IF " is empty " on multiple vars

[UK_Mike]

Hi All,

Scenario :

Flow runs producing values as it goes.

Variable     Value

%Var1%        1

%Var2%        abcd

%Var3%   

Vars 1+2 have a value but Var 3 is empty

If  %Var1%,%Var2%,%Var3%   is empty

Basically if just one of the vars is empty do this, Else...

On testing im getting isnt empty from the above scenario but one is empty.

Can accomplish this but needs more if's etc, quicker way ?

Thanks all.

[MichaelAnnis]

Here Mike,

[List of available 8 functions]

• Contains(VAR, 'KEY', False)
• NotContains(VAR, 'KEY', False)
• IsEmpty(VAR)
• IsNotEmpty(VAR)
• StartsWith(VAR, 'KEY', False)
• NotStartsWith(VAR, 'KEY', False)
• EndsWith(VAR, 'KEY', False)
• NotEndsWith(VAR, 'KEY', False)

This is from @Anonymous here:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Desktop/How-to-include-the-logical-AND-OR-operators-in-conditionals/td-p/715982

So, it looks like you want this in the first operand section:

First operand:  %IsEmpty(Var1) OR IsEmpty(Var2) OR IsEmpty(Var3)

Operator:  Equals to (=)

Send operand:  FALSE

Good luck!  I've never tried it.  Just knew I'd seen it before.

[UK_Mike]

Hi Mike,

Correct syntax below ???, tried both ways, result not as expected...both ways...

%IsEmpty(Var1)% OR %IsEmpty(Var2)% OR %IsEmpty(Var3)%

%IsEmpty(Var1) OR IsEmpty(Var2) OR IsEmpty(Var3)%

Operator:  Equals to (=)

Second operand:  FALSE

My three vars are a date, a word and a numeric.

Quick one, setting an empty var is %""% ?

Thanks pal.

[MichaelAnnis]

I believe an empty variable is %''%...that's 2 apostrophes, not a single quotation.

[MichaelAnnis]

I was hoping this would work for you.  If it is not working, then the long option is to evaluate each one separately and Skip the flow at any point one is empty.  Example:

'Start of flow of up until ready for valuation

If %Var1% IsEmpty

    Go to Subflow: Skip

End (If)

If %Var2% IsEmpty

    Go to Subflow: Skip

End (If)

If %Var3% IsEmpty

    Go to Subflow: Skip

End (If)

'the rest of the flow

In the Subflow, tell it what you want it to do, be it shutdown the bot or whatever.  If you are in a Loop, instead of "Go to Subflow, you could just say "Next".

Good luck!

[UK_Mike]

Only posted I had 3 vars but theres actually 13, I was wanting to avoid another 13 ifs within an if within an if within an if within an if 😂

Will try it again over the weekend, if Putin hasnt invaded ☹️

Will report back, thanks again 👋

[MichaelAnnis]

Fortunately, they don't have to be within each other 🙂

Keep your head down!

[Highboy]

This will go into the first part of the IF

This will go into the Else part

You can putt all your 13 variables into one line. 😊

[UK_Mike]

Hey buddy, thanks for that but getting a syntax error your way, please double check ive got it right 😁

In my shot, vars a, b and c have empty values.

Running the first if with below code comes back as not empty, however the 3 single ifs come back as empty.

Just to recap, im trying to achieve whether a single var is empty, preferably putting all these vars into a single line.

%IsEmpty(a) OR IsEmpty(b) OR IsEmpty(c)%   set to %False%   doesnt work.

%IsEmpty(a) OR IsEmpty(b) OR IsEmpty(c)%   set to %True%    works provided they are ALL empty.

Ive already done all the ifs (13) as I just couldnt figure it out, took less time than this post lol 🤣

But would be nice to know, thanks again.

%a <> " AND b <> " AND b <> "%

[Highboy · Accepted solution]

You are not doing it the same way...
Check you messages.

[UK_Mike]

Many thanks for this 👌, for anyone "remotely" interested...

%(Test1 = '') AND (Test2 = '') AND (Test3 = '')%

Note must be 2 single quotes, not doubles !!!

[MichaelAnnis]

But with the AND language, don’t all 3 have to be empty for this to be true?

[Highboy]

It works for him, It's only a question of where you want to put your actions for empty variables (in the first part of the if or in the else part)
This also works.

[UK_Mike · Accepted solution]

I sooooo want to delete this post, wish I never bloody asked 😂

Only one has to be empty to throw it, it works perfectly now.

Its kind of a document understanding flow, needs all vars to be populated to continue.

Was just wondering whether we could achieve placing all the vars in a single if rather than, you know...

---

@MichaelAnnis wrote:

But with the AND language, don’t all 3 have to be empty for this to be true?

---

Like in Excel, =IF(AND( , all conditions to be met etc. 🤔

[MichaelAnnis]

Right, so in this?  %(Test1 = '') AND (Test2 = '') AND (Test3 = '')%

In an AND function, all have to be true to be true.

So, if only 3 is empty (true), then the other 2 are false, and the result is false.

If none of them are not empty (all false), the result is false.

This seems to be against the logic of the original ask which was that we want to know if any of them are empty.  We can't get this with this logic.  

I'm with @Highboy on the "OR" format below where 1 or 2 or 3 are empty, do something different.

I'm merely asking to understand, because if the logic of these inter-function complex if's is different than what I'm reading, it would be great to know.

Thanks guys.

[UK_Mike]

The original task was to throw a false if just one of the vars was empty, which below does.

%(Test1 = '') AND (Test2 = '') AND (Test3 = '')%

I havnt tried the OR..... yet.

I can work it both ways, in the if or in the else, if one is empty do this, else none are empty (all populated), do that.

I think im grasping what you are saying, the else throws a False when all are populated ? which in my case is True / continue the flow.

😂