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Hidden Modern Form Control not posting default selected item.

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Posted on by SW-06050728-0

Hey everyone, just something that I've picked up recently building an app with modern form controls.

My use case is to allow a person to submit a form where a DV relationship has been defined to explain it more clearly, I have a Plan (Table: Plan) and I have Business Processes (Table: Business_Processes).

Plans relate to Business Processes but to be able to create a business process one needs to select a plan first. Now that works fine but I don't want the user to see the Plan they have selected on the Business Process form as they cannot change it anyways, but I need to submit it with the form. So, what I do is make the Plan selected on the previous screen as the default selected plan the Combo box control in my business process form but when I submit my form it submits without the value. bear in mind that this works on Classic forms and I have tested that it works. I also noticed that only when I make the control visible the default selection loads.

The workaround on this is to Patch on the Last submit once the form has been submitted but I don't think that it should be that difficult to just post the hidden control as it has a value in it already.

Has anybody had this happen to them? Is it a bug in modern forms?

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SW-06050728-0 6 on at

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Hidden Form Control not posting default selected item

Hey @Michael E. Gernaey,

Thank you for providing me with this answer, I think this is better than doing an additional patch, and I agree in certain cases it would make sense to show something like that, but in our use case the only way one would be able to add business processes is by selecting a plan ( we also display the plan they are working on in the header :-) ).

I do however believe that this needs to be a choice that the developer should make at the end of the day, removing existing (valuable) functionality is a wrong move from their part.

Also, with regards to view only property, it still enables a sense of illusion that one can make edits on the form if it is in View Only mode as it still adds focus on the control input once selected except its gray.

I guess in my opinion modern forms should stil be in Preview.

Thank you again for the solution!
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Michael E. Gernaey 44,064 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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Hidden Form Control not posting default selected item

HI @SW-06050728-0

++++ to what @WarrenBelz said... the modern controls still make me cry most of the time.

By default, modern controls do not load or get created in this way on purpose. There is actually a feature that stops controls from being created (which means it wouldn't even exist if its invisible), its my understanding that Modern controls have this enabled by default and is most likely the reason.

I do realize you don't want them to change it, if I may make a different approach suggestion.

From a user experience perspective, I believe it makes sense for them to see (not change) but see the Plan, as its about visibility into what is happening. You can simply put it in View Mode (not disabled) or there are other options, but this is more about proper user experience. It's that or, what you can do is pass the value from Screen 1 (the Plan) to Screen 2, via a Navigation property.

Here is my primary suggestion :-)

Set the control to visible

Set the size to 1 pixel by 1 pixel (unlock the datacard if thats what its in) or just the combobox.

Then shove it in a corner, or underneath another control in the Z order

That way you can use the modern control, if you truly just dont want to show it, and have it work :-)

If this helps resolve your issue please Mark as such and maybe a like.

Thanks!
WarrenBelz 148,602 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Hidden Form Control not posting default selected item

Hi @SW-06050728-0,

There are still bugs in many Modern controls and you seem to have found another one. If you have an effective workaround, then that is good.