Create a second record entry from gallery

[grodinsm]

I've got my app now working very nicely, however I've now been asked to be able to create a "copy" of the record. I've built a form to collect information about someone during a meeting. The users now want to be able to click a button in the gallery next to that person's name and create a second record entry, so that when they have a second meeting with the person, they're not editing the original entry. 

I have no idea where to start and am looking for help!

I need all of the information to be copied over, as if we're just editing the same record, but any changes are saved under a new recordID. When this happens, I want to edit a hidden column in my database called "Current" so that I can tell the rest of our systems which copy is the most current. 

All of my saves right now are being done using the SubmitForm function, I'm not using patch. and am using SQL. Looking for the least intrusive way to do this since it's all working perfectly right now. 

[v-monli-msft]

Hi @grodinsm,

My understanding is that you have already created an app using one SQL tableA. Now you need another editform that will update the record to another different tableB. But you want to copy the data from tableA to tableB. If this is the situation, I'm afaid  that this cannot be achieved so far. One form can only have one data source binded. And if you want to have the data from tableA, you have to use it as the data source in form. So that you cannot update this form also to tableB.

You will have to manually update the record for tableB with the same data.

Maybe you could also add an idea in the PowerApps Ideas forum, so it might be considered for future releases.

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/idb-p/PowerAppsIdeas

Regards,

Mona Li

[BitLord69]

Here are my thoughts on your problem:

The best way is probably to split the information up in two different tables, so you will have one table with the information about each person that will not change very often, and then you have a related table with an entry for each meeting. That way you can have two galleries: one with each person, and then a sub-gallery that will show all entries for the selected person.

If you do not want to go down that road, you can use Patch to create a copy of the selected person. In the onSelect of the Create Copy-button in the gallery you do a call to Patch, that will look something like this:

Patch(TableName, Defaults(TableName), {Column1:GalleryName.Selected.Column1, Column2:GalleryName.Selected.Column2....})

Obviously you have to change the names, otherwise it should work like a charm, I use it in a couple of places in my apps.

Read more about Patch here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/functions/function-patch

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask again if something is unclear or you need more help!

[grodinsm]

@v-monli-msft Sorry if that was unclear. my SQL table has an autonumber column as the primary key called "Form_number". lets say I have someone, "John Smith" as Form_Number="135" I'd want to have a new entry in the same table (say, #136 if that's the next available number) with all of the same information #135 has. 

When using the "New" function in my app, it grabs the next available Form_number automatically.  

@BitLord69, I will try your suggestion today and see if that works. Do i have to type in every single column name, or is there a way to patch all columns? I have over 100 fields in my form. 

[BitLord69]

Good morning!

That's a really good question! I'm not sure.

Are all the 100 columns relevant for each meeting, or for the person and then stays the same for every meeting? If it's the second case, then you should really think about splitting the information into two tables so you don't have so much duplicate data. If it's the first case, do ALL the data need to be copied, or can you just copy a subset, the most pertinent information?

Here's part of what the documentation says:

Patch( DataSource, BaseRecord, ChangeRecord1 [, ChangeRecord2, … ])

• DataSource – Required. The data source that contains the record that you want to modify or will contain the record that you want to create.
• BaseRecord – Required. The record to modify or create. If the record came from a data source, the record is found and modified. If the result of Defaults is used, a record is created.
• ChangeRecord(s) – Required. One or more records that contain properties to modify in the BaseRecord. Change records are processed in order from the beginning of the argument list to the end, with later property values overriding earlier ones.

I wonder if it's possible to first create the record with Patch and save the result in a local variable, and then use a second call to Patch with the newly created record as base record and the record you want to make a copy of as ChangeRecord.

Not sure what the syntax have to be, but play around with this general idea:

UpdateContext({rNew:Patch(TableName, Defaults(TableName), {Column1:GalleryName.Selected.Column1})});Patch(TableName, rNew, {PrimaryKeyColumn:GalleryName.Selected.PrimaryKeyColumn})

It's especially the last part in italics I'm unsure about, so go play around and see if you can get it to work.

Good luck!

[grodinsm]

To answer your first question, I need a full copy of all data. the idea is that any of it COULD be edited in the second meeting, but we want to know exactly what it looked like during the first meeting, and just make adjustments in the second meeting. We're using them as a snapshot in time. 

I tried what you suggested, pretty much using the code you wrote. I have a second record in my database, the first patch I only asked it to copy the person's first name, and that worked. when I get to the second patch, it looks like this: 

Patch('[dbo].[Intake_form]',rnew, ThisItem)

I can tell Powerapps really is trying to do exactly what I want here, by copying ALL columns... unfortunately it's also trying to copy the Primary Key column "Form_Number", so i get this error: "Form Number: The specified column is read only and can not be edited." 

if I could tell it "ThisItem EXCEPT for Form_Number" it would work perfectly. or even if I could say something like  "this Item columns(2:100)" based on column index... 

So it looks like patching data one by one by typing out each column name works (since First Name worked fine) but since the primary key is autogenerated in the database a copy-all isn't working. 

Any further thoughts?

[grodinsm]

Update:

I've figured out the code to get the record duplicated. After the post I wrote above, I discovered the dropcolumn function. (working code posted below). I have a new issue though. I can't figure out how to get the form to load the new record. Any attempts to push the new record through as part of the Navigate function doesn't make a difference, because the form on the edit screen calls for Items="TemplateGalleryList1.Selected"

I'm not sure whether to re-write the Items code, or force the gallery to re-collect it's items to include the new record, and then somehow re-point "selected" to the new record.

Here's the code that works, the database gets a second record with everything other than "Form_Number" duplicated. But as I said the EditForm screen pulls up and edits the original record.

UpdateContext({ResetVar: true});
UpdateContext({ResetVar: false});
 Set(rnew,Patch('[dbo].[Intake_form]',Defaults('[dbo].[Intake_form]'),
{First_Name:ThisItem.First_Name}));Set(IDVar,rnew.Form_Number);
ClearCollect(updcoll, DropColumns(Collect (upd2,ThisItem),"Form_Number"));
Patch('[dbo].[Intake_form]',{Form_Number:IDVar},First(updcoll)); Patch('[dbo].[Intake_form]',ThisItem,{Current:"N"});
EditForm(Form1);
Navigate(Screen1, ScreenTransition.None,{displayitem:Filter(Collection1,Form_Number=IDVar)})

[BitLord69]

Good morning!

Seems you've come along way already, great job!

Since you are already passing the record to edit in the call to Navigate, you can use the variable displayItem in the edit screen's Item-property. One question though: isn't that the same as rnew? Just pass that variable in the Navigate (dispalyitem:rnew), or use it directly (since you use Set to set its value).

 The gallery should repopulate its list automatically, but I don't know how to force it to select a particular row.

Good luck!

[grodinsm]

I just tried that, didn't work, it still pulled up the original record. i used displayitem:rnew but I believe the problem is on the form screen, not on the gallery screen. it still knows that my duplicate button was attached to "TemplateGalleryList1.Selected" which is in the items field of Form1. 

either I have to redirect the "selected" piece, or I need a new code for the Items box. I've tried a few combinations but haven't found something that works. 

[BitLord69]

Hi again,

As I wrote in my last reply: Since you are already passing the record to edit in the call to Navigate, you can use the variable displayItem in the edit screen's Item-property. 

As you write yourself, you have to change the form's Item-property, and you can do it as above. If I understand it correctly, the form is on Screen 1, right? So, Form1:Item = displayitem; that should do the trick. You just have to remember to set the variable displayitem in all the places where you call on the form.

If oyu need any further help, can you post a (few) screen shot(s) of your app? It's easier to see how it all comes together that way.

Good luck!