How to input multiple pipe delimited text files

Question

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to Alteryx, but I've searched through dozens of posts on the community looking for a solution to my query, to no avail.
While I've input multiple xlsx files before (using the directory/file path input method), I've yet to find out how I may do this with pipe-delimited text files.

Here's my situation:
I have 12 periods worth of data, most periods have 3 files (some have 4), all with the exact same schema, and my end goal is to be able to append/"union" them into one master dataset for the full year - without individually inputting each of the ~40 text files.

If anyone has recommendations on the most efficient way to achieve this I'd be very grateful!
Thank you

jrgo · Accepted Answer

Hi @Sharbucks,

Since you didn't specify if you were getting errors when attempting to do this with pipe delimited files so this is explaining how to do so. The attached packaged workflow is a simple example using two text files, exact same schema as you mentioned.

Using the Input tool, point it to one of your txt files. You'll be asked to provide additional information on how to process this file. Configure as I have it set below:

Next you'll update the "Connect a File or Database" field within the Input tool. Update the file path by replacing the file name with a wildcard. * = any character 0 or more and ? = any character 0 or 1 times. When you change this, you'll probably be asked to "Resolve File Type" again, which simply configure it as you did before (above).

Hope this helps, but let me know if there's something I may have misunderstood from your post.

Kind regards,

Jimmy