Field names must not be blank on macro

Hello

i am running a workflow that has a macro that is returning an error on a Sort by field tool inside of the macro, "Field names must not be blank", although, when this macro is ran on another workflow, with only the same table as input, that error does not appear and all works well.

Please see prints attached,
I wonder where this might be coming from, running on Version: 2025.2.1.24
Thanks,

Preparation

Accepted answers

jcardoso

Hi

A new error came up when setting the AMP engine. According to Alteryx support, it wasn't an error with any macro. It was a formula tool error on the tool itself, few steps before the macro causing the error (below).
Dragging a new formula tool to the canvas and set it running with the AMP engine sorted it. (go figure!)
Thanks to all of you,

@alexnajm @danilang @dreldrel

All comments

alexnajm

Is there anyway to share these so we can test the behavior? It's hard to help from the screenshots 😕

jcardoso

for sure, hard to replicate as it happens within the macro, attaching a package
thank you

blank_names.yxzp

alexnajm

I was not able to replicate it in the macro or in the workflow - my guess is that the field was not selected when the macro was put down?

dreldrel

This may help you diagnose the issue with the tool in your macro. Please go to Runtime and enable Show All Macro Messages. It is likely that a required field no longer matches after the transformation process.

jcardoso

@alexnajm the main task of the macro is to get the decimal rest of units to be split accross the dimension fields that it is fed, kind of a round of decimal units, so the input fields are dynamic.

@dreldrel i did switch both macro and workflow, but, which messages should we expect when enabling the show all macro messages ? Nothing unusual came up while running.

The thing is, this macro was previously running\built on a 2019.3.5 version, now while we have to update it to a recent version and save it as such, 2025.2.1, the workflow is complaining about the version of the macro. Unsure if it is related, but, the macro is using normal tools/commands, all available in previous versions as well.
Attached, a print of the error. This macro and workflow are running still on 2019 version without issues, even on 2025, while running it alone, it works well

Thank you very much,

alexnajm

Right @jcardoso , but I didn't have any issues with other fields either, so I am not sure what else to try beyond testing with the original workflow that's getting the error.

jcardoso

Hi @alexnajm I was able to replicate it on a simple package saved as a previous 2019 version, hope you can see it too.
Thanks,

field_names_blank.yxzp

alexnajm

The package doesn't include your Dynamic Join macro so I can't run it end to end...

jcardoso

Thank you, now corrected.

field_names_blank.yxzp

alexnajm

This is an intriguing one... I don't have a solution just yet and I'm running out of time to continue working on it right now but I will try again when I can

@dreldrel any additional help?

jcardoso

Hello

i wonder to whom we can ask for help within Alteryx team on the issue? Will probably need to check with IT as well what kind of support our license entails, if any.
Thanks

danilang

Hello @jcardoso

I noticed that the broken sample you provided has AMP disabled.

When I enable AMP on the main workflow, the sample works without error.

Since the logic in the macro is sound and this seems to an engine related issue, it looks like you will need to open a support case.

B.T.W. This appears to be a rare case where something works in AMP but not in E1 and not vice-versa

Dan

jcardoso

@alexnajm @danilang @dreldrel

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