Combobox NoSelection Text in Form View Mode?

[Anonymous]

How do I get the NoSelection Text (or an alternative) to show for a combobox in form view mode?

In this scenario, I have different SharePoint Lookup columns with multiple selections possible that feed the form. For entries where the data is empty (none are selected), I just want to show the word "none". The NoSelection text doesn't show in view mode, and while I tried a couple of varients of If(IsEmpty, and If(IsBlank, nothing pops up. 

[Anonymous]

This is where I get a bit lost, on the collection being successfully referenced and formatted correctly in the form. When I make the collection, the records I anticipate don't show up, so I probably have something there done incorrectly. What I have right now for App OnStart is: 

Collect(colRequiredRef, Courses.Course_RequiredRef, Courses.Course_RequiredRef_Author, Courses.Course_RequiredRef_Publisher)

Right now the View Form (there is no intent to edit any fields) is from a SP List "Courses".  In that SP List is a LookUp column from another SP List "References", and when I added it I brought over the Author and Publisher columns.

While the combo box shows the related References separated by a ";", I'm unsure how one goes about making a collection where the end result is each Reference being listed with the Author and Publisher on a separate line?

[WarrenBelz]

@Anonymous ,

My collection Items was only a suggestion to uncomplicate things with your conditional method of selecting them in the combo box Items itself. This thread was about displaying a conditional item when there is no data present in the field.

I have thought it though again and may have something for you to try - you really need to test it thoroughly however (see below)

The value normally present in the control is the Default property. This is normally Parent.Default (the card DataField) or ThisItem.FieldName - both should display the content of the underlying field. You can of course make this conditional

If(
   IsBlank(ControlName),
   "Nothing here",
   ThisItem.FieldName
)

but the effect of that would be that it would write "Nothing here" as the content of the field until you changed it. So you might try this (I would personally still go with the label)

If(
   IsBlank(YourControlName) && YourFormName.Mode=FormMode.View,
   "Nothing here",
   ThisItem.YourFieldName
)

Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue. This will help others find it more readily. It also closes the item. If the content was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up.

[Anonymous]

@WarrenBelz 

Was able to get a single choice SharePoint Lookup Column to format correctly under the ComboBox DefaultSelecedItems with the following: 

If(IsBlank(Course_RequiredRef),{Value: "none"},{Value: Course_RequiredRef.Value & ", by " & Course_RequiredRef_Author.Value & " (" & Course_RequiredRef_Publisher.Value & ")"})

For a Lookup Column that allows multiple selections, and trying some other varieties without all the values added together, just having it be "none" or Parent.Default or,  ThisItem.ColumnName it errors out. 

[WarrenBelz]

@Anonymous ,

Maybe the label is the way to go (short detour)

Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue. This will help others find it more readily. It also closes the item. If the content was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up.

[Anonymous]

Well, I've tried a bunch of variations to get this to work:

Tried: If(!IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), Parent.Default, {Value: "none"})
no erros, and "none" does not appear.

Tried: If(!IsEmpty(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), Parent.Default, {Value: "none"})
no errors, and "none" does not appear.

While trying variations: If(IsEmpty(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), Parent.Default, {Value: "none"})
replaced all records with "none", but I would think this would flip the argument.

Tried: If(IsEmpty(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"}, Parent.Default)
Errors out.

Tried: If(IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"}, Parent.Default)
Errors out.

Tried: If(!IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), Filter(Choices(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"})
Errors out at Filter.

Tried: If(IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"}, Filter(Choices(Courses.Course_Prerequisites)))
Errors out.

Tried: If(IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"}, ThisItem.Course_Prerequisites)
Errors out.

Tried: If(!IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), ThisItem.Course_Prerequisites, {Value: "none"})
Errors out.

Tried: If(!IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), ThisItem.Course_Prerequisites.Value, {Value:"none"})
No Errors, and "none" does not appear.

Tried: If(IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), Filter(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: "none"})
Errors at Filter

Tried: If(IsBlank(Courses.Course_Prerequisites), {Value: Courses.Course_Prerequisites}, {Value: "none"})
replaced all with "none"

My question now is CAN PowerApps allow an If(IsBlank argument for a SharePoint Multiple Lookup Column? If it can, what formula works. If it can't, period that would be as helpful now to know I NEED to use a workaround. 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

After much trial and error, I believe I got this to work as intended.

However, while this works, under the combobox DefaultSelectedItems:

If(!IsEmpty(Parent.Default), Parent.Default, {Value:"none"})

Why doesn't the flip of the argument NOT work? This errors out at 'Parent.Default'.

If(IsEmpty(Parent.Default), {Value:"none"}, Parent.Default)

[WarrenBelz]

@Anonymous ,

I am not sure if you want me to comment on this?

Combo Boxes work well when you use them within the parameters the designers had in mind. I have list of things similar to your example where logically (in my mind at least) creatively combining seemingly valid code with a control setting does not produce the desired result. There is however always another path to get the required outcome, which pragmatically is really only presenting the data properly for the user and/or writing it to the correct destination when required - hence I would have used the label quite some time back (but that is just me).