Allow to pass an array to a child flow

[testasdfasfsafa]

It's frustrating that we can't pass a simple array to a child flow.  Please allow such data to be passed without having to convert to string and rebuild an array in the child flow.

[CFernandes]

Hey @Mate @testasdfasfsafa 

True, as of now the recipe is to Convert array to string -> Parent Flow -> 

string(variables('ArrVar'))

In Child Flow -> Convert string to array -> 

split(triggerBody()['text'],',') 

Personally - I think Microsoft should allow array variables in child Flow - I have created an Idea at - 

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Ideas/Allow-to-pass-an-array-to-a-Child-Flow/idi-...

In future if you have any awesome idea please submit it at https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Ideas/idb-p/MPAIdeas 

Please Vote - Up.

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[AlexLindberg]

I have the same issue.  One suggested solution was to use string(array_data) in the parent flow then use split(passed_string, ',') in the child flow. This did not work for me.

Example - Source Array:

[
  {
    "Title": "Title Line 11",
    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 1 xxxx",
    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 12345
  },
  {
    "Title": "Title Line 2",
    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 21 yyy",
    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 545331
  },
  {
    "Title": "Title Line 3",
    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 3 zzzz",
    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 44.55
  },
  {
    "Title": "This is a new line",
    "Field_x0020_1": "Updated Row abcd",
    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 1112233
  }
]

The result of string()

[{"Title":"Title Line 11","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 1 xxxx","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":12345},{"Title":"Title Line 2","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 21 yyy","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":545331},{"Title":"Title Line 3","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 3 zzzz","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":44.55},{"Title":"This is a new line","Field_x0020_1":"Updated Row abcd","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":1112233}]

So far so go.

This data then looks like this when passed to the child flow as text:

[{"Title":"Title Line 11","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 1 xxxx","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":12345},{"Title":"Title Line 2","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 21 yyy","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":545331},{"Title":"Title Line 3","Field_x0020_1":"Text Field 3 zzzz","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":44.55},{"Title":"This is a new line","Field_x0020_1":"Updated Row abcd","Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2":1112233}]

Still good.

Now split(string data,',')

[
  "[{\"Title\":\"Title Line 11\"",
  "\"Field_x0020_1\":\"Text Field 1 xxxx\"",
  "\"Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2\":12345}",
  "{\"Title\":\"Title Line 2\"",
  "\"Field_x0020_1\":\"Text Field 21 yyy\"",
  "\"Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2\":545331}",
  "{\"Title\":\"Title Line 3\"",
  "\"Field_x0020_1\":\"Text Field 3 zzzz\"",
  "\"Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2\":44.55}",
  "{\"Title\":\"This is a new line\"",
  "\"Field_x0020_1\":\"Updated Row abcd\"",
  "\"Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2\":1112233}]"
]

Yep - Not so good...

The same data when the parent flow - base64(string(DataToPass)) then child flow json(base64tostring(passed_Data)).  - Suggestion found in Reddit  posed by https://www.reddit.com/user/ItsOtisTime/

String passed to child flow:

"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"

String received in child flow:

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

Decoded string in child flow (as seen in a variable)

{
    "variables": [
        {
            "name": "v_SourceDataArray",
            "type": "Array",
            "value": [
                {
                    "Title": "Title Line 11",
                    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 1 xxxx",
                    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 12345
                },
                {
                    "Title": "Title Line 2",
                    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 21 yyy",
                    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 545331
                },
                {
                    "Title": "Title Line 3",
                    "Field_x0020_1": "Text Field 3 zzzz",
                    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 44.55
                },
                {
                    "Title": "This is a new line",
                    "Field_x0020_1": "Updated Row abcd",
                    "Number_x0020_Field_x0020_2": 1112233
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

 Success!!!

[Chriddle]

Just use functions string() and json() to convert objects or arrays to a (JSON) string and back to an object.

[jogram]

Explain

[AlexLindberg]

I tried to write a parent/child flow in which the parent passed a JSON array to be used in a select to build an HTTP body.  There are two issues, 

1) only strings are acceptable as a variable type (there  are ways to fix this)

2) I can seem to pass dynamic values like @{item()?['Title']}. The intent is to have the child's select statement use the passed JSON array.

[jogram]

I think I'm just going to take the logic out of my child flow. 

Low code rapid application development my big toe!

[Chriddle]

OK, an example:

Left side: the parent flow

The Select creates an array of objects.

The "Run a Child Flow"s input takes this object and stringifies it:

string(body('Select'))

Right side: the child flow

The Compose's input:

json(triggerBody()['text'])

The flow runs look like this:

As you can see in the child flow's Compose, the array of objects is transferred to the child flow.

[jogram]

Can it then be cast to the type Array?

[Chriddle]

That's basically my example 😉

[jogram]

That's a String formatted like an Array. I need an object of type Array.

[AlexLindberg]

There are several ways to pass an object from Parent to Child.  The issue is when that object in the parent needs to pass a dynamic variable that must be resolved in the child.

As an example: The child is created to do an HTTP SharePoint request.  The body of the HTTP widget is created in a Select such as:

The Select's from field is: @{body('ArrayOfAccountsToBeUpdated')} 

The JSON for the MAP is:

{
    "__metadata": @{json(concat('{"type":"SP.Data.', replace(replace(outputs('SettingsCDRAccounts')['listName'], ' ', '_x0020_'),'-',''), 'ListItem"}'))},
    "ID": @{xpath(xml(outputs('XMLSPArray-CDR-Accounts')),concat('string(//Array[Title/text()="', item()['Id'],'"]/ID/text())'))},
    "Title": @{item()?['Id']},
    "LastModifiedDate": @{item()?['LastModifiedDate']},
    "AccountName": @{item()?['Name']},
    "AccountTheater": @{item()?['Theater__c']},
    "AccountRegion": @{item()?['Operation_Region__c']},
    "AccountArea": @{item()?['Area__c']},
    "AccountNumber": @{item()?['Account_Number__c']},
    "": ""
}

 This example is based on Batch Update, Create, and Upsert SharePoint Lists by @takolota. Much faster than the standard SharePoint Update and Insert applets. 

I need to pass the JSON used by the Select object from the parent to the child.  The issue is that the "from" data is only available to the child, not the parent.  Thus the dynamic functions will not resolve in the parent hence it can't be passed to the child.

It has been suggested that you can pass the dynamic variables as strings to delay their resolution, but I have not yet accomplished it.

[Chriddle]

That's a String formatted like an Array.

No!

The function json() converts the string back to an array of objects.

[jogram]

Okay, wow. Please append it to an Array variable.

[jogram]

Which won't do me any good anyway. I hate PA. You're blocked.

[Chriddle]

You're welcome 😉