Cannot remove selected item from dropdown fields

[gh1]

Hi,

I cannot remove selected items from many of my dropdown fields. I'm using SharePoint list as my data source.

Steps:

1. Edit form

2. Click field with a previously saved value

3. Remove field item by using the "x" so no items are displayed

4. Save form

Expected: the record in SharePoint list no longer contains a value

Actual: the record in SharePoint list still contains a value. 😞

Dropdown fields that I'm using where this is not working: 1) Choice 2) Lookup 3) Person/Group (single item)

Dropdown fields that I'm using that do work:  1) Person/Group (multiple items)

I've seen others with similar issues, some had workarounds, however none are ideal. Is this really a bug? Seems like foundational functionality. If it is a bug, is there a way to view if this has been reported and see the status of a fix?

Thank you!

[joshnystrom]

Thanks @LRVinNC!  I only wish I'd taken the time to read the whole thread yesterday! 

[RandyHayes]

@LRVinNC @joshnystrom

That was going to be my next question - what are the app settings and do any impact this.

So @LRVinNC you seem to be the only one that has an actual app that this works in...and now we know the answer and an answer for @gh1 - turn on Formula-level Error Management!

Great sleuth work!!

[gh1]

@RandyHayes  / @joshnystrom  / @LRVinNC  - Thank you all for your help! 

As you discovered, enabling the "Formula-level error management" Experimental feature was the fix - for all my column types. 

As this is an experimental setting, I really hope PowerApps makes this a core feature in the future. A little unsettling seeing the disclosure that this feature could break or be removed at anytime. I would hate to lose this functionality. But for now, I will take it as a win. 

Thanks again.

[joshnystrom]

@gh1 You're most welcome - happy to help!

Thanks also to @RandyHayes and @LRVinNC for working on this, and doubly to Randy for bringing me in.

I share your concerns about relying on an experimental feature for this capability. That concern motivated me to pindown what can and can't be done without it. Part of my writeup was accepted as solution here - https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Clear-DateField-and-Lookup-Column-value/m-p/2... - and I plan to rework my posts in related threads in the coming days so that each thread has all of the information in a single message for reference.

All that to say, if the functionality were to be lost for any reason, we should expect to be able to fall back to the workaround. It may be more complex, but it isn't bending the platform to accomplish these updates. Fingers crossed!

Cheers!

Josh

[cfebvre]

I know this is an old thread, but it's still the first one that comes up in a google search and I learned something important about the Experimental feature - Formula Error Management.

Turning on this feature will disable any default values coming from your Sharepoint List.

I learned this the hard way when trying to address people's complaints that they couldn't undo a choice by using the 'x' button.

Suddenly, important default values were not being saved into new items created in the app, wreaking a bit of havoc one Monday morning.

Instead, in the OnChange property of your choice field in question, use an If(IsBlank(Patch() formula to update the field immediately to "" . This fixes the problem and does not rely on unstable features.

For reference, the formula I use is OnChange:

If(
    IsBlank(InsertDataCardName.Selected.Value),
    Patch(
        ListName,
        ThisItem,
        {ChoiceFieldName: {Value: ""}}
    )
)

Using this formula on the OnChgane Property means that users can still use the 'x' button and it will behave as expected.

Cheers,

Chris

[Ajay_chowhan]

Hi @joshnystrom  

As this is an upcoming feature it might come into production or not we don't know so Cant we do this in another way without using the experimental feature

Thanks

Ajay

[RandyHayes]

@Ajay_chowhan 

I'd be surprised if it ever changed.  It's been listed as an experimental feature for years now.  And removing it would now destroy thousands of apps that have been created, I would say it is a defacto feature.  Keep in mind that all of the features that you can turn on and off are all in preview, experiment or retired.  The only features that are considered part of PowerApp are the ones shown in the General settings - there are currently 3.

[Ajay_chowhan]

Thanks @RandyHayes 

But my question is that can we do this in another way

[RandyHayes]

@Ajay_chowhan 

It's the only way currently to set a column to blank.