1. renamed table name on O365Licenses from 'AxTable' to 'Licenses'

2. renamed table name on O365UserLicenses from 'AxTable' to 'UserLicenses'

3. O365User retains 'AxTable'

4. I did NOT create fourth screen as you did in your multi-check CDS app.

There at step 5, I face the same problem as before, I will add picture of the code.

RemoveIf(UserLicenses;USERID_PRIMARYID=EditForm1.LastSubmit.PRIMARYID);;ForAll(Filter(Gallery1.AllItems;Checkbox1.Value = true);Patch(UserLicenses;Defaults(UserLicenses);{UserID:EditForm1.LastSubmit;LicenseID:LookUp(Licenses;PRIMARYID=PRIMARYIDText.Text)}));

Exclamation mark says:

1. Patch has some invalid argument

2. The column LicenseID doesn't exist

3. PrimaryIDText.Text is not valid (by the way, where does this come from?)

This is indeed very complex!

[vasavib]

You will have to create Entities on CDS using the Excel templates shared. The backend I have used is CDS and the app will not work the same when you change the backend to Excel on OneDrive. 

As a first step, please import the template into CDS to create same entities.