Change data card border color when an item is changed

[tagustin2020]

Hello,

I am using a technique I saw on a Reza video to highlight form fields that have been changed. I really like the effect, but I've only been able to get it to work on Text fields.

Border Color formula (Company Text Field example - works fine):

If(ThisItem.Company <> valCompanyES.Text, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

I've tried this formula for the html text field without success:

If(ThisItem.'Shipment Description' <> txtShipDescEdit.HtmlText, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

I tried this formula for the Shipping Method dropdown. I don't get any red squigglies, but it doesn't work and I get a message that reads "This formula uses scope, which is not presently supported for evaluation". Not sure what the work around is.

If(ThisItem.'Shipping Method'.Value <> varRecord.'Shipping Method'.Value, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

I also have a combo box in the form, but I figured I should start with these questions first. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ramole]

Hello @tagustin2020 

What is the code you're having the issue, can you point please 

[rubin_boer]

hi @tagustin2020 try evaluating and set the color in the html text, something

"<font color=" & If(ThisItem.'Shipment Description' <> txtShipDescEdit.HtmlText,"orange","black") &"> your text will be here. </font>"

hope it helps

[tagustin2020]

@rubin_boer 

Hello Rubin,

Thank you for the quick response. I'm looking to change the border color of html text controls and dropdowns, not the text as seen in the Street Address form row above. Is that possible?

Kind regards,

Teresa

[tagustin2020]

@Ramole 

Hello Ramole,

What I was trying to explain in my post is that the border color formula that works for regular form text data cards, does not work for htmltext and dropdown type data cards. I'm looking to see if anyone knows how to adjust the border color formulas for these types of fields. 

Thank you,

Teresa

Thank you for the reply. 

[rubin_boer]

hi @tagustin2020 

Just did a test on my side and it evaluates and set the border color with htmltext as is and wrapping it in plaintext which. it works for the html text and dropdowns.

what is the result of the condition when you highlight over it, do you get a true or false or is this when you get the message?

[tagustin2020]

@rubin_boer 

Hi Rubin,

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't have a label to compare against so I'm not sure this is going to work for me. Any other ideas of what might work?

Teresa

[RandyHayes · Accepted solution]

@tagustin2020 

In general, your formulas for showing changes should be the following (using the border color as you're using):

If(Parent.Default <> Parent.Update, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

This will work with simple columns (Text, Number, Date, etc)

For complex types (Choices, person, etc.) the formula needs to not reference the Default property (as the Default property does not have a defined schema type and thus PowerApps will not be able to reference as you like).  Plus, PowerApps cannot compare a record to a record.

The same goes for the Update property...it can have any schema to it, but PowerApps will not recognize it in your formulas.

So, for a Choice column, you would need to reference the underlying column value and then reference the SAME control that your Update property references.  In other words, we need to shift down a level before both the Default and the Update properties to get the values.

You would need to alter your formula to the following:

If(ThisItem.'Shipping Method'.Value <> yourShippingMethodDropdown.Selected.Value, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

As for the RichText editor border color...the text in that is editor will be in Html format and the value in your underlying column will be as well (assuming you are passing the HTML to the underlying column and not using a PlainText function somewhere).  So, the above formula for the simple text fields should do what you need:

If(Parent.Default <> Parent.Update, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

As for the "This formula uses scope, which is not presently supported for evaluation".  This is not an error.  This is the formula editor telling you that it cannot evaluate a formula that has a "ThisItem" object in it.  This is completely normal.

[tagustin2020]

@RandyHayes 

Hi Randy,

I got the dropdown fields working with your formula suggestions, thanks! In regards to the Text fields, there was no Default or Update properties available in Intellisense. I tried LastSubmit as an option in case that would work and Updates for the second one, but I got an "Incompatible types" message.

I ended up reverting back to the formula inserted below from the Reza video which seems to be doing the trick for Text fields. Per your note, I assume it will also work for date and numeric type fields as well. I know you are busy so no need to troubleshoot further. Thanks again! Teresa

If(ThisItem.'Street Address' <> valAddressES.Text, Orange, RGBA(32, 54, 71, 1))

[RandyHayes]

@tagustin2020 

If you were not getting a Defaults or an Update property option, then you were not on a control in the datacard.

You had mentioned that you wanted to have the Border color of your control in the data card to be different based on changes...did I get that wrong?