Can you use comma delimited values in a table cell?

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Posted on by Future_Vision

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I'm not really sure the correct terminology here but can you add comma delimited data in a record/column?

Here is what I am thinking. I have a list of marketing items. There is a record for each

Marketing Item

Banner

The second column indicates the type of content for each. So it would be something like this.

Marketing Item Content

email text, image, video

ad image, video

banner image

The reason I am asking if this is possible because I was thinking this might be an efficient way of creating cascading combo boxes. If the user chooses email then all three Content options would be available. If they chose banner then only the image option would be available. Is that possible or do I need a record/row for every combination?

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CNT 10,921 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Future_Vision You can definitely store comma delimited data. But rather than storing this information as text, it would be better if you have Choices of "text", "image", "video" and store those choices in your Content column. This way if you have more Contents in the future it will be easy to handle and also it will be easy for filtering data based on these choices. Hope that helps!

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@CNT
I'm not quite understanding. If I set up a column as Choices(which I can only do under Build in PowerApps for Teams) for some reason it is read only and I can't do anything with the column and Choices is not an option if I add the column by accessing the table through the app.

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RandyHayes 76,297 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Future_Vision

Yes, you can easily do this with a dropdown/combobox

For the first - the Items would be along this line - yourList

You would display the Marketing Item in the dropdown.

For the second - the Items would be such as this : Split(firstCombobox.Selected.Content, ",")

That should give you what you are looking for.

I hope this is helpful for you.

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@RandyHayes
I think I need to switch this up. It's not doing exactly what I want to do. What if Marketing Item was its own combo box and Content was a separate combo box? Of course I would need to update the Content data source. It would need a lookup column right?

Here is what I would have.

Marketing Item (combo box)
email
ad
banner

Content Marketing Item (second combo box, 2 columns
text email
image email,ad,banner
video email,ad

If they chose email in the first combo box then the second one will have all three content values. If they chose ad then only image and video would be available. Is that a better way to do this?

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@RandyHayes
This seems to work.

The Marketing Item list is set up this way:

Marketing Item (1st combo box)
email
ad
banner

The Content combobox datasource looks like this:

Content Marketing Item (2nd combo box, datasource with 2 columns)
text email
image email,ad,banner
video email,ad

Then for items in the Content combobox I did this.

Filter(Content,MarketingItem_CB.Selected.crfeb_marketingitem in crfeb_marketingitem)

This seems to filter that second combobox correctly. See any issues with this?

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RandyHayes 76,297 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Future_Vision

Sorry I dropped off on this thread. I have a new system in place now to keep track better (PowerApps based of course 😁 )

I always like making a separate list for controlling content like that. Although these datasources give you a place for choices and options, for true flexibility, using a list that you can directly control from your app is even better.

So, based on that, is the formula you have working as you want?

The original formula I provided would also do what you need, but it would be reliant on the values in the marketing values.

If you're dealing with smaller amounts of choices (like only the three or so that you show) then I tend NOT to have the separate list as it is more overhead that is not needed. But any other situation where there is more and needs more management (in my app), then the separate list is good.

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@RandyHayes
Can you give me a little more information on how to use/make these lists? Is this some type of mapping file? Maybe an Excel file or something along those lines?

What I have now mostly works as long as my choice in one field has a corresponding mapping in the other otherwise my list is blank which is probably a simple fix.

I think this might also play into another piece of the app I just started working on and you alluded too. This would be an admin center where I can manage all of my data sources. It would allow me to add, delete or edit each one.

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@RandyHayes
Still doing a little digging on this. Are the lists you are talking about SharePoint lists or built in the Lists app in Teams? Just trying to get my head wrapped around this.

In this document it seems to imply that I have a datasource for each combobox I want to 'link' and then a separate datasource that maps the two together? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/canvas-apps/dependent-drop-down-lists%C2%A0

"As a best practice, create a data source for the values in the "parent" and "child" lists (for example, countries/regions and cities) that's separate from the data source that users update by using the app. If you take this approach, you can use the same parent and child data in more than one app, and you can update that data without republishing the app or apps that use them. You can accomplish the same outcome by using a collection or static data, but it isn't recommended for enterprise scenarios."

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Future_Vision 634 on at

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@Randy @CNT
Should I start a new thread for this? It seems these help threads die/stop receiving answers after a certain number of posts.

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RandyHayes 76,297 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Future_Vision

Actually, I am now tracking these aggressively on my side and I have it on my list still. But, I have been swamped for the past week and have been behind on responses - so it's my fault this time.

So, yes a separate list would be what I am referring to. I find it easier to keep and maintain these directly in a SharePoint list, but you can use whatever is most convenient.

The document you reference is a good one from the perspective that they explain how to use the Allowed Values control type.

But I am not getting from your posts what part you are having a hard time with. Where are you struggling in the concept? Is there anything specific that you are trying to get your head around?

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