Force the entire power app to refresh

[Anonymous]

Every time I make a change to the Power App applications for my organization (not changes to the datasources, but the actual app) my users do not receive the updates, even if they close and re-open the application. Instead they have to slide the 3 buttons on the left side of the screen and hit the powerapps refresh button and then relaunch the application. Most users arent aware of the 3 buttons on the left, and this "workflow" is not very intuitative. Forcing the users to uninstall and reinstall is even worse of a work around.

Is there any way to force the app to do a full-refresh like there is for refreshing datasources (ie refresh(datasource) ).... maybe something like "RefreshApplication()"?

Related to these posts: 
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/How-do-I-force-an-update-of-my-PowerApp/td-p/...
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/App-screen-doesn-t-refresh-even-after-refresh...
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Apps-are-not-getting-deleted-from-the-Mobile-...
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Deleted-apps-still-appear-on-mobile-app/m-p/3...

[JRaasumaa]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Every time I make a change to the Power App applications for my organization (not changes to the datasources, but the actual app) my users do not receive the updates, even if they close and re-open the application. Instead they have to slide the 3 buttons on the left side of the screen and hit the powerapps refresh button and then relaunch the application. Most users arent aware of the 3 buttons on the left, and this "workflow" is not very intuitative. Forcing the users to uninstall and reinstall is even worse of a work around.

Is there any way to force the app to do a full-refresh like there is for refreshing datasources (ie refresh(datasource) ).... maybe something like "RefreshApplication()"?

Related to these posts: 
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/How-do-I-force-an-update-of-my-PowerApp/td-p/34759
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/App-screen-doesn-t-refresh-even-after-refresh-datasource/td-p/30567
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Apps-are-not-getting-deleted-from-the-Mobile-Player/m-p/33387
* https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Deleted-apps-still-appear-on-mobile-app/m-p/31469

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What you are experiencing is the same issue we have, it's an absolutey pain to refresh and force PowerApps to get a new copy of the app instead of using it's local cached version.

I have yet to find a workaround to the issue of getting the app to refresh except by manual user intervention. 

That being said, I have come up with a way to force users to run that manual refresh in order to use the app. The first "Home" page our users see has all the controls locked down by a lookup and comparison to a stored SQL "version" number. (The users App has a forced text value stored on the home page.) If the SQL value is updated it makes any app on the wrong "version" unable to click the Home page controls. 

It's incredibly simple but allows us to control forcing a user to close and refresh to do work in the app and basically resolves the issue of someone using a wrong version and messing things up.

[Anonymous]

Yeah that is still a pretty sub obtimal work-around for "software updates" to the end user.

Please vote for my feature request - https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/New-function-RefreshApplication-to-force-entire-...

[JRaasumaa]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah that is still a pretty sub obtimal work-around for "software updates" to the end user.

Please vote for my feature request - https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/New-function-RefreshApplication-to-force-entire-app-to-reload/idi-p/117583

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It's actually a fantastic work-around to avoid messing up any tables due to an older version of the software being out there. It's also resolved exactly what you are up against albeit with a manual user process until PowerApps comes up with a way to force version control. Hopefully something comes out soon to resolve the issue but it's unlikely.

I voted for your suggested change, thanks!

[Anonymous]

Can you share the steps to acheive below?

That being said, I have come up with a way to force users to run that manual refresh in order to use the app. The first "Home" page our users see has all the controls locked down by a lookup and comparison to a stored SQL "version" number. (The users App has a forced text value stored on the home page.) If the SQL value is updated it makes any app on the wrong "version" unable to click the Home page controls. 

[Anonymous]

My app runs in the browser, which allows me to do the following:

1.  Get the URL of the app

2.  If you see the parameter below, remove it

&skipAppMetadata=true

This seems to force a blue screen to appear, which I assume is an app reload. 

[Toltekrom]

When we bring our ideas together and you can usually find a way to achieve what you want in Power Platform. I also was looking for help getting latest App version automatically and found this post but also found this blog. Force App Updates In Power Apps - Matthew Devaney I even went through the pains of exploring PowerApps Maker connector and trying to get AppVersion from the Platform. That is less than optimal, plus not sure the end user would be able to use that connector.

Good remedy here @JRaasumaa disabling App and requiring end user to refresh browser but there must be a way we can refresh automatically...

More web search and I uncovered new features around Launch() Params and LaunchTarget."Replace". Launch(URL, {}, _Self).  Formulas: Launch to self and Self operator | Microsoft Power Apps
So let me combine these methods discussed here with re Launch()ing when App Version is not a match. Voila. 

How I achieved this:

• Create a Database table "PowerApps Versions" with App Id, Name, and Version Number
• Create a Save Icon 💾 to update database with new version number when Publishing. I added the version number to my refresh button. This will also go in the OnVisible code

      

• Add the version variable on Page Load "OnVisible" & Set the Database Version Variable LookUp (database, AppId, Version#). Add if statement to display message to end user that version is outdated.

         

• Add a Message Box to alert outdated version, set Visible property to v_img_relaunch
• (Optional) Add a overlay image to prevent anyone clicking and set Visible property to v_img_relaunch
• Add a Timer button and set it to 3000 (three seconds). Set AutoStart true. Set OnTimerEnd to Compare the two variables and if not a match Launch(App, {}, LaunchTarget.Replace).

         

[Yobeekster]

Hi Toltekrom,

Thanks for piecing this together and thinking outside of the box. I have implemented most of this especially the LaunchTarget.Replace, but for some reason it was not working reliably. I think the syntax has changed so please see below:

Solution: One thing to note is that I believe the syntax has changed requiring something in the Param property bolded below. Without the Param property filled, it doesn't work ( except in the Studio), but not for end users (not sure why, perhaps someone could kindly explain). 

1. Code Before:       Launch("https://apps.powerapps.com/play/...", {}, LaunchTarget.Replace)

2. Code After:         Launch("https://apps.powerapps.com/play/...", {q: "Power Apps"}, LaunchTarget.Replace)

Solved: LaunchTarget.Replace not working - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

Other than the ' q: ', I am not certain the text that comes after the ' : ' is anything special, as it is just something to pass to the refreshed tab, like a variable. 

Anyways, it works as it should now! Thank you all. 

[jledermaKP]

This is fantastic except for one little issue; it keeps opening the refreshed version of the app in a new tab. How can I get it to open in the same tab?

[Yobeekster]

Hello jledermaKP,

I think this might help you, specifically the LaunchTarget.Replace:

Launch(

"https://apps.powerapps.com/play/e/your_app_id?tenantId=your_tenant_id&hidenavbar=true#",

{q: "Power Apps"},

LaunchTarget.Replace )

Please let me know if that helps!