How to display files from a specific folder in the SharePoint Document Library in the Canvas app?

[Anonymous]

Hi all, 

I have created a canvas app that allows users to create a folder in the SharePoint Document Library and then display a direct link to the created folder.

So far the demo version looks like this:

The gallery here displays the folders that were created in the Document Library. Instead of displaying folders, I would like to display the documents in the specific folders. Is that possible?  

For example, if the user creates a folder with a name "Testing_123", would it be possible to display in the gallery the files that were uploaded to the folder "Testing_123"? Perhaps there are some possibilities to customize the Items property of the gallery?

Would sincerely appreciate any advice. Thank you!

[ghuerren]

Hi.

Maybe this helps you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-b8w9ea1kk

[RandyHayes]

@Anonymous 

Keep in mind a couple things about Document Libraries.

1) They are just lists like any other list.  Folders are just items in the list.  They are not folders like a traditional file system.

2) Folder Path, File Name, etc columns in the list are internal/calculated columns in the list.

You can filter on the 'Folder Path' column of the items in order to get all the items in that "folder"

i.e.  Filter(yourDocLib, 'Folder path' = "Testing_123/"  (provided that it is at the "root" level)

SO...why is this important?

DELEGATION!  None of the internal/calculated columns are delegable.  So, you might think "hmm, my Testing123 folder only has 10 files in it...why is delegation an issue?"  Because this goes back to #1 above the ENTIRE library is a list.  If you have 3000 files in "folder" TestingABC and 10 files in "folder" Testing_123, then you will not be able to delegate a filter accurately for Testing_123 because you have exceeded the limit.

To really be able to use Doc Libraries, you need to employ the help of PowerAutomate.  With that, you can create a "real" column in your library and have a Flow populate it with the calculated 'Folder path' column when an item is created or changed.

Then you can delegate to find those "folders" properly, and thus the files that are in it.

Now I mention all of the above as a stern warning to you as doc libraries grow quickly and delegation becomes a real factor.

What you are originally trying to do is just a matter of filtering by the Folder path column.  But then...all of the above applies.

I hope this is helpful for you.

[MarrinerDev]

My Hayes is, sadly, correct. Yet another instance of the half-baked crappy implementation which Microsoft has foisted upon us. I've been working in SharePoint since the pre-release Tahoe beta in 2001 (coding C++/C#/COM etc) and guarantee you that I've got more SharePoint dev experience than 90% of people on this forum. 

So I think 20 years' experience allows me to say this unequivocally - that Microsoft's half assed support for their supposedly core Content management system is a **** travesty. 

The fact that you can't  write Filter( SomeDocLib, FolderPath = "SomePath/Child/ETC" without delegation is a disgrace.  THERE IS NO TECHNICAL REASON why this incurs delegation issues other than the writers of the SharePoint connector are too indolent or had other development priorities which they were diverted to. I used to write CSOM-based filters to do exactly this 20 years ago. Fix this and a myriad of other issues please MS!

[Ismael_Novo]

Hello.

I too really miss filtering files in a path or something as simple as updating a file name.

Greetings.

[Vladimir2]

I inveted this :

Filter(Sort(ShowColumns('dataSourceName',"{IsFolder}","{Path}","{Name}"),'{Name}',SortOrder.Ascending), StartsWith('{Path}',"(the root where start your folder)"), '{IsFolder}')

this worked on dropdown