Looking up field value (GUID) from the record in combo-box

[TonySuslovich]

Hi all,

I have a combo-box that is drawing values from a CRM entity (lets call it Group). This entity has a lookup attribute to another entity (Region) and the attribute's name is 'Region Id' and the data type is GUID. So basically Groups are children to Regions. 

I'm trying to fetch the value for the 'Region Id' when value in the Groups combo-box changes and store it in a global variable. Here's what I'm doing:

 Set(LocalRegionId, LookUp('Groups', 'Group' = GroupDataCardValue.Selected.'Group').'Region Id')

This fetches nothing.

Then I tried this:

 Set(LocalRegionId, LookUp('Groups', 'Group' = GroupDataCardValue.Selected.'Group').'Group'.'Region Id')

It didn't work either. However, if I replace 'Region Id' at the end with any other attribute in the Group entity that is not a lookup to another entity (GUID), it returns proper values. So for example the code below works fine:

 Set(LocalRegionId, LookUp('Groups', 'Group' = GroupDataCardValue.Selected.'Group').'Group Code')

I tried fetching other attributes from this entity (Group) that are GUID's and it gives me nothing back. I'm not sure if this is specific to Dynamics CRM or to the GUID datatype. Anyone came across this before?

Thanks!

[v-siky-msft]

 Hi @TonySuslovich ,

What is the Field type of 'Region Id'? LookUp field or GUID field?

If it is a LookUp field, your first code posted above should get a whole record of Region into the variable.

If it fetches nothing, the issue could be caused by the entity connection issue.

Please try to Remove Groups and Regions Entity in Data source and re-add them to see if the issue is fixed.

Hope this helps.

Sik

[TonySuslovich]

Hi @v-siky-msft Thanks for your reply. It's Lookup (GUID). It probably fetches the entire record (not sure how to check if it fetches an object instead of an attribute). 

I was just playing with different things and finally got it to work:

Set(LocalRegionId, LookUp('Groups', 'Group' = GroupDataCardValue.Selected.'Group', 'Region ID').'Region ID');

So if first Region ID relates to Group entity and fetches the entire Region record, then it makes sense that the 2nd one (which is from Region entity) fetches just Region ID attribute, but such a weird syntax 🙂 

Another question I have (may be I should separate it in its own thread) is...so if I have a 3rd entity (call it Office which is a child of Group) and when I change Office, I can tap into On Change event of the Office combo-box and set the value of variables that I use to set the value of Group combo-box (btw, is there any way of doing that?). I have the same exact logic on the Group combo-box's On Change event which sets variables that I use to set value for the Region combo-box. But when value of the Group dropdown changes from changing value of the Office, it doesn't trigger On Change event of the Group control. When I manually change Group, it works as expected. I use DefaultSelectedItems property of these combo-boxes to set their values to the variables I calculate when the value of their children changes. In other words I want to change a value of grand-child and calculate and set the value of its parent and then grand-parent. Is it possible?

Thanks.

[v-siky-msft]

Hi @TonySuslovich ,

Ok, I got you, the first 'Region ID' is the LookUp field of Groups entity, and the 2nd  'Region ID' is the GUID field of Regions entity.

To your second problem, could you show some more detailed information(screenshots, codes)?

I just made a simple test on 3 combo boxes, the default selection for each combo box depends on the previous one selection by defining variables in OnChange event, but they all work well.

We need more information to reproduce your issue.

Sik

[TonySuslovich]

Hi @v-siky-msft When you got it to work, does the 1st combo-box (grandchild) trigger the value change of the 2nd one (parent) which automatically triggers the value change of the 3rd one (grandparent) or the grandchild actually sets the value of both (parent and grandparent). I got it to work with the latter but I'm wondering why the value change event isn't triggered on the 2nd combo-box when its value is set by the 1st one.

[v-siky-msft]

Hi @TonySuslovich ,

Mine is the former. Here are my test steps, you can have a try.

1. Add three combo boxes, the Items properties are all ComboBoxSample

2. Set combobox1.OnChange: Set(Var1,ComboBox1.Selected)

3. Set combobox2.DefaultSelectedItems: Var1, OnChange: Set(Var2,ComboBox2.Selected)

4. Set combobox3.DefaultSelectedItems: Var2

From the above simple test, we can find that the Combobox2.OnChange event can be triggered successfully when its default selection is changed by combobox1.

You can post some detailed steps and codes here so that we can further explore the cause of your issue.

Sik

[TonySuslovich]

Hi @v-siky-msft  Thanks for this, I will test it, but I think this is exactly was I was doing. Does it make any difference if the combo-boxes I'm using are all lookups to other entities and I need to set both ID (which is GUID) and the label?

I'm actually still having an issue to fetch GUID from a comb-box without doing a Lookup (as I think it just adds unnecessary complexity). If I have an Opportunity record and this record has a lookup (guid) attribute to Group entity (lets call this attribute Group ID). I drop Opportunity attribute to a form as a comb-box. Whenever value of this combo-box changes, I want to look up different attribute values in the Group entity. I believe I really need to get value for the Group ID field of the Opportunity record so I can use Lookup(Groups.....). 

I'm doing this:

Set(SomeVariable, OpportunityDataCardValue.Selected.’Group ID’)

It doesn't work as I'm getting an error. However, when I try to get a value of other attributes that are not GUID...strings, numbers, etc. it works perfectly fine:

Set(SomeVariable, OpportunityDataCardValue.Selected.’Project Name’)

'Project Name' is just a string  attribute in Opportunity entity and it sets SameVariable properly every time the value of the Opportunity dropdown changes. 

I believe OpportunityDataCardValue.Selected gives you entire Opportunity record? Then why cannot I get any GUID attributes from it?

Thanks!

[v-siky-msft]

Hi @TonySuslovich 

What is the error message when using the code 'Set(SomeVariable, OpportunityDataCardValue.Selected.’Group ID’)'.

I feel confused with your expression, why you always define the lookup field as GUID?

The lookup field in entity represents the whole related record of Parent Entity, but it just shows the primary field of the parent entity in the field.

For example, 'Primary Contact' field is the lookup field in Account Entity, the Parent Entity is Contact. The 'Primary Contact' field displays only the fullName field(Primary Field), but it represents the entire record.

So If you want to get the GUID of related Group record, please try this:

Set(SomeVariable, OpportunityDataCardValue.Selected.'Group ID'.Group) // I assume Group is the GUID field in Groups entity.

If this doesn't work, please post back the error message and try to remove the Opportunity and Group entity connection and re-add again.

Hope this helps.

Sik

[TonySuslovich]

Hi @v-siky-msft  Thanks for the pointers. Lookup fields are defined as GUID data type in Dynamics CRM, that's why I refer to them as such, apologies for the confusion. Yes, it's a pointer to a record in another entity, but it's still just 1 field with GUID data type. But this is semantics.

I tried what you had suggested. Here's the screenshot of it.

It's just happened that all names are the same (entity name is Group, lookup field on the Opportunity entity is Group and the actual GUID field on the Group entity is also called Group. I tried fetching another field from Group entity (say Group Code) and I tried removing both Group and Opportunity entities and re-adding them back to no avail.

Your example is good, so how would you fetch data from Contact entity (let's say contact's address line 1) from an Account combo-box? Would you do something like:

Set(SomVar, AccountDataCardValue.Selected.'Primary Contact'.'Address Line 1')

Thank you!

[v-siky-msft]

Hi @TonySuslovich 

Check this screenshot.

I also feel confused about why there are multiple levels of N:1 expansion.

Could you please share the sceenshots of Field property Tab of Group(LookUp) as the Primary Contact field shown as follows?

Sik