SortByColumns - invalid use of '.'

[ejs65]

Hello,

I previously raised an issue around the same block of code - which has worked for months then suddenly stopped working

SortByColumns stopped working with new authoring version 

Rolling back to previous authorising versions had negated the issue -  but there are no longer any available versions in which it works. Previously thought it may be to do with the enum of 'SortOrder' but this no longer seems to be the case. 

I am unable to find what the issue is, and why it's suddenly stopped working. 

Any advice is appreciated!

                        SortByColumns(
                            AddColumns(
                                colQuestion As AssessQuest,
                                "GroupSort",
                                LookUp(
                                    ID_AS_AssessQuestionGroups,
                                    GrpGUID=AssessQuest.AssGrpID, GrpGUID
                                )
                            ),
                            "GroupSort",
                            SortOrder.Ascending
                        ),

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @ejs65 ,

Without seeing your data source / fields etc it is a bit hard, however one thing strikes me - this Lookup

LookUp(
   ID_AS_AssessQuestionGroups,
   GrpGUID = AssessQuest.AssGrpID, 
   GrpGUID
)

is simply returning the same value as the AssGrpID in colQuestion, so why bother with the AddColumns ?

SortByColumns(
   colQuestion 
   "AssGrpID",
   SortOrder.Ascending
)

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[ejs65]

Apologies,

SortByColumns(
                            AddColumns(
                                colQuestion As AssessQuest,
                                "GroupSort",
                                LookUp(
                                    ID_AS_AssessQuestionGroups,
                                    GrpGUID=AssessQuest.AssGrpID, SortOrder
                                )
                            ),
                            "GroupSort",
                            SortOrder.Ascending
                        ),
                        "GroupSort"

 The true result of the LookUp is 'SortOrder' - I'd forgot I had quickly changed it just to make sure it wasn't something stupid like the naming that had caused the issue.  

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @ejs65 ,

I suspect Ambiguity is the issue here - SortOrder is a Reserved Word in Power Apps and should not be used for a field name, particularly one you are using to sort. You might consider changing this before looking anywhere else - note you may have to make a new field and transfer the data as the "original" field name remains for some functions.

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.

MVP (Business Applications)   Visit my blog Practical Power Apps

[ejs65 · Accepted solution]

Hey @WarrenBelz , 

Thanks for the suggestions - we are in the process of changing anything named 'SortOrder' so we don't hit any issues with it - however it wasn't related to the issue I was seeing as it was present on any of the fields in the SharePoint list.

Think there's just a bug in the SortByColumns - as not putting any SortOrder in and assuming the default of  SortOrder.Ascending works fine.

                        SortByColumns(
                                AddColumns(
                                colQuestion As AssessQuest,
                                "GroupSort",
                                LookUp(ID_AS_AssessQuestionGroups, GrpGUID=AssessQuest.AssGrpID, SortOrder)
                            ),
                            "GroupSort"
                        ),

[rbn_nue]

Hi @WarrenBelz 

This just saved me a lot of time. I had the same issue with SortByColumns. I was using sortOrder keyword inside a With function where I also had SortByColumns function and SortOder parameter. Renaming the keyword solved the error. Although, error did not show up while playing the app. Only in edit mode it showed formula errors and broke all functionality.

Thanks for posting this.  

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @rbn_nue ,

Yes Amber Guity is a very sneaky operator . . .