Using search input in query

[Anonymous]

Hi all, 

we are developing a navigation table for our data warehouse. We have different repositories and each repository can have several thousand datasets. Right now we hard-coded, in the API call, a limit of X results lest loading is extremely slow or leads to a crash, which means we don't get to see all datasets. 

If we then type something in the search window, it simply filters results based on the expression entered, however, this is not piped through to the API call.

Is there an easy way I can have access to the contents of that field in my connector logic so that, if its not null or empty, I can use within my call to effectively pass the search criteria down to the API? We had an (optional searchExpression as text) => before the initial call to build the navigation table, but that only shows up once. 

A related question would be how to add additional input controls to the navigator panel to change other parameters

Thanks for any pointers in any of these directions.

[lbendlin]

For the most part Power BI is a one way street.  There are some rudimentary data write-back options in Power Query (via Value.NativeQuery or R scripts) but in the UI you are limited to the PowerApps visual. 

This means you cannot realistically use a user input from the UI to impact the query definition in Power Query.

One workaround would be to use a Direct Query connection. Doesn't sound like that is an option in your case though.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it's a matter of terminology but I don't want to write back to the UI, I simply want to get whatever is in the UI (in the particular context of the navigator for a custom connector) and process it as a normal parameter in one of my functions. If I can't use the default search field, then at least one should be able to add additional controls? To deny user input from the UI to adjust a query in this context renders the whole concept nearly useless. 

[lbendlin]

What you are describing is possible in Direct Query mode only. It is conceptually unsupported in Import mode.