Designer- Name from dropdown list extract from directory

Question

Hi,

I am trying to figure out a situation and not very good with directory tool.

I have a dropdown with names, for example:

A1

A2

A3 Test

The directory folder will have the following:

C:\Users\Test\ (following files:

January A1 2022.xlsx

Jan A2 22_02_2022.xlsx

FeB A3 2022.xlsx

Mar A3 Test 2022.xlsx

So what I am trying to achieve is that from the dropdown I choose 'A3 Test', then from the directory get the file that contains A3 Test, in this example with be 'Mar A3 Test 2022.xlsx'

fvilelabr · Answer

The Directory Tool reads the metadata of files that exists in a directory (i.e: path, filename), not the data inside the file...so, because from Directory Tool you have only the file information, you can then filter the file you wanna read the data, and then you're left with the final file name, which is then imported using the Dynamic Input Tool.

Loot at those articles about both solutions:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Knowledge-Base/Tool-Mastery-Directory/ta-p/60725

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Knowledge-Base/Tool-Mastery-Dynamic-Input/ta-p/24946

DanielCarro · Answer

Hi Fvilelabr,

What do you do in the Dynamic input. I placed Filename

jacob_kahn · Answer

@fvilelabr I was also thinking that you can just update the file path wild card options in the directory tool with the action tool.