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Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

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Posted on by PD96

Hi everyone.

I'm looking to maximise efficiency by reworking an existing flow. The section in particular that I am trying to replace uses a Get items -> Apply to each item -> Append to array variable approach. I have managed to improve other flows by replacing these sections with Get items -> Select -> Append to array variable, as this allows me to add everything I need to the array all at once, instead of one item at a time.

Below is my attempt at applying the Select approach to this particular flow:

We start with a simple Get items -> Select, to reformat the output of Get items while trying to avoid a silly Apply to each -> Append to array variable approach.

Note that I am trying to produce a nested output.

However, the output of the Select action insert unhelpful characters:

Now I can use a Compose action to remove incorrect characters using a few replace() functions.

This gives me something that looks exactly like the output I need. However, this output is now a string where I need an array.

Is there a way I can force Power Automate to treat this output as an array? Aside from the lack of line breaks, this string output looks identical to the array output that the existing flow produces,

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PD96 15 on at

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Re: Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

Thanks for the help @Sundeep_Malik, I promise I tried Parse JSON before giving up and coming to the forums, but as is often the case I just needed to take a step back and go step by step from the beginning to get things working 😁 Thanks also @abm for the help!
Sundeep_Malik 6,482 on at

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Re: Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

@abm
Oops just noticed those double quotes. Hehe.
abm abm 32,506 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Re: Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

Hi @PD96

The reason you are getting the "\" characters is because you have added double quotes around your Dynamic values (eg: ID & _metadata). Thats the default behaviour. Not sure why you want to remove these. You can still pass the output of the Select action step to a Parse JSON action step to iterate the values and that will output the values including the double quotes.

If you still want to use the compose and convert back to array what you need to do is. Extend the compose output to replace the '[' (Left) and ']' (Right) brackets. Then add a new compose action step, use the array() expression to convert back to an array.

Thanks
Sundeep_Malik 6,482 on at

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Re: Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

Hey @PD96
Do it like this:
You will not need to use replace then.

Firstly use a compose action, pass values of get items.
Save your flow, and run and test.
Then from the flow run only, copy the output you are getting in that compose.
Then come back to the flow.
Use parse json action.
use the output of above compose and paste the copied part in generate from sample.
After that use select to get the fields you want.

Output I am getting after select:
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Sundeep_Malik 6,482 on at

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Re: Problems with Select action output array inserting unwanted characters/Compose output not being an array

Hey @PD96
Try using parse JSON. It might help.