Updating Environment Variables in Managed Solution

[Django]

Documentation (Use environment variables in solutions - Power Apps | Microsoft Docs) states that we should remove Current Value of Environment Variables before exporting an Unmanaged Solution to a Managed Solution --> this will provide a popup during Managed Solution Import to enter the Environment Variable.

How can an Environment Variable Current Value be updated after import?

1. In the Modern Interface it states 
   This environment variable definition cannot be edited because it is in a managed solution.
2. In the CDS Data / Dataverse Table it states
   You do not have permission to access these records. Contact your Microsoft Dynamics 365 administrator for help.

I also mentioned this to the Center Of Excellence Starter Kit creators because there I see that Environment Variable Current Values behave in the same way when trying to update existing Environment Variable Values: [BUG]: Edit Environment variable from managed solution · Issue #591 · microsoft/powerapps-tools (git...

Anyh other ways that we can edit the values of these variables when imported as Managed Solution?

[adedapo]

My experience with this though is that when I try to edit flows in my dev environment that depend on the environment variables, I get an error that the values can't be found!
So I'm forced to add the values back.

[Django]

Hi @adedapo that is unfortunate!

1-Are you sure you are referencing the Current Value of the Environment Variable?

I can imagine that if you are referencing the Default Value in your App/Flow that removing the Default Value can cause issues.

If you are sure you are referencing the Current Value:

2-Have you removed the Current Value from the Solution or from the Environment?

Removing from Solution should leave the Current Value record intact but just not part of your Solution when exporting. You can verify this by checking the Current Value Table in the Dataverse of the Environment and see if the Definition is linked to the Current Value record.

If these two aspects are ok --> I am also lost for words...
I would recommend to log a ticket because then something is not working right 💪.

[adedapo]

How do you reference the current value in a flow?

Because you just see a lost of EVs in an environment and you use a relevant one right?

[Django]

By default in a Power Automate Flow when using the Dynamic Content picker in the Studio:

the expression is: @{parameters('EV Environment URL (ins_EVEnvironmentURL)')} and I think that the platform uses the Current Value if there is one and uses the Default Value as a fallback.

See Use environment variables in solutions - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

So no direct way to verify your reference bases on the Studio interface or based on the expression...

I verify it to have a different Default Value than a Current Value, run the flow and see the output to make sure the right value is referenced.

[ingovals]

Just imported a new version of my solution to managed environment. This is how one of the variables looks in the zip file.

{
  "environmentvariablevalues": {
    "environmentvariablevalue": {
      "@environmentvariablevalueid": "fd7bb73c-a98a-ed11-81ad-0022489cfed1",
      "iscustomizable": "1",
      "value": "c9344973d65f"
    }
  }
}

But it just doesn't update in the target environment.

[JimmyWork]

Same issue just imported new version of a solution did not get asked to input variables, so now they are just empty and I cannot edit them.

This only happens when i try to update a solution, if I create a new managed solution I'm prompt to input the variables.

[Django]

Hi @JimmyWork ,

If you remove the current value of your variables AS WELL AS empty the default value BEFOR publishing and exporting your solution==> my experience is that the import wizard asks you to provide current values for your variables at the first import.

Nevertheless any of these methods should still work to edit an existing value: https://knowhere365.space/power-platform-current-value-of-an-environment-variable-in-the-modern-make... 

[JimmyWork]

@Django Ye thats exactly what I do but it just started happening, did never have issue with this before.

[ingovals]

 @Django 

Regarding option 4 as you mention in your solution,  

1. edit through Dataverse / Common Data Service backend Tables / Entities

   How do you do this. I can open up the Environment Variable Value table but I get this there: Data in this table is read only, as this table represents a collection of objects in Dataverse. 

[Django · Accepted solution]

Hi @ingovals, 
I just created a video besides the blog post: (Power Platform: Current Value of an Environment Variable in the Modern Maker Portal » Knowhere365).

See Update the Current Value of an Environment Variable in Power Platform Solutions - YouTube. Is that helpful?