Dropdown items using a collection instead of a list

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Posted on by heshan_pandit

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HI there

I have a SharePoint list and a app designed around it.

I am able to create a dropdown in the app and use the Choices(<mySPlist>,<column name>) to get the choices for my dropdown list.

However, I have created a collection specifically for the app using the SPlist. For now the collection is called "testlist"

When I try to use the collection in the choices command / function (in the items() field of the dropdown) it errors. The items field is thus -

Choices(testlist.'Performed by')

I have even tried the column name in list settings (which is Performedby)

Choices(testlist.Performedby)

The error message states "The function choices has some invalid arguments".

I found some community solutions where "Distinct" was used.

It looks like this in the items box

Distinct(testlist.'Performed by')

The error now says

"Expected a different collection record structure. The property on this control expects an aggregate type with a collection of a specific structure. The structures do not match"

I can continue by using the SPlist directly, but would rather use my collection

Any ideas?

Heshan

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heshan_pandit 115 on at

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I thought I had solved it by finding this.....

1. I created the dropdown
2. in the right hand menu, I found the items section in the properties pane (and also the advanced pane)
3. In the items box I chose my collection
4. in the value box I chose my column

However, the "performed by" column is not an option in the value box. The 'performed by' column is a CHOICE column on the SP list so does that make a difference?

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,968 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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Hi

The issue is you are using a Collection. A Collection is a Table, not a record.

So when you typed this, Choices(testlist.Performedby), its treating testlist as a Variable/Object/Single thing versus a collection. Think of collection as an Array and you cannot type the ArrayName.Field you would type ArrayName[Index].Field. Collections don't directly support the [ ] notation, but it's indirectly supported in the examples below.

Accessing a Value(column) in a collection, requires that you get Access to an Index(Pointer) to the Row you mean.

Imagine that your Collection has 5 rows in it. Here is how you would access it
To access any part of it you have to do one of these options
1. First(testList.PerformedBy) in which case First returns back the First Row/Record in the Collection
2. Last(testList.PerformedBy)
3. Use LookUp to find the record you want. Imagine you have a unique column
LookUp(testlist, ColumnUnique=12233).PerformedBy

4. Or you can use the index function
Index(testlist, 4) where 4 is the index/orginal position in the Array (collection)

Cheers
If you like my answer, please Mark it as Resolved, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others
Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

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heshan_pandit 115 on at

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Thanks

From what you have said, then creating a dropdown list using the choices from a choice SPlist column is not possible when referencing a collection. I have to reference the SPlist in the dropdown items section.

Heshan

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,968 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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Hello,

What I said was that you are referencing the Properties of your collection wrong.
1. You are referencing a Collection itself incorrectly and therefor what you typed doesn't work

But the way you were describing your scenario is that its a Create scenario, where you want to display the List of Possible Choice options, versus Showing the current Records Selected Choice Values.

If its the former, you should use the SPList directly. If you want it to act like a collection that you can patch back later then access it directly.

If you want to display and or update a record you have selected, or loaded into a collection. Then you can use the collection, but realize its NOT a Choice when its in a collection, not the same as when you access the Choice from the SPlist.

So it depends what you are trying to do. But either way you were access it wrong, which is why you got the errors to begin with.

Cheers
If you like my answer, please Mark it as Resolved, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others
Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

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