environment-variables

name	environment-variables
description	Use when: wiring Dataverse environment variables into a Power Apps Code App, asking for schema names, updating power.config.json table references, or reading values with getEnvironmentVariable from codeapp.js.

Environment Variables Guide

Agent limitation: do not create maker-portal environment variables from chat. The user creates them; the app only reads them.

Workflow

1. Ask the user for the exact schema names that already exist in the maker portal.
2. Read power.config.json before editing it.
3. Add the two Dataverse tables used by environment variables.
4. Wire getEnvironmentVariable(...) into the app startup code.

power.config.json

Add both tables under databaseReferences.default.cds.dataSources.

{
  "databaseReferences": {
    "default.cds": {
      "dataSources": {
        "environmentvariabledefinitions": {
          "entitySetName": "environmentvariabledefinitions",
          "logicalName": "environmentvariabledefinition",
          "isHidden": false
        },
        "environmentvariablevalues": {
          "entitySetName": "environmentvariablevalues",
          "logicalName": "environmentvariablevalue",
          "isHidden": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Do not add a custom environmentVariables key to power.config.json.

Helper Surface

The repo reads environment variables through getEnvironmentVariable(...) in codeapp.js / codeapp-helper.js.

There is no separate environmentVar.js helper in dev files/.

If the app already uses initDataSources(...), add both environment-variable tables there.

import { initDataSources, getEnvironmentVariable } from './codeapp.js';

function dsEntry(sPrimaryKey) {
  return { tableId: '', version: '', primaryKey: sPrimaryKey, dataSourceType: 'Dataverse', apis: {} };
}

initDataSources({
  environmentvariabledefinitions: dsEntry('environmentvariabledefinitionid'),
  environmentvariablevalues: dsEntry('environmentvariablevalueid')
});

If the app does not use initDataSources(...), register both tables before the first getEnvironmentVariable(...) call.

Value Formats

• Text, number, and boolean variables come back as strings.
• Data Source variables come back as JSON strings and must be parsed.

const sSiteJson = await getEnvironmentVariable('wd_sharepointsite');
const oSite = JSON.parse(sSiteJson);
const sSiteUrl = oSite.SiteUrl;

Summary Rules

• Ask for schema names; do not invent them.
• Keep the env-var tables in the same Dataverse table setup as the rest of the app.
• Import getEnvironmentVariable(...) from ./codeapp.js.
• Parse Data Source values before using them.

Common Failures

• Data source not found ... environmentvariabledefinitions: the two Dataverse tables are missing from power.config.json or the helper registration.
• Environment variable not found: xyz: the schema name is wrong or missing in Dataverse.
• Empty string: neither a current value nor a default value exists.