"Refreshing" signal

[Meneghino]

Currently it is not clear that a value in a text box is updating except for if the user looks out for the scrolling dots at the top of the screen.  Also, it is not possible to stop execution if communication with the server is ongoing, and data is being refreshed.

We should have a signal "Refreshing" that is true if the app is commicating with the server and refreshing and "false" if it is not and has finished refreshing data.  Basically true if the dots scroll across the top and false otherwise.  This is particularly important when the app first starts up.

This way we can show data only once the data is finalised for example, or prevent navigation if commumincation is ongoing.

[Meneghino]

This is also related:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/Loading-message/idc-p/21366

[Audrie-MSFT]

@carlosag to comment pls.

[carlosag]

It would be great if you could share more information about where/how the data is being loaded.

One way people have implemented this is through adding their own "spinner" and this is reasonably easy when using collections, Custom APIs and Context variables. Someone wrote a quick blog on how to do this by checking for "IsBlank(contextvariable)" and assigning that result to the VIsible property of an spinner image overlay on the screen.

Unfortunately the blog seems to be down but you can search for: showing-a-spinner-when-loading-data-in-powerapps

Here is the cached version I found:

http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=showing-a-spinner-when-loading-data-in-powerapps&d=4902148428138888...

[michowl]

@carlosag

I'm the poster of the related message and I found that the IsBlank on a picture object was returning false when the picture wasn't fully loaded. However, the picture control did not show a partially loaded picture or any sort of information.

[jeremy_brown]

I very much aggree with this.  Currently having this issue right now, and it would be great to be able to create a better loading screen that can hook into those 'dots' scrolling across the screen.

[mr-dang]

Yes. A signal is very much needed for galleries that view data. 

Normally, I use a button to set a variable true, perform actions, then set the variable false. The variable is used to signal a "loading" GIF. This is a way to signal actions from a button's OnSelect property, but you can't detect that for galleries.

Devs could save many instances of setting variables if a loading state is available. It would fit well with these other signals:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/functions/signals

[jamesantony]

@carlosag - any update on this feature?

[james_hathaway]

This is becoming more and more urgent, as I have Galleries that just look empty for about 30 seconds while the dots are marching, but the Users just think the App has hanged...

This was requested in January 2017.

It is now May 2022.

We've been waiting 4 and a half years for this.

Please @Audrie-MSFT  - any Update?

James.