Feasibility of developing App with Offline Capability along with capturing Pictures/Images under SharePoint List/Library

[Anonymous]

We were looking into development of App which consists of forms with Pictures/Images uploading along with offline Capability.

Can any one please let us know if this's feasible considering limitations of Power Apps. Please share more details  if someone have implemented similar App

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Yes, I have a process for this and it works well. I can put the details together if you want it.

[Anonymous]

Hi @WarrenBelz,

Glad to receive your response that you were able to implement similar App. Yes, Please share more details as all PowerApps community could be benefited from your response.

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @Anonymous ,

It took me a little while to find the previous post I did a week ago - I have copied it below.

Firstly, I use the Connection.Connected test on every screen and if not online, all other screens other than the offline photo screen have only a button in the middle to navigate to the offline screen. So from the start

At App OnStart - it loads data from olPhotos storage on device into Collection OLPhoto. The true parameter tells it to ignore the command if the phone currently has not had the storage configured.

LoadData(
   OLPhoto,
   "olPhotos",
   true
)

Now the camera takes a picture and sends it to collection OLSample so it can be reviewed in the Image control

ClearCollect(
   OLSample,
   CameraScreenO.Photo
)

Now when the user accepts this picture - it is collected from camera screen and added to collection OLPhoto, then this is saved to the device collection to device storage olPhotos replacing data currently stored

Collect(
   OLPhoto,
   {
      sPhoto:ImageDisplayO.Image,
      sNotes:PhotoNotesO.Text,
      sDate:Text(Now(),DateTimeFormat.ShortDateTime24,"en-GB")
   }
);
SaveData(
   OLPhoto,
   "olPhotos"
)

When the device comes back online (and Connection.Connected is true), the users gets another button that says either return to the "normal" photo screen or choose a photo to upload. If they choose the photo (check icon in a gallery) this runs

ClearCollect(
   colPhoto,
   ThisItem.sPhoto
);
Navigate(PhotoScreen,Cover);
Set(vPhoto,true)

and simply puts the saved photo in the same collection that the "online" camera uses and displays the picture. This can then be saved via Flow to the SharePoint Library in the same manner as an online taken photo. Also on the main photo screen, a button appears if there are any offline photos on the device and navigates to the offline screen as above.

Now to delete an item - first bit displays a big red pop-up with the picture image for the user to confirm they want to delete it.

Set(vDelete,true);
Set(vDelItem,ThisItem)

Then if the user selects the confirmation, removes the item from the collection OLPhoto and then writes to the device replacing the data olPhotos with the updated collection. Then the pop-up disappears.

Remove(
   OLPhoto,
   vDelItem
);
SaveData(
   OLPhoto,
   "olPhotos"
)
Set(vDelete,false)

It all has worked fine for some time and we intentionally made the users clear them one at a time when they came back online and uploaded them (using the normal screen, but collecting from OLPhoto instead of the camera above). 

Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue. This will help others find it more readily. It also closes the item. If the content was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up. 

[Anonymous]

Thank-you @WarrenBelz for your prompt response!

I would like to clarify few queries before trying it out with SharePoint as data source.

1. Can I consider 'Add Picture Control' instead of 'Camera' control for uploading pictures

2. In our case Metadata also to be  captured hence pictures can be considered as List Item Attachments instead of storing in Document library

3. Is there any alternative to push Images other than using Flow like using 'Patch' function

4. Please share recommended steps in handling limitations of offline capability like low memory space, Local cache lifespan etc

[WarrenBelz]

Hi @Anonymous ,

To cover your questions.

1. I use this in conjunction with the online/offline device camera, however there is no need for an offline facility - it already is. The user simply takes a picture and the uploads it when online. The reason for the two is around image size and bandwidth issue on mobile devices. The much smaller image from the device camera normally does the job, but there are times a higher resolution image is required.
2. This is up to your requirements and data structure. I also have some pictures in other apps as attachments and you can display them as thumbnails, even on mobile devices. The main reasons for the Library photos with the metadata is that the photos are used independently of the list for audit purposes, can be synchronised with local PCs using OneDrive and also very quickly “bundled” for the customer. They are also much easier and quicker to find in SharePoint with views grouped by job package and site (there are 30,000 in the library).
3. If you are using attachments, just use the attachment control if the photo is taken on the device camera and saved. For the PowerApps camera screen, you can write the JSON converted text to a multi-line text field, but more complex to get back. Generally a Flow is required to send images to a Library.
4. That is a good question. We have iPads and have not had any real issues with company devices, however once you put this “in the wild” and users start using their own devices, all sorts of things can happen. For instance the Samsung S9/S10 camera setting has to be changed to Camera 2 or you will only get the “selfie” front camera. I have a switch on the camera screen for this. Also, as per my post, users generally delete the photos once they can see them uploaded to SharePoint.

Happy to elaborate further.

Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue. This will help others find it more readily. It also closes the item. If the content was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up.