intelligent address lookup in model-driven app to update account table address

[sossie07]

Hi all,

newbie to model-driven apps, but familiar with Canvas apps. I'm trying to make a model-driven app and provide the user a mothod to enter the account address with a lookup to bing maps.

I found an article on how to do this with a canvas app, but then read this doesn't work when entering new records.

This seems like a pretty basic function (and is common in most other apps),  how to people handle this in model-driven apps? - do they just make users manually type all address fields and hope they get it right?

or is there some sort of method to create the account row in dataverse and then direct users to a component/canvas app to get the address and populate it?

thanks, Simon

[GuidoPreite]

inside a model-driven apps you can use a PCF control, here some already made controls connected to maps services.

https://pcf.gallery/categories#maps

here some related to Bing services https://pcf.gallery/categories#bing

[sossie07]

Thanks Guido,

How do I add a PCF control to a Model driven app?

I have searched the Power Apps documetation, youtube, and I can't find a step by step guide on how to do this.

All I want to do is use an address finder/lookup to enter the address for Accounts and Contacts

Do I need a Custom Page?

Thanks

[EricRegnier · Accepted solution]

Hi @sossie07,

You don't need a custom page. If you found a desired PCF Control, you'll need to download the solution and import it. Once imported, you'll need to open the model-driven form, and add the column/field that you want to bind to the control to the form. Then under "Components" on the right panel -->+ Component --> pick the one you installed. Set the parameters if required and click Done. Don't forget to save and publish the form.

Hope this helps!

[GuidoPreite · Accepted solution]

if the PCF control has a managed solution, you can follow this tutorial https://carldesouza.com/how-to-install-powerapps-components-from-pcf-gallery-to-your-org/

[sossie07]

Thanks Guido,

None of the map/address PFC's in the gallery have the required XML files. I'm assuming from the error that they are for Dynamics365.

I get the below errors:

"solution.xml, customizations.xml, and [Content_Types].xml. Customization files exported from previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics 365 are not supported.

So I can only assume that unless I want to learn how to write my own PCF. The answer is that for (low code) Model-driven apps there is no auto-complete search method availble to help enter addresses.

[sossie07]

Thanks Eric, it might help if I could fine a PCF that had the xml files to permit them to import to model-driven apps. But either i'm completely thick (which is quite likely) or there are not PCF's for address lookup for model driven apps.

[sossie07]

So after 3 days I have managed to get this very basic functionality working. Eventually I found a control from AndrewButenko. Was a mission, as the link from the PCF site took me to an old unsupported version, but eventually I found a link to a working one. However for any newbies to Model-driven apps (like me) I would recommend looking for an alternative, or stick with canvas apps. Model-driven app framework seems to be a hodge podge of beta software, with no documentation, or documentation for dynamics that doesn't quite work for model-driven.

[EricRegnier]

@sossie07 apologies for that experience model-driven apps has actually been around for almost 2 decades and is quite mature including the documentation. I think the issue was related to PCF and solutions which unfortunately is not specific to model-driven apps... Hope your Power Apps journey goes better as you progress 🙂