Named Formulas Issue: Update cached value when dependent variables change

[aboehm]

When I run my app in the Power Apps preview player, the cached values from named formulas aren't updated when a variable changes on which the formula depends.

I have the following Named Formula in App.Formulas:

CurrentItem = If(
    Not(IsBlank(IdVar)) || IsBlank(SharePointIntegration.Selected) || IsEmpty(SharePointIntegration.Selected);
    Coalesce(
        LookUp(
            [@SPList];
            ID = Coalesce(
                IdVar;
                SharePointIntegration.SelectedListItemID
            )
        );
        Defaults([@SPList])
    );
    SharePointIntegration.Selected
);;

 I have a TextInput control with the following formula in .OnChange:

Set(
    IdVar;
    If(
        Not(IsBlank(Self.Text));
        Int(Self.Text);
        Blank()
    )
);;

Then I have a form where the Item property is set to CurrentItem and the DataSource to [@SPList].

When you change the text in the TextInput control the form will not be updated to display any item from the data source.

When I run this app as a form from the corresponding SharePoint list then the correct selected item will be shown. So, at least the Named Formula will run once on startup or when it is used the first time.

This problem started last week with the Power Apps version 3.23023.

I tried some investigation on my own and found out that the dynamic JavaScript which is created for the _onEntityDataChanged event handler (which is called when a global variable is changed by the Set-function) calls runDependentRules, but it does not include the internal name of Named Formula in the argument list, only all the other "normal" references to the IdVar variable.

I hope this gives a good hint to speed up the release of a fix for this issue.

[ShantanuP]

@ChrisAtMYB , I see but that's still you can do with Named Formulas.

For example,

intNumber = TextInputBox1.Text;

GetData = Filter('My Sharepoint List', NumberColumn > intNumber);

[ChrisAtMYB]

@ShantanuP true - in my case I use it across multiple pages though, and though I prefer it as a variable 😉

[sum182blink41]

still having a similar issue where the named formulas are not re-evaluating whatsoever unless I actually remove the reference to it in the control's text and add it back in! The behavior I've encountered is that the named formulas are just behaving like variables except a variable will at least change its value if I set it to something different, really hoping my experience isn't the extent of the intended functionality of Named Formulas!

[mvkr09552]

Hello @sum182blink41, could you please share a sample app with a repro?

[MiLoCore]

Hi 🙂
I currently have a similar issue as well.
I put a filtered Dataverse table inside a named formula variable.
If I now update a row to that dataverse table via patch function, the named formula does not refresh.
Even if I place a Refresh(Datasource) after the patch function, the Datasource inside named formula will not refresh.

My code for named formula is:

NamedFormula = Filter(DataverseTable; ...);;

patch function

Patch(Dataversetable;Item;
   {       
       ...: Self.Value
    }
);;
Refresh(Dataversetable)

Powerapps Version: 3.23102.20

Or am I doing something fundamentally wrong here? How else can I force an refresh/update of a named formula?
Thanks a lot for help.
Best
Micha

[ShantanuP]

I wasn't able to repro it. Here is what I tried.

NamedFormula:

D = Filter(Accounts, 'Account Name' <> "Abc");

Added Gallery:

Gallery.Items = D;

Added a button:

Button.OnSelect = Patch(Accounts, First(Accounts), {'Account Name':"Ian One Updated"})

Click the Button and I see updated gallery:

Can you please share exact formulas on NamedFormula and in Patch function? Where you don't see the refresh reflected in your app?

[MiLoCore]

Hi, thanks a lot for your help. I did a test in a new App where I recreated the same scenario and everything worked well. But in my existing app this issue still appears. I tried to turn on/off some of the properties under setting but nothing helped...

the complete formula

DeatilProgGal = Filter(Dispo_VA; 'Dispo_VA (Ansichten)'.'Aktive Dispo_VA'; 
                    (
                        VA_Von < Coalesce(varProgFilterDetailScreen;Today()) And
                        VA_Bis >= Coalesce(varProgFilterDetailScreen;Today())
                        )    
                    Or (
                        VA_Von >= Coalesce(varProgFilterDetailScreen;Today()) And
                        VA_Bis >= Coalesce(varProgFilterDetailScreen;Today())
                        )   
                    );;

on the gallery:

If(AktuelleSeite=Details_Site.Name;
Search( DeatilProgGal;    
    SearchProg_input.Value;"cr239_titel";"cr239_artist";"cr239_projectname")
)

 the patch:

Patch(Dispo_VA;Selected_VA;{Artist: Self.Value});;

[SJC]

I had a similar issue with a named formula used in a gallery not updating based on the value of a modern Datepicker control in a dataverse custom page. The solution was to rename the control making sure to invalidate the reference in the named formula, save the screen, reload the page, then change the formula to include the new control name.

[PetroVoronov]

I faced with similar issue. The logic inside the app it too complex.
To check the issue I made a new, simple app:

• App.OnStart:

Collect(Test, {item: "Test"});

• App.Formulas:

formulaTest = LookUp(Test, ThisRecord.item = "Test", item);
formulaCount = CountRows(Test);

• Created the Toggle Item:
  • Defailt: 

Not(IsEmpty(Test))​

• OnCheck:

ClearCollect(Test, {item: "Test"});​

• OnUncheck: 

Clear(Test);​

• LabelLocal:
  • Text: 

"Local: '" & LookUp(Test, ThisRecord.item = "Test", item) & "', Count: '" & CountRows(Test) & "'"

• LabelFormula:
  • Text:

"Formula: '" & formulaTest & "', Count: '" & formulaCount & "'"

If I'm not wrong, the labels have to have the equal Text independently from the toggle value.
And what I received:

• ToggleOn:
• ToggleOff: 
  
  

For me it looks like - some formulas are recalculated (like CountRows), but some calculated once and cache the result (like Lookup).
Authoring version is: 3.23121.20 (Recommended on today).
Options: all by default.

[PetroVoronov]

To dig deeply in an issue, I made some changes:

• App.OnStart:

Collect(Test, {item: "Test", value: "First"});

• App.Formulas:

formulaTest = LookUp(Test, ThisRecord.item = "Test", item);
formulaTest2 = LookUp(Test, ThisRecord.item = "Test", value);
formulaCount = CountRows(Test);

• And one more toggle:
  • OnChek:

ClearCollect(Test, {item: "Test", value: "First"});​

• OnUncheck:

ClearCollect(Test, {item: "Test", value: "Second"});​

• And two labels:
  
  • Local: 

"Local: '" & LookUp(Test, ThisRecord.item = "Test", value) & "', Count: '" & CountRows(Test) & "'"​

• Formula:

"Formula: '" & formulaTest2 & "', Count: '" & formulaCount & "'"​

And there is a results:

I.e. if LookUp return something - it's working equal as local as in formulas...

But if it return null, empty , blank response - the previous one is returned in formula!