Analytic Apps: Having a Search/Sort function to List Box?

[caltang]

As per the title, I am trying to make a dynamic List box like Excel’s filter options to allow users to search for fields and sort them. 

I am working with a use case which has 8000+ columns, and I am trying to allow the end users to select their files more dynamically. 

Does anyone have ideas?

[alexnajm]

A chained app that reads in the file as the first app and populates the List Box for the second app could work!

[caltang]

Hi @alexnajm ! 

Thanks for responding. However, a chained app still can’t allow end users to sort nor search the List box no? 

[alexnajm · Accepted solution]

Not a Search function, but with the chained app you could get the fields in the first app, sort them, and pass them into the List Box of the second app.

[apathetichell]

@caltang- you are correct. This would be a big help. This is one of the things that should be relatively easy that I'd love to see Alteryx focus on as a product improvement vs a new feature rollout.

[caltang]

Yeah because the current way with Python has a stoppage point for users to confirm selections and I thought that was a neat feature that Alteryx must have. Sad that it isn’t there… I’ll raise an idea post on this. Thanks @apathetichell @alexnajm 

[apathetichell · Accepted solution]

One thing I'd recommend is playing around with the tree tool. It won't do the sorting - but like if you have 8000 columns - and there isn't really any rhyme or reason to them - at least you can bin them into alphabetical groups and subgroups and then select multiple columns from those groups/sub groups - once selected - you'd need to have a chained app to sort.

[caltang]

Gave this a shot but in the end, the end users complained it was too clunky and hard to undersand. I scrapped it in favour of having pre-defined options instead. Did my write up here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/Dynamic-Select-Getting-Boolean...

Thanks for providing that @apathetichell - never really considered using the Tree tool ever, never found a use case for it!