Checking WiFi Connection and disable Submission if Wifi is Down

[zhanpengWang]

Hi All,

I have built an app to collect operation data. However, the Wifi currently do not quite work well, and the Patch Function will be ran despite WIFI being off resulting in the data lost)

i have tried Connection.Connected but it is not working properly. Even with my Wifi Off, it still shows  true 

I have tried to do Errors(Table,Patch(Table....)), but it is not doing anything either

What are the approach for error handling when the Wifi is down? or simply detect Wifi being down and i can notify the person to check Wifi

I am using Web browser for the App

[RandyHayes]

@zhanpengWang 

Connection.Connected is the property you want!  

Is this on a mobile device or a laptop/desktop?  Either way, it should be true or false based on connectivity.

I hope this is helpful for you.

[zhanpengWang]

I have tried Connection.Connected but it is always showing True even if i turn off my Wifi

I am using Laptop and my team prefer to use Laptop

[RandyHayes]

@zhanpengWang 

Are you connected still with a network connection (not WiFi)??

Connection.Connected will be true if there is any connection to the Internet.  For example, on a phone, if you turn WiFi off and still have internet service through the cellular provider, then Connected will be true.

If you turn off the WiFi and cell service, than Connected will be false.

Likewise, on a desktop/laptop,etc.  If you turn WiFi off and still have a network connection via wired connection, then Connected will be true. 

So, in other words, Connection.Connected is not just based on WiFi

[zhanpengWang]

No, I have unplugged everything from the Laptop and Put the Laptop on Airplane mode.

Connection.Connected still shows true.

Or is there a way to check if Patch runtime is too long and generate an error, so i can perform an action base on it?

I have tried Errors(Table1,Patch(Table1....)), but it is not doing anything either

[RandyHayes]

@zhanpengWang 

No, Connection.Connected is the only real indicator you have.  There is no error checking like you would have in a development environment in PowerApps (as it is not development).

The thing is, if you had spotty connection (low wifi) and you tried to time something like a Patch, it might take too long and you would try to do something when it takes to long, but the one thing you would want to do - terminate the patch - you would not be able to do.

So, the real factor is to determine why Connection.Connected is not showing false when you are truly disconnected and in airplane mode.

Something is wrong with that!!   There should be no reason to try and workaround it as it should work.

Have you tried on another device??

[zhanpengWang]

Yes, i have

[RandyHayes]

@zhanpengWang 

After re-evaluating what you posted - the thing is, you are using a web browser!  So if there is no connection, then the app is not really functioning.  The browser does not constantly evaluate the Connection.Connected property.  The only way to really have that update would be to refresh the app...BUT, if you're not connected, then it will not refresh!!

The PowerApps App itself (on a mobile device) is able to constantly check and refresh the Connection.Connected property.  So it is highly reliable in the app.  But for the browser...not so much.

It kind of begs the question though...if there is no internet connection, how could you bring your app up in the first place?

[zhanpengWang]

Currently, the Wifi is not really stable. The Wifi might be on when i am trying to log in, but after sometime, Wifi could be lost due to bad connection (or something weird) when they are trying to submit. Some items or Inputs are reset after the submission button is clicked, so if the patch did not go through due to Wifi lost, the data is lost.

so i'm trying to find a way to notify the user before their submission from the Power App side.

[RandyHayes]

@zhanpengWang 

This is a good excuse for using a Form!!  With the form you can make sure you are not wiping out the data if the update/submit fails.  So the users will not lose anything and not get upset.

So, from the browser perspective though, what you are trying to do cannot be done.  You could never rely on anything.  If you "test" the connection with a quick patch to something, that would be good for that moment, but what if the WiFi goes out immediately after that...then your next one would fail.

You can attempt to use the PowerApps app from the app store (if you can still find it), but it has not been given any attention for a while, so questionable if it would do what you need.  

That app though "should" give you a more reliable Connection.Connected property.

But, the browser itself isn't going to cut it!