Solving the People Picker Conundrum: Network Error When Using Patch Function

Are you tired of encountering the frustrating “Length must be between 0 and 100” error when using the People Picker control in Power Apps? You’re not alone! Many developers have stumbled upon this issue, but fear not, dear reader, for we’re about to embark on a journey to resolve this pesky problem once and for all.

What’s Causing the Error?

Before we dive into the solution, let’s understand what’s causing this error in the first place. When you use the People Picker control in Power Apps, it relies on Azure Active Directory (AAD) to authenticate and retrieve user information. The error “Length must be between 0 and 100” occurs when the People Picker tries to patch the user data, but encounters an issue with the network connection or the AAD configuration.

Common Scenarios Leading to the Error

• Slow or unstable network connection
• Incorrect Azure Active Directory (AAD) configuration
• Insufficient permissions or access rights
• Too many concurrent requests to the AAD service

Step-by-Step Solution to the Network Error

Now that we’ve identified the possible causes, let’s walk through a step-by-step solution to resolve the “Length must be between 0 and 100” error:

Step 1: Check Your Network Connection

Ensure you have a stable and fast network connection. A slow connection can cause the People Picker to timeout, resulting in the error. Try restarting your router, modem, or switching to a different network to isolate the issue.

Step 2: Verify AAD Configuration

Review your Azure Active Directory (AAD) configuration to ensure it’s set up correctly:

• Check that you have the correct tenant ID and client ID
• Verify that the AAD application has the necessary permissions (e.g., User.Read.All, User.ReadWrite.All)
• Ensure the AAD application is registered in the correct Azure subscription

You can check the AAD configuration in the Azure portal:

Azure Portal > Azure Active Directory > App registrations > Your App Registration

Step 3: Optimize People Picker Settings

Adjust the People Picker control settings to reduce the likelihood of errors:

• Set the SearchDelay property to a higher value (e.g., 500) to reduce the number of concurrent requests
• Enable the DisableSuggestion property to prevent the control from making excessive requests

Here’s an example of the optimized People Picker settings:

<PeoplePicker
  SearchDelay="500"
  DisableSuggestions="true"
  ...
>

Step 4: Implement Error Handling and Retry Logic

Implement error handling and retry logic to gracefully handle network errors:

• Use Try-Catch blocks to capture and handle errors
• Implement a retry mechanism with a reasonable delay (e.g., 5 seconds) to allow the network connection to recover

Here’s an example of error handling and retry logic in Power Apps:

Try(
  Patch(
    'MyTable',
    {
      'Id': TextInput1.Text,
      'User': PeoplePicker1.Selected
    }
  ),
  Error(
    "Error occurred: " & ErrorInfo.Message,
    RetryPatch('MyTable', TextInput1.Text, PeoplePicker1.Selected)
  )
)

RetryPatch(
  table as 'MyTable',
  id as Text,
  user as Record
) as Boolean
{
  Retry(
    5,
    Patch(
      table,
      {
        'Id': id,
        'User': user
      }
    )
  )
}

Step 5: Monitor and Analyze Network Traffic

Use tools like Fiddler or the Power Apps monitoring tools to analyze network traffic and identify potential issues:

• Monitor the network traffic to detect any patterns or anomalies
• Analyze the request and response headers to identify potential issues with the AAD service

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the “Length must be between 0 and 100” error when using the People Picker control in Power Apps.

Additional Tips and Best Practices

To further optimize your People Picker experience, consider the following tips and best practices:

Use Caching and Data Validation

Implement caching and data validation to reduce the number of requests to the AAD service:

• Cache frequently accessed user data to reduce the number of requests
• Validate user input data to prevent unnecessary requests

Optimize Data Retrieval

Optimize data retrieval by using efficient filtering and sorting techniques:

• Use filters to retrieve only the necessary data
• Implement sorting and paging to reduce the amount of data transferred

Maintain a Healthy AAD Configuration

• Monitor AAD service health and planned maintenance
• Update AAD application permissions and configuration as needed

By following these additional tips and best practices, you can further reduce the likelihood of errors and ensure a seamless People Picker experience for your users.

Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve explored the common causes of the “Length must be between 0 and 100” error when using the People Picker control in Power Apps. We’ve also walked through a step-by-step solution to resolve the issue, including optimizing People Picker settings, implementing error handling and retry logic, and monitoring network traffic. By following these instructions and best practices, you’ll be well on your way to providing a reliable and efficient People Picker experience for your users.

Scenario	Solution
Slow network connection	Check and optimize network connection, implement retry logic
Incorrect AAD configuration	Verify and correct AAD configuration, ensure necessary permissions
Insufficient permissions	Ensure necessary permissions and access rights, review AAD configuration
Too many concurrent requests	Implement caching, data validation, and efficient filtering and sorting

We hope this guide has been informative and helpful in resolving the “Length must be between 0 and 100” error. Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Question

Stuck with the “People picker: Network error when using Patch function: Length must be between 0 and 100” error? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!