Edit view / add field: Select or add new one

[FelipeCaru]

Hello all,

I have yet another question that I am not sure if it is possible to do or not.

In my edit screen, which I can see from either Detail>Edit entry or by adding a new entry, I want to be able to have the option to either write a new "title" or selecting from one already created. I know it sounds confusing, maybe, so, in images.

In my entry view, I have a list of projects to choose from, and shows the task I have yet to do. Keep in mind that project list. Now,

This is edit/new entry view. In this one, on the data that is on the red square, I have to add to what "project" it belongs, or type a new one if it is, well, new. So what I want to know is if it is possible to there choose from one that already exists from list or write new one, if needed; or perhaps write project name and give suggestions of name that already exists; if it doesn't exist, say "no match" in the suggestion field.

So:

• Select "title"/project from list or write new one
• Select "title"/project from suggested list when typing or write new one

Thanks in advance,

[RandyHayes]

@FelipeCaruhola again...

Have you looked at the ComboBox control?  This would allow you to have a list to choose from and also alow type-in values.  If the user types something in, the ComboBox will have a SearchText value that you can use for your title.  If they choose an existing Title, that will be in the Selected.Value

Hope this help.

[FelipeCaru]

I am not sure if a ComboBox would help, @RandyHayes since one part of the problem is solved, which is choosing one of the existing one. But would it let me type and keep one that does not exist in the list?

[RandyHayes]

@FelipeCaru 

If I understood you correctly - you are trying to provide a Title (project) field that the user can either choose an existing Title/Project or enter in a new one.

Without throwing a bunch of controls at it, you have a could of one-control choices to narrow down:

DropDown - Would show your existing Title/Projects, but no way to enter new.

ListBox - Would show your existing Title/Projects, but no way to enter new and takes a lot of space.

ComboBox - Would show your existing Title/Projects, and User can enter new and takes standard space of a text field or dropdown.

So, let go with a ComboBox!  (let's call it ComboBox1)

First, it would have to allow searching (AllowSearching property).

Set the Allow Multiple Selections to off.

You can change the "Hint Text" in that control by changing the InputTextPlaceHolder property.

Then, when updating your data, you would have to check a condition - that would be is there and item selected or text in the box?  And what if there is both?  On that question, I am going to assume you would use the Selected value over the typed value.

(note - this is theory formula - you will need to adjust to your app)

If(!IsBlank(ComboBox1.Selected.Value);        // If there is a non-blank value in the selected item i.e. a selected item

   Title/Project = ComboBox1.Selected.Value;   // then set the title/project to that value

   Title/Project = ComboBox1.SearchText     // otherwise, set it to the search text

AND, of course you would want to put a condition on all of it to make sure that either an item is selected or that text has been typed.

Hope this sheds some more light on it. 

[FelipeCaru]

@RandyHayes 

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong since it shows nothing on it, not even the help text since it is blank (even if I added help text to it).

It might be because I am not sure what the entire formula does.

If(!IsBlank(ComboBox1.Selected.Value);Título=ComboBox1.Selected.Value;Título=ComboBox1.SearchText)

For starters, the errors I get from this are:

- Function "IsBlank" has not valid arguments

- Whole formula: Property expects Table values, but this rule generates boolean values non compatibles

- Título: Name is not valid. Can't recognize identifier. This shows up if it refers to element that does not exist anymore (example: erased controller)

- .Value: same error as above

What am I doing wrong? As additional info, the "project name" is from the "Título" column.

[RandyHayes · Accepted solution]

@FelipeCaru 

So, yes, the "formula" I stated was in theory - you needed to adjust to your actual form and control names.

Did you add a ComboBox to your form?  That would be the first step.

If this is part of a Form, you will need to unlock that datacard and insert a ComboBox and replace the control type (as combo box is not available in the pre-sets).

So, I pre-tested this example.  I have a Form called Form1.  It is tied to a datasource.  I have a Title field on it.  Here are the steps I took:

1) Unlock the Title_DataCard1

2) Insert a ComboBox - my datacard now has StarVisible1, ErrorMessage1, DataCardKey1, DataCardValue1, and now ComboBox1

3) Delete the DataCardValue1 control - (up pop red x's becuase you've pulled a component needed out...not to worry)

4) Rename your ComboBox1 to DataCardValue1 - (red x's go away)

5) Choose the ComboBox now called DataCardValue1

   a) set the Allow Multiple Selections to Off

   b) set the Allow Searching to On

   c) set the Items to Parent.AllowedValues

   d) set your InputTextPlaceHolder to whatever you want the hint text to be.

6) Choose the Title_DataCard1

   a) set the AllowedValues to - RenameColumns(Distinct(dataSource, Title), "Result", "Value") (This rename saves us steps in dealing with the distinct function results)

   b) set the Update to:

        If(!IsBlank(DataCardValue1.Selected.Value), // ComboBox has a selected value? 

           DataCardValue1.Selected.Value, // Then use it.
           DataCardValue1.SearchText)  //Otherwise use the search text

You now have the ability to have people choose an existing Item title in your datasource or enter their own.

Hope this is clear and helps.

Sorry that some of these names may be different in Spanish.

[RandyHayes]

Actually...did some more review on this (sorry was rushing through a solution for you).

While this will get you close to what you want. The issue comes in when you are Editing an existing record.

There is no way to set the search text through formula.  So, you would also need to put on the DefaultSelectedItems property of the combobox in your data card the following:

   {Value:ThisItem.Title}

Ultimately, this will work, but I could see issues if the values somehow don't match.

Your final solution may be to put both a dropdown and textbox in the data card and set the visibility and other properties based on the conditions of the record (new, edit, etc)

I believe you'll need to experiment with what works best for you.

Hope this is a fun journey.  

[FelipeCaru]

@RandyHayes 

I got some errors that it seems make it not work at all. The errors I have are:

- Parent.AllowedValues has error of "not valid name, identifier not recognized" (X more "inside")

- DataCardValue1_1.Text has same error (X more on the outside)

- Can't find the "allowedvalues" of the datacard, see:

- And lastly, after using the UPDATE formula, it shows it whole in error:

3 errors translated are:

- Function IF has some arguments not valid

- Function IsBlank has some arguments not valid

And on top of  the part with ".Value", it says:

- Name not valid. Can't recognize identifier. Normally shows up when formula references an element that doesn't exist (for example, erased controller).

Thanks for any help,

[RandyHayes · Accepted solution]

@FelipeCaru 

ARGGGHHH - I just realized what I neglected to tell you!!!

I've been siting here typing out a big long response and following my steps against your photo and it just dawned on me...

STEP 1 should have been.

Before you unlock your datacard - change the Control Type to "Allowed Values"

I don't believe you can change it after you've unlocked.  So, sorry I neglected to mention, but you'll have to add that Title field back into your Form and change its Control Type, Then Delete the custom DataCard as it's not working.

NOW...resume the process with the previous Step 1.

Lo siento! 

[FelipeCaru]

@RandyHayes 

Ha, no worries, happens to anybody.

Anyway, still no luck. Errors are now the following:

This ones from the "AllowedValues" formula.

I also tried with:

RenameColumns(Distinct(DataSourceInfo(demo_project; DataSourceInfo.AllowedValues; "Title"));"Result";"Value")

But that one says that it was expected 2 values and was given 3.

The IF part, tho, in Update:

If(!IsBlank(DataCardValue18.Selected.Value);DataCardValue18.Selected.Value;DataCardValue18.SearchText)

Says errors of:

- If/IsBlank has not valid arguments, and that .Value is not valid.