Variable amount of input files.

Question

Hello Alteryx Community,

I am attempting to build a workflow that uses an unknown number of inputs. For instance, there may be times when 6 input files are needed, and other times when only 2 input files will be needed. The files being input will always fall within one of two categories and hence follow a certain path in the workflow. All the files within a certain category have the exact same format. The end goal is an analytic app with three questions. Firstly, an option for the user to select ALL the files that fall within the first category. Then an option for the user to select all the files that fall within the second category. And lastly, a question prompting the user to save the file where he/she desires. I'm wondering if this is even possible, and if so how to construct this analytic app. Any help on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Cannon

Prometheus · Accepted Answer

If the folder where the input files changes, you can map a Directory tool to the folder that contains your input files and connect a Folder Browse interface tool to it so the user can select the folder. If the location never changes, just use the Directory tool without the Folder Browse tool. After that, you can use a Detour tool, which alters the path of data through a workflow. My workflow example is pretty simple because I'm not doing anything different with the data after it passes through the Detour tool. This is where you can add in different tools to prep the data how you want. You can connect a Check Box tool to the Detour tool so the user can choose which way the data flows, according to the category of files they chose. After that, you can use a Dynamic Input tool to open the files by configuring it to read in a list of data sources and change the entire file path. You can then connect a File Browse tool to an Output Data tool to give the user an option of where to save their report and what file type they'd like for that report.