Getting data from a custom folder structure at any level to use in a custom field

[JoTP]

Hi there

We have set up some data in Connect within a custom folder hierarchy called Domains. This is to map our our data domains from a data governance perspective and each folder has an Owner defined (being the person responsible for data in that area of data) in the standard way of assigning an asset owner within Connect. 

Now I want to set up a custom field that I can use against database tables (and/or columns) that allows people to select which Domain that database table that data relates to, so that if someone is looking at that data they can select that domain and find out who the person is responsible for it by linking to that specific folder in the domain hierarchy (at whatever "level" I chose).

I found some reference to the use of "ancestor" in a couple of examples, but couldn't find any help about the use of that. Can anyone provide guidance?

To visualise the structure it is something like this:

Home/Glossary

Home/Data Sources

...

Home/Domains

- Area A

-- Area AA

-- Area AAA

-- Area AB

-- Area AC

--- Area ACA

---- Area ACAA

----- Area ACAAA

----- Area ACAAB

--- Area ACB

- Area B

- Area C

-- Area CA

-- Area CB

--- Area CBA

Etc

In my custom field list I want to see any of those areas listed and be able to choose one.

Thanks

Jo

[VojtechT]

Hi @JoTP ,

not sure if I understand it correctly.

How far from your expectation is this one? 

Custom Dropdown

[VojtechT]

Ok, I read it again and more slowly and my example is wrong. Because you want that custom field to be populated based on existence of other folders, right? In that case, the Picker field is the way to go. However, you cannot sort them to copy the hierarchy. 

[VojtechT]

So this is my try.

I've created this tree structure:

Domains

- Public

-- Very Public

-- Little bit Public

- Private

-- Very Private

-- Little bit Private

So 6 folders in total.

Then I've created a Custom Picker with this query:

 (type:folder OR isa:folder) and ancestor:8b5e6c81-df6f-4fd0-a6f6-1ce68195ad79

(the ancestor param is xid of the root Domains folder. 

This is what the custom field shows then:

Picker for domains 

So you can see that the structure becomes flattened and is not sorted in any way. That might be probably sorted, but I don't think that the structure could be used for it. If you named your domains with numbers, then you might be able to sort them alphabetically. 

However, the picker returns only first X results, so you won't be able to see the whole structure. But that applies for setting up the value. 

On the other hand, users gets link to the folder's page, which is probably what you want. 

Link to the field value

What do you say about this solution? How far is it from your ideal one?

[JoTP]

Hi @VojtechT 

That sounds perfect, apart from only being able to see a subset of the results... We've struggled with this a bit in the UI... How can a user get to see the remainder? The list we have at the moment has about 50 different items on it (50 folders)...

We also have this issue in setting up links within Alteryx Connect - if the thing we want to link to is not available in the first x items in the list based on what we search on (for example if there are other things that include the word in their name and they show up first), then there is no way to get it to link. The only hack I have found is to rename it a unique name, link to it then change the name back... not ideal.

Thanks

Jo

[JoTP]

I have set this up and confirmed that this works but displays 7 folders only and there is no way to get any more... so it won't meet our needs... 

[VojtechT]

Yes, @JoTP , you are right. This is exactly the blocker why this isn't the perfect solution. We are in a phase of redesigning that picker element, because it is used across the product on many places and there you can face the same issue. However, we are quite far away from a point in which we could be able to set any expectations, at this moment.

As another "hack" workaround I can offer you this solution:

1. open the desired folder in another tab
2. copy the xid from the url "<<baseurl>>/viewentry?xid=6ee418a4-d34a-448d-a400-cbf1235773eb"
3. open the page on which you want to link the folder and go to the picker field
4. type "xid:" and paste the copied xid. This somewhat works exactly in the same way as your renaming, but I would say more efficiently. 

Thank you for posting it into Ideas. 

[JoTP]

I don’t think I can offer this solution to end users...

Jo