Action tools not updating Output tool with this setting

[Smiller100]

Recently discovered something about how Interface tools work with the Output tool (after several hours of trial and error 🙂 ). In trying to update the file path for an Output tool using a File Browse tool, I found that neither the file path nor the name of the file would update to the specified options if the "Take File/Table Name from Field" box was checked in the Output tool configuration window. The same was true after attempting to use different Interface tools to achieve the same results, none of them were able to update the file path as long as that box was checked. Not sure if this is intentional or not, but it certainly seems that the file path should not be affected by an option surrounding the name of a file. If it is intentional and there is a way around it that I was not seeing, let me know! Just wanted others that may experience a similar situation to be aware of what my issue was and a potential fix.

[apathetichell]

@Smiller100  try a Folder Browse tool  not a File Browse too.

[Smiller100]

Thank you all for the solutions!

I am very new to Alteryx and do not know all the ins and outs, so thank you for educating me more on these tools.

@mceleavey, I had tried to allow the user to dynamically update the file path with a text input tool as well and configuring the action tool to Update Value with Formula, but this also did not work even with the box checked, which can be done when attached to the Output tool after looking at previous workflows made by others in my organization. Not sure why this wouldn't have worked then. @apathetichell, I was told to use a folder browse by another as well, I will be trying that next.

[mceleavey]

@Smiller100 , you need to understand what that check box is doing.

That check box overwrites the value in the top box with the value in the field selected in the dropdown:

If you attach the action tool to the output and configure it to overwrite anything here it will fail, simply because if you overwrite the top value it will be irrelevant as the value is being taken from the value in the field selected in the dropdown at the bottom.

If you overwrite the value at the bottom it will fail as it is looking for a field, so you can't overwrite it with a file/folder path.

What you need is to un-check that bottom box, and configure your action tool to overwrite the value in the top box, as I posted earlier.

This works perfectly.

M.

[Smiller100]

@mceleavey thank you for informing me how that check box works! That was also the solution I arrived at myself, as I said in the original post, just wasn't sure why it was the case, so I appreciate it.

[mceleavey]

@Smiller100 ,

I've built an example of how to dynamically build an output.

You can change the elements but the functionality is here. Click the wand button to run and you should get the pop up window.

Input the folder, the filename and the sheet name and it will output what you want.

M.

[mceleavey]

[DawnDuong]

hi @Smiller100 

Glad that you found the solution from the community members (we have a great Alteryx community!)

It sounds to me that you have a internal clients, so apps and macros will likely be your best friends. Highly recommend that you try out the Interactive Lessons (Learn > Academy > Interactive Lessons). The lessons on macros and apps are some of the best there, in my personal opinions. Apps and Macros are like... the more you know about them, the more you like them... but a lot of people (myself included) was intimidated at first.

Good luck and enjoy Alteryx.

Dawn.