How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

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Posted on 5 Jul 2024 13:48:09 by maxon

Hi,

I have the following problem with my flow. Namely, I have a variable 'sourceData' of type array based on which I group the data into an object variable 'groupedData' based on one column 'Service'. This works fine, as a result I get a variable containing data in the following format:

{
 "body": {
 "name": "groupedData",
 "value": {
 "Digital Private": [
 {
 "@odata.etag": "",
 "ItemInternalId": "c2e3b85b",
 "Number": "31266",
 "Service": "Digital Private",
 "Approval": "2024-05-07T07:57:37.000Z",
 "State": "Closed"
 }
 ],
 "Trading": [
 {
 "@odata.etag": "",
 "ItemInternalId": "9d967542",
 "Number": "29756",
 "Service": "Trading",
 "Approval": "2024-05-16T15:15:17.000Z",
 "State": "Closed",
 },
 {
 "@odata.etag": "",
 "ItemInternalId": "6b1b6998",
 "Number": "31519",
 "Service": "Trading",
 "Approval": "2024-05-06T13:02:21.000Z",
 "State": "Closed"
 }
 ],
 "Digital Guide": [
 {
 "@odata.etag": "",
 "ItemInternalId": "89a40159",
 "Number": "31585",
 "Service": "Digital Guide",
 "Approval set": "2024-05-01T10:26:17.000Z",
 "State": "Closed"
 }
 ]
 }
 ]
 }

In the next step, out of each group (Digital Private, Trading, Digital Guide etc., I need to take one random record and create a 'finalData' variable of type array, which I will use later.

I have no idea how to do that, I were trying with using keys(), but I have an error
"The variable 'keysArray' of type 'Array' cannot be initialized or updated with value of type 'String'. The variable 'keysArray' only supports values of types 'Array'."

I have already lost my ideas.

Thank you in advance for help!

Max

Categories:

Business Process Flows

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maxon 25 on 24 Jul 2024 at 07:06:16

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How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

Hi,

Thank you CassioM & Chriddle, its working, I had to only add the step to parse JSON before select nodes.

Thanks!

Max
CassioM 13 on 08 Jul 2024 at 12:23:48

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Re: How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

A solution without an apply to each loop is always a better solution.
Nicely done!
Chriddle 7,932 Super User 2025 Season 2 on 06 Jul 2024 at 09:53:36

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Re: How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

I also fiddled around with this 😉

Getting the keys is already shown by @CassioM

Compose (Your JSON sanitized)

Spoiler (Highlight to read)
{ "body": { "name": "groupedData", "value": { "Digital Private": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "c2e3b85b", "Number": "31266", "Service": "Digital Private", "Approval": "2024-05-07T07:57:37.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ], "Trading": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "9d967542", "Number": "29756", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-16T15:15:17.000Z", "State": "Closed" }, { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "6b1b6998", "Number": "31519", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-06T13:02:21.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ], "Digital Guide": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "89a40159", "Number": "31585", "Service": "Digital Guide", "Approval set": "2024-05-01T10:26:17.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ] } } }
{ "body": { "name": "groupedData", "value": { "Digital Private": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "c2e3b85b", "Number": "31266", "Service": "Digital Private", "Approval": "2024-05-07T07:57:37.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ], "Trading": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "9d967542", "Number": "29756", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-16T15:15:17.000Z", "State": "Closed" }, { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "6b1b6998", "Number": "31519", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-06T13:02:21.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ], "Digital Guide": [ { "@@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "89a40159", "Number": "31585", "Service": "Digital Guide", "Approval set": "2024-05-01T10:26:17.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ] } } }

Select

From: ["Digital Private", "Trading", "Digital Guide"]

Map:

outputs('Compose')['body/value'][item()][ rand( 0, length( outputs('Compose')['body/value'][item()] ) ) ]

Result:

[ { "@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "c2e3b85b", "Number": "31266", "Service": "Digital Private", "Approval": "2024-05-07T07:57:37.000Z", "State": "Closed" }, { "@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "6b1b6998", "Number": "31519", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-06T13:02:21.000Z", "State": "Closed" }, { "@odata.etag": "", "ItemInternalId": "89a40159", "Number": "31585", "Service": "Digital Guide", "Approval set": "2024-05-01T10:26:17.000Z", "State": "Closed" } ]
CassioM 13 on 05 Jul 2024 at 16:48:21

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Re: How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

I guess this is what you need:

Select Nodes From:
xpath( xml(json(concat('{"Root":', variables('varSourceData')['body/value'], '}'))), '/Root/*' )
Select Nodes Map:
xpath( item(), 'name(/*)' )
(Amazing reference from @Chriddle - Solved: Re: array of keys() and array values() expression ... - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com))

Inputs:
union(body('Select_nodes'), body('Select_nodes'))

node Inputs:
replace(item(), '_x0020_', ' ')
rand inputs:
rand(0, sub(length(variables('varSourceData')['body/value'][outputs('node')]), 1))
Append to array variable Value:
variables('varSourceData')['body/value'][outputs('node')][outputs('rand')]

This is the final result:
[ { "ItemInternalId": "c2e3b85b", "Number": "31266", "Service": "Digital Private", "Approval": "2024-05-07T07:57:37.000Z", "State": "Closed", "@odata.etag": "" }, { "ItemInternalId": "9d967542", "Number": "29756", "Service": "Trading", "Approval": "2024-05-16T15:15:17.000Z", "State": "Closed", "@odata.etag": "" }, { "ItemInternalId": "89a40159", "Number": "31585", "Service": "Digital Guide", "Approval set": "2024-05-01T10:26:17.000Z", "State": "Closed", "@odata.etag": "" } ]
David_MA 11,841 Super User 2025 Season 2 on 05 Jul 2024 at 16:40:52

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Re: How to loop through object variable to get random records and populate them to an array

I am not the best at this and I always struggle with the expressions, but are you familiar with how to get one of the values out of your array using expressions such as: outputs('Get_items')?['body/value'][2][outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/YourColumnInternalName']]

If so, then you know the [2] would represent the third item in your array. To get a random item use the rand expression and set the minimum value to 0, since 0 represents the first item in the array. For the max value of the of rand, use the length expression to get how many items are in the array and subtract 1 to account for the first item starting at zero. The expression would be something like this: rand(0, length(variables('myArray')) - 1) that you can set in an integer variable.

Then use the variable in place of the 2 in [2] to return a random item from the array.