data source supplied to the function is invalid

[StevenRichards]

Posting here before I create a ticket in case there's a known issue with what I'm trying to do.

I have a situation that when boiled down to it's most basic parts is this:

1. I have a collection that is based off an SP list: clearcollect(colA, SPList)

2. I want to then collect colA into a new collection called colList: clearcollect(colList, colA)

3. I want to then collect a new collection that gets thrown away if I don't click a button: clearcollect(colTemp,colList)

4. If my users wants to save the data then they click the button that does this colList: clearcollect(colList,colTemp)

I get an error when typing this last step: clearcollect(colList,colTemp) the error is "invalid argument type", but the error only comes after saving and reopening the app.

If I change this statement clearcollect(colList,colTemp) to something done in two lines:

clear(colList);

Patch(colList,ShowColumns(colTemp,"ID","Title","Description"))

I no longer get an error on startup or otherwise and in theory it should do the same thing for my intents and purposes. However, there is a runtime error when clicking the button that says "data source supplied to the function is invalid"

I can avoid all errors by removing the first step and changing the 2nd step to this: clearcollect(colList,SPlist)

If you're wondering why i do the first step or why it's necessary for me that is because I use it to gather over 2000 records into multiple collections then collect those collections. e.g. clearcollect(colA, Filter(SPList,FieldName > 2000)); clearcollect(colB, Filter(SPList,FieldName >= 2000 And FieldName < 4000)); concurrent(clearcollect(colList,ColA,ColB).

Is it obvious what I'm doing wrong or should I create a ticket?

[StevenRichards]

TLDR;

Good: clearcollect(colList,SharePointDataSource) then clearcollect(colTemp,colList) then clearcollect(colList,colTemp) then Patch(SharePointDataSource,ShowColumns(colList,"Title"))

Bad: clearcollect(colA,SharePointDataSource) then clearcollect(colList,colA) then clearcollect(colTemp,ColList) then clearcollect(colList,colTemp) <--- Error here. Patch(SharePointDataSource,ShowColumns(colList,"Title"))

Try it yourself with a one column SP list.

Why? Does MS know about this?

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @StevenRichards ,

I have a blog on big collections that may assist.

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.

Visit my blog Practical Power Apps

[StevenRichards]

Thanks Warren, I'm not having issues with Big collections. I was using the "shadow id" method you describe in your blog already with great success. The issue isn't really specifically with big collections or delegation. I can't really describe it better than I already did but it's totally reproducible. Try it from scratch on a blank form with a SharePoint table as your data source.

In the onvisible of your one and only screen:

step 1 collect the SharePoint table into colA

step 2 collect the colA collection into colList

step 3 collect the new collection into colTemp

step 4 collect the temp collection into colList <--- error

Do the same thing but this time cutout step two

step 1 collect the SharePoint table into colA

step 2 collect the colA collection into colTemp

step 3 collect colTemp into colA <---- no errors

I opened a ticket with MS but it's been crickets so far. 

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @StevenRichards ,

I am not sure under what circumstances you would want to do that circular exercise - I have tested it and you are correct.

[StevenRichards]

The use case is for a sub form. Use one button to add an item to the header form but don’t collect into the main sub form collection unless a second button is pressed which saves both  the header and collects the sub form back into the main collection. 

[StevenRichards]

None of this is really necessary if I didn't need this to work offline. Here's a picture of my header / sub form I'm describing.

[WarrenBelz]

@StevenRichards ,

Sorry do not have a solution for that one

[StevenRichards]

@WarrenBelz not to worry. I'm sure I'll find a work around.

[StevenRichards · Accepted solution]

@WarrenBelz 

Got a final resolution for anyone else out there having a similar problem. It's a known bug with a pretty simple work around. Before running any of the code put this in before you do the first collect.

If(false, ClearCollect(col3, PowerAppsList)); //the false in the if statement means don't actually do this next thing after the comma. For some reason even though it doesn't actually perform a task, it fixes a bug in the compiler with regards to schema and collect.

ClearCollect(col1,PowerAppsList);

ClearCollect(col2,col1);

ClearCollect(col3,col2);

ClearCollect(col2,col3);