Frustrated adding integer variables

[clicker666]

I can't believe this is so hard.

I want to total a number of income sources based on a Microsoft Form submission. I tried first creating a JSON object with all the variables in it. Couldn't get them to add. After spending half a day on it I started working on a longer method.

Initialize intSalary as integer

Initialize intIA as integer

Initialize intPension... as integer etc.

I then tried to compose add(variables('intSalary'),add(variables('intIA'),variables('intPension'))) and that fails.

I then tried Set Variable for intSalary, using int(item()?['intSalary']) so I can see if setting them is needed. (It shouldn't be, because I've set the values upon declaration).

From the hints I've seen in the errors the initial problem is that the submitted form fields are being seen as strings, even though they are integers. As such, when I try to declare the variable using that value it fails because it expects an integer and not a string. I tried to figure out how to convert it to an integer - using the method above that I used when describing Set Variable.

[wskinnermctc · Accepted solution]

Use the int() expression. This will convert the string to an integer.

I just had this complaint the other day about MS Forms having number restricted answers but they do not pass as a number, they pass as a string.

If your number does not have any decimal places you can use the int() expression.

If your number will have decimals you need to use the float() expression.

String Number With Decimal ExampleString Number With Decimal Results - Integer Error

I made an example showing what happens if the number has decimals and you use the int() expression. It will error. 

Let me know if this works for you,

[clicker666]

That worked. Its the end of day here. I'll try the add tomorrow.

[wskinnermctc]

Can you show and tell me more about the questions you are asking in your MS Form? 

Are the responses to the form Text fields or choices? Are they number restricted?

Are you asking to total the amount of income like Salary + Retirement added together 100,000+50,000 = 150,000?

Or are you asking how many types of income? Like Salary + Retirement = 2

[clicker666]

They are number restricted text fields. I'm asking for the amounts as in your first example.

I'm going to try the mass declaration of variables in JSON again now that I think I have a better understanding of what was happening. I'll update once I have a chance to do some work on this.

[abm]

Hi @clicker666 

The expression you provided looks good to me.

add(variables('intSalary'),add(variables('intIA'),variables('intPension')))

Make sure there are no blank values? Are these values optional or mandatory in Forms?

If its blank then add an IF condition to check whether its blank or not. For blank set the value default as zero.

Thanks

[clicker666]

OK. So I managed to get all the values pulled from the form into an object, declaring all my variables. Much cleaner!

I'm a little confused on how to get the float implemented here though. Not sure of the syntax or if this is even the right way.... or should I use Set Variable instead?

If I can figure out how to populate those variables I should be good to go on the math. 

[abm · Accepted solution]

Hi @clicker666 

Try the below. You need to leave it blank and use is not equal to under the condition.

[clicker666]

Of course lol. I was thinking in code, thought I had to put it in JSON. I've been using Condition all throughout haha.

[clicker666]

Well, that didn't work.

So, I've declared all my variables in JSON. I then try to use the compose function as shown in the pics earlier in the thread to convert the string to float, and get the error below.

I didn't see a val function, so it's starting to look like (unless you have some insight on the issue above) I will have to do this the tedious way:

Initialize two variables, one string and one float.

Set the string variable based on the form input.

Run a condition to determine if the string variable is empty.

Set the float variable if the string is not empty, set the float variable to 0 if empty.

Repeat for each and every string variable. 🤔

[abm]

Hi @clicker666 

Did you declared your variable outside the loop or inside?

[clicker666]

I haven't even used a loop yet.

I declared the variables in the object "financials" using JSON shown above.

I then tried to make a compose using the string variable that was populated in the step above.

If I create a single variable for an item it works fine. (initialize variable, for example strSalary as a string, then compose float of that variable. For some reason the variables declared inside the JSON seem like they don't exist to the compose.

[abm]

Hi @clicker666 

If you want to determine a string value is empty then set the default as zero then you can do this without the IF condition. Use expression 

coalesce()

eg: 

coalesce('mappingvalue',0)

So here it checks automatically if the mapping value is blank then set to zero.

[clicker666]

That's good to know, but the more immediate problem is that declaring multiple variables in JSON isn't allowing me to use those variables.

As in the pic above. I have declared the variable strRRSP, then attempt to use it in the compose statement next.

However when I run the flow I get an error.

[abm]

Where you used the Set variable action step?

Thanks

[clicker666]

No, I didn't use a set variable step.

Here's what I did:

After declaring all the variables I went to compose. To keep things simple I only used one variable as a test, strSalary. strSalary does have a value, and if I look at the outputs in the above example after running I can see it. However I cannot use the strSalary variable, or any other of the above variables, anywhere else in the flow.

[abm]

Hi @clicker666 

That's the issue here. Why you need to use compose here? Like I mentioned you can use coalsec() expression to check directly if its blank or not.

Thanks

[clicker666]

I need to convert the string values to floats so that I can perform addition and subtraction on the values, and have those results inserted into variables. The coalesce takes care of the condition statement, but I still need to be able to do math.

[abm]

Thanks for your reply. Remove the compose step. Add the IF condition then use the length() expression to check whether the length is greater than zero then do your calculation else set to zero.

length('yourdyanmicmapping here') > 0

Thanks

[clicker666]

I don't think I'm explaining the problem well enough, you're addressing something else entirely.

How do I run the function float? That's where I'm stopped. I can't convert the string to a float. The group of variables I've created act as if they aren't *real* declared variables, for example: initialize variable to strSalary will allow me to run the float function, but the below will not: