Rest API calls with PowerApps

Question

I am playing around with Microsoft PowerApps and Microsoft Flow. I am trying to figure out how to make API calls from PowerApps and return the results(Status and Body) to a field such as a text box in my app.

I can make the HTTP requests through Flow and put them in a static file such as an excel spreadsheet...etc. I can also make the calls from a PowerApps control such as a button but all I know how to do with it is return it to something like an excel file, when really I want to return it to a Text Box or Text Area.

Answer 1

It is relatively straightforward to visualize API (JSON) responses using a PowerApps Gallery Control.

Do this:

1. Ensure the Flow has the correct JSON response before proceeding
2. Add ClearCollect(colResponse, myFlow.apiRequest()) Function to a Button Control in the PowerApp
3. Execute the API call (click the button)
4. Inspect colResponse (View/Collections) to ensure it has content
5. Insert a blank Gallery Control
6. Set its Items Property to colResponse
7. Insert a TextBox Control into the Gallery
8. Set its Text Property to ThisItem.<someColumn>

Depending on the shape of your JSON response (flat or nested table), you may have to do some wrangling.

There are 3 areas to focus your wrangling:

1. On the ClearCollect Function.

   a. Add some dot notation to the end of this to "dig" into the API response before it hits the Gallery Control

   b. Example: ClearCollect(colResponse, myFlow.apiRequest()).someColumn

2. On the Gallery Control Items Property

   a. Add some dot notation to the end of colResponse to "dig" into the Collection

   b. Example: colResponse.someColumn

3. On the TextBox Control within the Gallery

   a. Add the First() Function to the Text Property

   b. Example: `First(ThisItem.someColumn).someColumn2'

   c. Note: There are some JSON schemas that require MULTIPLE First()'s to "dig" into the correct level. `First(First(ThisItem.someColumn).someColumn2).someColumn3' etc.

See this video for tips on visualizing API responses in PowerApps Galleries.