Microsoft releases 6 additional modern controls in Canvas in Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps has introduced six additional modern controls for Canvas apps, now generally available. These new controls, including text input, number input, and date picker, make app development more seamless and user-friendly. With enhanced customization options and intuitive design, building powerful, efficient apps has never been easier.

Here's what's new:

- Text Control: Display text, messages, or key information with customizable properties like text, size, and font color.

- Text Input Control: Allow users to input data seamlessly with features like Value, Mode, and Validation State.

- Number Input: Enable number selection through typing or arrow controls for a smooth user experience.

- Combo Box: Provide users with single or multi-select options from a collection of items.

- Date Picker: Ensure accurate date selection with customizable properties like Format, ValidationState, and OnChange.

- Form Control: Configure a Display form control to present all fields within a record efficiently.

TMDL view in Power BI Desktop is now available in preview mode

Power BI has introduced the TMDL view in preview for Power BI Desktop, offering an exciting new way to work with Tabular Model Definition Language (TMDL). This feature enables users to script, modify, and apply changes directly using TMDL, providing a powerful, code-based alternative for semantic modeling.

How to use this feature:

- Enable it in seconds: Go to File > Options and Settings > Options > Preview Features > Check "TMDL View."

- Effortless metadata management: Reuse Power Query expressions and configure strings seamlessly.

- Code smarter, not harder: Enjoy semantic highlighting, error diagnostics, autocomplete, and more!

- Customize everything: Modify perspectives, translations, and semantic model properties directly in Power BI Desktop.

- Collaborate like a pro: Share and reuse TMDL scripts with ease.

Power Apps enhances ERD table designer to visualize and manage existing tables

Discover how to seamlessly work with existing tables in Power Apps using the enhanced data workspace. This update introduces an improved ERD table designer, making it easier to visualize, edit, and manage tables within your apps.

How to use the enhanced ERD table designer:

- Streamlined table comparison: Easily review existing and new tables side-by-side in the updated ERD table designer.

- Build data model with existing tables: Add existing tables to your workspace manually or leverage Copilot's intelligent recommendations.

- Managed existing tables in the enhanced ERD view: View column details, toggle column visibility, and manage table relationships directly in the improved ERD view.

- Limitations: Existing tables can be added in read-only mode, with editing enabled in a separate tab.

- Global language support: This update, along with other data workspace features, is now available in 20 languages across the globe.

Power Apps released deployment pages for admins and makers in preview mode

Microsoft Power Apps has introduced Maker and Admin Deployment Pages, streamlining app deployment for both creators and administrators. These new pages provide a centralized, user-friendly experience to monitor, configure, and manage app deployment processes efficiently.

Discover the benefits of deployment pages:

For Makers

- Centralized View: Access all deployments in one place, across solutions and pipelines.

- Quick Status Highlights: Easily spot Failed and Active Deployments.

For Admins

- Unified Hub: View all tenant deployments, approve requests, and troubleshoot issues.

- Focused Troubleshooting: Quickly identify and resolve failures with the Failed Deployments view.

Power BI January 2025 updates

Power BI introduces its latest updates this January 2025, designed to enhance users' data exploration experiences. These updates include exciting new features in Copilot and AI, Reporting, Modeling, Visualization, and Certification. With these innovations, users can unlock deeper insights and streamline their analytics like never before.

Here are some of the new updates:

Copilot and AI: Simplify data exploration with Copilot, which now offers suggested questions from standard prompts to help you uncover insights effortlessly.

Reporting: The Power BI Desktop file picker has been updated, making it easier to access recent files, OneDrive, and SharePoint locations seamlessly.

Modeling: A public preview of semantic model version history is now available, empowering self-service users to recover from critical mistakes while editing semantic models.

Visualizations: New tools like the Drill Down Scatter Pro, Lollipop Chart, and more are here to elevate your reporting visuals.

Certification: The Fabric Data Engineer Certification (DP-700) is now generally available, offering professionals an opportunity to showcase their expertise.

Power BI Desktop file picker has been enhanced for easier file navigation

Microsoft has introduced the public preview of an updated file picker for saving Power BI reports directly to OneDrive and SharePoint. This enhancement simplifies file management, offering a more seamless way to organize and collaborate on Power BI content. Explore how this update boosts productivity and streamlines workflows.

Benefits of using the enhanced Power BI Desktop file picker:

• Streamlined file access: Quickly switch between recent files, OneDrive, and SharePoint via the updated Open button in Power BI backstage.

• Improved organization: Pin and unpin files or folders directly from OneDrive and SharePoint for faster access.

• Easy setup: Enable the feature by navigating to File Menu > Options and Settings > Options > Preview Features. Check "Show the new file saving and open experience", then click OK.

• Coming soon: These updates will be enabled by default in early 2025, eliminating the need for manual activation.

Model-driven apps can now be customized in Copilot Studio

Microsoft has announced the public preview of Copilot chat extensibility for model-driven apps. This innovative feature enables partners and customers to customize and enhance in-app chat functionality, creating a more context-aware experience tailored to meet the unique needs of their organization.

Here's how you can customize your model-driven apps:

- Leverage additional topics, knowledge sources, connectors, custom prompt guides, and more to tailor the Copilot experience to your organization's unique needs.

- Navigate to https://make.preview.powerapps.com/ in an early release environment.

- Open the model-driven app where you want to enhance Copilot chat.

- Click the ellipsis (...) in the left navigation bar and select Configure in Copilot Studio.

- You’ll be redirected to Copilot Studio with the appropriate agent ready for customization.

Visual Studio 2022 introduces Meter Histogram to analyze applications

Microsoft has introduced the Meter Histogram feature in the Visual Studio Profiler, offering developers a powerful way to analyze application performance. This new addition provides detailed insights into metrics, helping teams identify trends and optimize their code.

Capture & analyze data: Quickly understand application data distribution with histogram insights

Spot patterns & issues: Visualize data to identify and resolve performance anomalies.

Detailed Metrics: Simplify complex data with segmented graphs and metrics for pinpointing bottlenecks.

Empower Developers: Enable your team to optimize performance for efficient, high-quality software.

Code search in Visual Studio 2022 is now available for more efficiency

The new Code Search in Visual Studio 2022 makes navigating codebase faster and more efficient.

Jump to a specific line in any file: Quickly move to a specific line in your current file or another file with ease.

Navigate within the current document: Type : followed by the line number to instantly jump to that line in your active document.

Navigate across files: Specify a file name followed by : and the line number to locate a specific line in another document.