Problem with Append to String Variable with HTML tags in Apply to Each

[rwittels]

I have a flow which has been running for a few years now. In it, I have an Apply to Each on a SharePoint list which appends to a string variable. The append statement looks like this:

<b>items('apply_to_each')?['Name']</b></br>

When I compose this variable, it displays the names correctly and the result looks like this:

Name One

Name Two

Name Three

I created a new flow today which connects to SQL and Executes a Stored Procedure. I am running an Apply to Each on the result which appends to a string variable. The append statement looks like this:

<b>items('apply_to_each')?['Account_No']</b></br>

When I compose this, it displays the account numbers and the result looks like this:

<b>AccountNumber One</b></br><b>AccountNumber Two</b></br><b>AccountNumber three</b></br>

Why does SharePoint data work with HTML tags but SQL data not work?

[FLMike · Accepted solution]

@rwittels 

Are you putting the output in an HTML supported control?

SQL itself won't cause this to be wrong, as it doesn't care, nor does the apply to each.

Can we see the output of the Apply to each?

And see what you are using to display the HTML

Also are you wrapping this in an HTML Tag etc?

If you like my answer, I would really appreciate if you please Mark it as Resolved, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others

Cheers

Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

[rwittels]

Thank you for the response Michael.
Your answer gave me clues as to why this is failing. My existing flow actually displays the String of names in a Send Email block which uses the Outputs of a Compose block which has my HTML in it.
I was testing the output of my stored proc in a compose block which obviously doesn't display HTML correctly by default.
I did the same with my new flow and it is all OK. I actually don't know why this was confusing me but thanks.

[VictorIvanidze]

Hi @rwittels,

I cannot answer your question, but could you please explain why do you use </br> instead of <br> ?

(See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1946426/html-5-is-it-br-br-or-br)

[rwittels]

Hi Victor. Sorry, I typed that wrong in my post. I meant <br/>. Thanks for pointing that out.
I realised that I can use HTML in a compose block and then use that output in an Email body which is what I ultimately want to do anyway.