How do I position my columns in the correct x, y coordinates I give them?

[JBennett12]

It automatically positions them in x = 0. Or how do I shift the columns over to the right? Below you can see that the selected card is supposed to be in position 2,2. Instead it's in 1,2. I need the two columns more to the right of the screen compared to the left.

Thank you,

[RandyHayes · Accepted solution]

@JBennett12 

In Forms, the X and Y coordinates of datacards determines order, not coordinate.

Datacards cannot be positioned absolutely in the form.  The form will order them one after another based on their order and the size and position of the prior cards.

I hope this is helpful for you.

[JBennett12]

That is upsetting, this is my first power app and I thought it would be a good tool to use to make a form. Guess I'll find something else to use. 

Thank you,

[RandyHayes]

@JBennett12 

I wouldn't give up there.  The form in PowerApps is very powerful, you just have to get acquainted with how it works.

Is there anything in particular that you are trying to do that you are finding difficult to do?  Is there a reason you want to have more absolute positioning?

[JBennett12]

I was wanting to add questions (I'm assuming labels) that would be in the x = 0 spot to give more detail to the form. I created a microsoft form, however my boss wants a more visual appealing style. So I was giving power apps a try. I feel like I need to use the insert forms option in power apps, because I'm storing the answers in a sharepoint list and getting my columns from that list. I appreciate you helping me out though.

[RandyHayes]

@JBennett12 

Yes, you can position controls with the X and Y properties, but only so much as within their container.  In this case, your container is the datacard.  However, the datacard plays a special role and the designer controls the actual X and Y based on how you configure the form (in this case).

You can use the Form in PowerApps and customize it as you like to the constraints of the datacard positioning (to be absolute).  You can turn off the snap columns option on the form to adjust more, but overall, the form itself is limited.

You could create the screen with your own hand placed controls and then wire up all the display and writing logic to the list.

OR, you can use both!  If you are just starting out with PowerApps and forms, it might be a little advanced to do, but you can use a Form and separate the visual from the form in such a way that you have complete control over what you want to be seen and yet have all the full-functionality of the form to rely on.

If you want to get deeply aware of forms and their feature and functions, I have an educational training video on them.  It's quite lengthy and in-depth.  So it will tell you most of what you ever wanted to know.

Specifically in regard to styling your forms, Part 2 of the video goes on to explain some of the basic styling you can do, and Part 3 describes how to separate the display from the form and still use the form easily.

Perhaps worth having a look as you embark on this project.