Update global variable within component

[MGeale]

Hi guys,

I'm hoping someone can provide me with some insight in regards to the best way to update a global variable from within a component. I know components aren't designed to do such functions (i.e. set variables) but I'm sure someone must've come up with a funky way to achieve this without having to duplicate elements for basic functions...I've been getting my head spun around trying to figure them out. My issues are two fold for two different variables. I've built a Navbar within a component (happy as Larry) which has two functions I want to update within the app - setting the theme and setting the active User.

1) varTheme is, as the name suggests, is a dark/light mode toggle of which is built in the component as a toggle switch. I know updateContext is unavailable for use within the component so to bypass that, I used set variables - onCheck, set(varTheme, "Dark") and inversely, onUncheck, Set(varTheme, "Light"). For the component, this worked well and played nice; I even managed to get this working as an output property, effecting elements on the page where the component was deployed. However, since I'm using the component in a multipage app, this is where my problems began - the varTheme was only operating on a per page basis. if I was to move the varTheme logic outside of oncheck/uncheck and set the value by default in onstart, is there a way the component can be used to update that value globally? i.e. if toggle1 on page1 has been checked, updates variable and update it everywhere across the multiple instances of the component and inversely if toggle1 on page 5 is unchecked now, can it update it across the multiple instances of the page as well as app...probably doesn't make sense with how I've explained that logic but hoping someone has a nifty little way of achieving that.

2) for a bit of context, varUser is set randomly in Onstart but I want users to be able to change that value from within the app - eventually the app will be used by users who don't all have active directory accounts so unfortunately can't use Office365 connectors to achieve the variable. The varActiveUser is currently set by an onselect button within a gallery submenu on the component. My issues begin when I want to then update that variable (varUser) from within the component. Ie lets say the user selected by Onstart is Test 5, but the actual user using the app, is Test 3. I want Test 3 to be able to change the ActiveUser variable from Test5 to Test 3 and it is reflected across the app.

I'm hoping someone might be able to provide some useful insight or at least point me in the right direction to achieve what I'm after. Attached is a screenshot with where I'm at currently with some notes in the app outlining what everything is doing. Apologies for the massive post! Please let me know if anything doesn't make sense 🙂

Cheers!

[Adrian_Celis · Accepted solution]

Hi @MGeale 

In your component, have you tried toggling on the "Access app scope" property?

This will enable you to update global variables from within your component.

More info here:

Power Apps- How Components access Global Variables, Controls and Screens 

[MGeale]

Forgot to post this

@Adrian_Celis Hilariously after posting this, after about 30 min I ran into a reddit post where someone had faced the exact same issue I had and had mentioned that toggle. I had seen that before in the past, but was always hesitant to engage it because of how in-depth my NavBar is so I always avoided it. Thanks for your help 🙂

[Rohit4044041]

Is this option removed? I dont see it anymore. 

[rgentile]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge Adrian.  Your suggestion resolved a problem I've been banging my head on my desk trying to resolve.