topic Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery in Alteryx Server Discussions

Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

MADANP — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 15:06:50 GMT

Hi All,

I want to automate the process of opening excel & pptx files from the server location (where user has access) for user and as of now user need to going manually to that location and opening the respective files.

1) I had Used the following command through Alteryx 'Run command' and its working fine when I ran the app through designer on server. When I ran it as app from gallery it opening files on server as server 'cmd' triggered, but I want to open it on user machine. Is there any way to do it?

start excel.exe "Location\file.xlsx"

start powerpnt.exe "Location\file.pptx"

2) I had tried linking files along with their paths through 'interface designer', its working when I ran through designer on server and not working through gallery. Is there any way to achieve the functionality that user need to have click on that related file hyper link and it should open the files through Alteryx gallery from the original location then user review & update them if needed ?

3) Mainly, I do not want to output to other locations or download as they are inter linked through think-cell.

Appreciate your help.

Regards,

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

mbarone — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:18:06 GMT

Have you tried a file browse tool (interface designer)? That allows a user to navigate to a specific file to open up. If so, can you screenshot the configuration?

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

MADANP — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 09:19:05 GMT

Hi mbarone,

Thank you for your reply. I did not use file browse tool (interface designer), but again user has to paste the path of file every time to open that file, right ?

I want it for the user to click and open without pasting path of file. Is there any way to achieve it ?

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

mbarone — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:18:31 GMT

Sure. In the Interface designer, Layout View, you can "add" a link. Just format it correctly: file://[server]//[drive]/[folder]/[file]

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

MADANP — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 04:13:17 GMT

Thank you for your great reply, I had already applied this one, but when we ran through gallery and we click on that link it's asking for download . I need to open the file from original location, not as a downloadable file. Any idea for this ? Please share lsample workflow, if you have any.

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

mbarone — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:30:54 GMT

Here's how it should look in the configuration. Note that if using Chrome, you have to right-click the link when presented to the user in the browser, copy the link address, and paste it into a new tab. If using IE, Firefox, etc., you can just click on the link. For my Chrome users, I put the instruction below into the app.

"To view the Models-at-a-Glance document, if you are using Chrome, then right-click the above link, choose "copy link address", and paste it into a new browser tab or window."

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

MADANP — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 17:32:32 GMT

Thank you.

I am not interested to copy link & paste or download. I want to make it fully automatic, which means click and open file when user ran through gallery.

Regards,

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

mbarone — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 18:46:59 GMT

That's a browser limitation, not an Alteryx one. If you're using Alteryx to do this, and your users are using Chrome, you have no other options. Force your users to use something other than Chrome, if that's within your control.

Re: Open Excel & pptx files from Alteryx Gallery

MADANP — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:52:32 GMT

Thank you for your replies.