topic Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script in Alteryx Server Discussions

Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:00:13 GMT

Hi,

I have a windows powershell script. In command prompt, I pass filepath and filename as input parameters at run time and the script runs perfectly fine. File name is called Refresh_File.ps1. Here is the command I run

powershell -file Refresh_File.ps1 -filepath "C:\Users\xxxxx\Documents\Output\ProcessedFile_0420.xlsx"

I want to pass these the highlighted arguments in alteryx at run time by using Run command tool. This process will be promoted to the alteryx server so looking for a solution that will work in alteryx server.

Thanks!

Nikita

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

ScottG — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 14:08:45 GMT

You can create a Batch Macro that updates the Run Command Tool with the desired file path at runtime. Normally Batch Macros are used to repeat the same process multiple times. However, repetition is not required. You can send in one record and have it execute once, in other words.

I'll caution you regarding the file path that you have in your question. Remember that, on Alteryx Server, the workflow will be running on the server itself, probably with a system account specified in the Server "Run As" System Settings. So, under most circumstances, users will not have profile directories. So C:\Users\xxxxx\Documents\ will not exist on the Server. If I understand your use case, we mostly see that files are written out to a network file share instead, using UNC paths.

Attached please find a macro that does something similar with the Run Command Tool. It moves or copies one or more files using file paths, passing the paths to either the COPY or MOVE command using Run Command.

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:19:40 GMT

Thank you for the direction. I have been struggling to make this work. Yes the files will be written out to a network file share on alteryx server. I am just doing simple test of this solution on my local as poc. I am new to using macros so I have some questions.

1) I made an attempt using your macro. As soon i remove the input file that I am trying to dynamically pass as input I get this attached error. "when there is an outgoing connection this tool required an input file to be configured" How should i resolve this?

2) Also, do I need to make any changes in order for the batch macro to perform this task only once?

Appreciate your help!

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:57:51 GMT

Hi @ScottG

Can you please guide on how to configure the workflow for this macro to work?

Note - I just want to be able to pass a filepath of an excel file at run time in the run command tool

Thanks!

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 22:43:09 GMT

Hi @ScottG

I am having difficulty comprehending many things in this macro. It would be super helpful if you could provide me a simpler working solution that has both the macro and workflow.

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

ScottG — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 17:40:35 GMT

I tried to distill this down to just the basics.

Attached is a workflow that has a macro that will launch Microsoft Excel, using Run Command. The macro opens a specific Excel file by specifying the full path to the file on the command line. In this same way, you can send in a file path to modify the behavior of the Run Command, by changing the command line argument.

Note that the path to Excel on my machine is C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\EXCEL.EXE. If your Excel is installed in a different path, you will have to change the Run Command Tool "Command" setting.

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:57:14 GMT

Thank you @ScottG

This is extremely helpful!!! Due to an older version of alteryx unfortunately, I am unable to import the packaged file. However I do understand and see the macro. Can you please send the screenshot of the workflow? Assuming the workflow has the input file connected to the macro. Here is what I am seeing. If I missing seeing anything here please post picture of the workflow

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

Nikita-Puniani — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 18:48:09 GMT

I was able to get the results by combining the approaches in both the solutions you provided. Thank you for the help. This was a good learning to understand how macros behave

Re: Passing command/arguments to Run command tool - Powershell script

ScottG — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 20:11:45 GMT

I'm glad to hear that you got it working.

For anyone else that is on an older version of Alteryx, you just have to right-click in the workflow, choose Insert, Macro, and then select the macro file (OpenExcelFile.yxmc) included in the workflow package.