Comprehensive Guide to Power Apps Screen Components

by HubSite 365 about Terho Antila [MVP]

Low-Code Center of Excellence Lead at Fortum | Microsoft MVP

Citizen DeveloperPower Apps

Unlock user-friendly functionality with our new Power Apps component: Screen Guides - perfect for complex apps. MIT licensed use.

Introducing the Screen Guides Component for PowerApps

Operating canvas applications can sometimes lead to perplexing situations due to their inherent complexity. It can be difficult for users to locate specific functionalities or to be aware of what features are available. Moreover, providing assistance to end-users in such circumstances can be cumbersome. MVP Terho Antila has concocted a solution for this, in the form of a new component that facilitates user guidance.

This component, part of the remarkable PowerApps suite, can be freely downloaded from Terho Antila's newly-established repository. The uniqueness of this offering lies in its overarching applicability, courtesy of the universal MIT license under which it is published. Consequently, developers are free to modify the component as they deem fit, aligning it with their user-centric strategy.

The repository enshrines an array of folders, with each one hosting a separate canvas component. The overall structure has been devised to facilitate effortless integration of components into any application. Targeted instructions pertaining to component import can be found within the README file at the repository's apex. At present, only one component has been uploaded to the repository: Screen Guides.

The Screen Guides Component Overview and Integration

Screen Guides, the inaugural offering from Antila's repository, introduces a simple and elegant solution to embed instructive text blocks in your applications. Consequentially, users can access in-situ help within the tool. A rudimentary application utilizing Screen Guides forms the crux of the attached demo. Comprising merely of one image interspersed with buttons and the Screen Guides component, this sample portrays the sheer simplicity of usage.

Once the component has been installed onto your device, it can be seamlessly integrated into any canvas app by using PowerApps studio features. Following this, developers can head back to the Screens tab to commence utilizing the newly-integrated tool.

Usage Flow of the PowerApps Component

Upon placement of the data blocks, these will cover the same spatial area as the component. Hence, developers might want to ensure that the spatial layouts of the two are identical. Following successful implementation of the component, it is time to generate the heuristics for information text blocks.

The component relies on a Table input property value to discern what it should display, the location of this display, and the sequence of operations. This property value is conventionally provided in the component's Targets property. Typically, this sequence is either defined in the screen's OnVisible attribute, or it is assembled in real-time based on dynamic user interactions.

Finally, with an understanding of these components, developers are equipped to generate their guides. Furthermore, acquiring the exact coordinates positioning text blocks can be efficiently handled via PowerFx. Armed with this auxiliary tool, developers can precisely finetune their user experience mapping.

Encouraging Developer's Participation

Antila encourages users to download the component and provide feedback. Further, he expressed his eagerness to learn about the community's ideas to develop this even more or to learn what other components they think might be needed. Antila points out that users shouldn't be wary about leaving comments or reporting an issue on GitHub.

For more detailed information about this new Power Apps component, you can check out this link.

Potential Impact of Screen Guides

This PowerApps component could potentially revolutionize how developers design applications and how users navigate these applications. By having the freedom to include instructive text blocks directly in the application, developers provide real-time assistance to users who might otherwise struggle with complex interfaces. This can result in improved productivity and a better overall user experience.

In a broader sense, it showcases the capability of PowerApps as a development platform. Developers can design such custom components that specifically cater to the unique needs of their user base. This adaptable, user-centered design principle can be a key differentiator for businesses that rely heavily on custom-built applications.

Read the full article Screen Guides component for Power Apps

Power Apps - Comprehensive Guide to Power Apps Screen Components

Learn about Screen Guides component for Power Apps

As you delve into the realm of Microsoft's Power Apps, you might begin to realize that these canvas apps can become rather intricate, wreaking havoc on unassuming users. What do you do when your team is ready to tear their hair out, unable to locate specific functionalities or features? This is where the component called Screen Guides steps in, a lifeline that simplifies the user experience.

A Screen Guides component allows you to overlay instructive text blocks within your app. But before we dive into the deep end, you can head over to GitHub where you can download this helpful tool. MIT license governs the usage of this particular component. To streamline your navigation process, the repository is organized into separate folders, each containing a solitary component relevant to Power Apps.

A README file serves as your guiding beacon, offering step-by-step instructions on importing the relevant component. Presently, Screen Guides is the only component available.

Overview

The Screen Guides component bolsters user navigation by enabling you to add instructional text block overlays within your app. The working process of this component is displayed in the form of a short informative video. Take a look to get a hand of it.

Using the Component in Your App

The utilization of the Screen Guides component involves a simple process. Once it's downloaded onto your workstation, you can import it into your canvas app without a hitch. Should you encounter any trouble along the way, there's a handy screenshot guiding you through the procedure.

Implementing the Component into Your App

Instructions blocks should only be placed over the area covered by the component, which is why you need to adjust the component to cover your full screen size. This is aptly demonstrated in the screenshot provided in the original blog post.

Practical Implementation in a Demo App

Step 1: Adding the Component and Adjusting Its Size
Step 2: Initializing Your Information Text Blocks Collection

The Screen Guides' components reads a Table input property which you're required to provide in the component's Targets property. Phew! Okay, taking a step back - let's make it simpler. Essentially, the Screen Guides component needs to know what text should be shown, where it should be displayed and in what order. To get this working, you're expected to give the command, so to speak through specific properties as discussed in the original blog post.

Coordinate Assistance

The coordinate values for different text blocks can be a real brain teaser - but don't sweat over it. There are various ways to derive these, including a trial and error method, extracting from actual object coordinates and using sliders for the perfect fit.

Get Started

Does the prospect of facilitating your team with this handy tool entice you? Why wait then - head over to GitHub to download the requisite msapp file and start making the life of your team a tad bit easier! We really appreciate any reviews and feedback you can provide on GitHub's issue page or blog post comments.

Keywords

Screen Guides Component, Power Apps, Power Apps Component, Power Apps Screen Guides, Screen Component Guides, Component for Power Apps, Power Apps Guide, Power Apps User Guide, Power Apps Screen Component, Power Apps Tools

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