Replicating Dynamic Input with SharePoint Files Input

My company is transitioning from shared network folders to SharePoint and OneDrive so I'm working on updating workflows with the SharePoint Files Input tool (version 2.0.1 using Client ID/Secret/Tenant ID) . One scenario I've been having trouble replicating is the combination of a Directory tool and Dynamic Input tool like the workflow below.

The specific example I'm trying to solve is the need to get the names of all the files in a SharePoint folder, filter them based on name/meta data, then open the select files. I've figured out how to replicate the Directory Tool portion (using the "Import only list of file path" option) but I haven't found a way to replicate the Dynamic Input tool. Has anyone figured out how to do a Dynamic Input style input with the SharePoint File Input Tool?

Some things I've tried.

- Opening all files in a folder with SharePoint Input Files then filtering based on the metadata but if there are 100 files and you only need 1 that would involve opening too many unneeded files.

- The Input Data Tool has a wildcard search feature but I can't replicate that in SharePoint either.

- OneDrive files via the Input Data Tool works in Designer but doesn't work once I upload to the gallery

Input

Dynamic Processing

Sharepoint

Accepted answers

IraWatt

Hey @MattBenj,

Have you tried creating a batch or iterative macro?

You could use this to dynamically loop through all the files found in your directory tool and update the input tool. Alteryx has some great videos on both types of macros for the steps how to do this.

All comments

IraWatt

Hey @MattBenj,

Have you tried creating a batch or iterative macro?

MattBenj

@IraWatt Thanks for the idea. I used your batch macro idea and added a select tool to standardize the data type.

IraWatt

Nice! could be one to post on the Gallery if you wanted? Would be a useful tool.

MattBenj

I'll have to figure out how to clean it up since it is connected to my SharePoint and customer data. Here are some screenshots with details though.

IraWatt

Thanks for sharing the setup that will hopefully give others an idea of how to set it

MattBenj

I've asked another SharePoint question here: Render Tool and SharePoint - Alteryx Community

Jmarquez

Hi @MattBenj, I'm facing the same problem as you descrive in your post. But I don't really find the way to fix it using the macro.

Could you please explain the process for a noob like me ?

Thanks in advance

MattBenj

Hi @Jmarquez the key to making this work is using the control parameter on the Batch Macro. This essentially adds an input anchor to the SharePoint tool. The workflow is hard to share since it's connected to my SharePoint environment but the key is configuring the Action tool so that it replaces the filename.

Here are some Batch macro resources that might help:

Getting Started with Batch Macros - Alteryx Community

Tool Mastery | Action action aktion (alteryx.com)

Batch Macro | Alteryx Help

Macro Maynia: Macros...a piece of cake! - Alteryx Community

I will be on vacation from 5/20-5/30 so if you have additional follow up questions you won't hear from me for a while!

Jmarquez

Hi @MattBenj thanks for pointing me to this material, was really interesting.

I setted up a macro ( actually a pair of macros) to make a handy way of replicating the dynamic input from directory. It worked out fantastic.

the issue comes when I try to create the input from a different site of the one used to configure the macro ( despite I'm passing the same parameters )

have you found a solution to make use of this usind different sharepoint sites?

I have opened a discussion about this with all the details of my issue.

Dynamicly input files from sharepoint files connector and diffrent sharepoint site

If you can take a look to it and give me some hints of where to work would be really aprreciated.

regards

Jorge

MattBenj

Hi @Jmarquez while I was developing my macro I tried setting it up so I could open file from multiple locations, unfortunately I started getting errors whenever I updated more than the file names. I didn't pursue this issue any further because requiring files to be in the same site/folder satisfied my criteria.

PrafulM

Which variables do I need to replace with control parameters? I did filename, path value and item path value, but the files are not being read. The ITEM ID which seems to be a long hex string, is that also unique to the file? Where do I get that value?

Regards.

MattBenj

@goutdelete the community wouldn't let me reply via private messages (said too many private messages sent - which is weird b/c this is the first time I've used that). But here are my answers to your message:

So a few observations.

- In my original post the Action tool uses the Replace a specific string feature. I don't see this in your screenshot.

- For the drop down I usually have to run the workflow once to get the drop down to populate

- Finally the list of files could be caused by your SharePoint tool configuration. This is how mine is set up. Do you maybe have "IMport only list of file paths" selected?

goutdelete

Thanks I think we just realized that we may've bumped into multiple problems. We did pick/click the list because earlier when we select a file the result was empty -- but this may have been an issue with Sharepoint connector with CSV files:

I seem to see other people asking question but no solid solution provided yet here: SharePoint Files Input Tool - csv file - Alteryx Community

On the other hand, even if I use another folder and try with excel files, when I come back to the SharePoint connector workflow, the macro configuration just didn't pop-up anything for me. I don't know where we did wrong though.

MattBenj

Here are the instructions I provided to my users about creating the same macro in another team.

Anantha2403

Hi @MichMatt i have the same issue as yours and i am having issues creating the batch macro.
Below is the error i get while i am trying to process all the files in the folder.

Basically because of the change in the column names the files to follow after the first file is not getting read.

Any inputs is appreciated. Thank you

MattBenj

@Anantha2403 that is a pretty common batch macro error. Here is another post talking about how to fix it. Solved: Error message - Alteryx Community

Jeenia

Hello Matt,

Can you please share the Screenshot of your first Sharepoint tool like how I can specify which file to pick, I was able to build the macro with update value but how do I replace the string with because when I am taking file name from my local input it is giving me could not find url error. I don't need credentials but just want to see what are you selecting to get all file names or what are you passing to macro ?

MattBenj

@Jeenia You can see it in my comments from 5/22/22.

bertal34

@MattBenj

Thank you for posting this and finding a solution! I have one question:

In your original post, you use the Directory tool which returns each file’s Create Date and Time. Then use Summary tool to identify the file with max date. How do you do this with the SP Input tool? Mine does not return a Create Date field.

MattBenj

@bertal34 My original post, with the directory tool, was the normal input tool functionality I was trying to replicate with SharePoint. If you go to the Accepted Solution you'll see I was able to do this with a SharePoint tool wrapped in a batch macro.

bertal34

@MattBenj

Right, I understand the solution using the batch macro. I just missed the part about targeting the latest file using Max Date (before going into the macro). Now I see in the SP Input tool under Configure File you can Attach Metadata and select date fields “Created” or “Modified”.

daneii1992

This batch macro does not have macro input tool, therefore when inserting this macro into main workflow it only has output anchor. I am new to this but do i miss something?

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