Can I unzip a file within my workflow?

[nmitch]

Hi,

I'm working on a project where the data source comes in daily as a zipped file. Is anybody able to show me how to unzip a file within my workflow? Alternatively, can I use a zip file within my workflow? I'm unsure if Alteryx would be able to work with that as an input when building out the workflow. 

Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

NM

[Treyson]

 Hello!

Here is an older thread on the topic that should get you where you want to go. 

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Can-Alteryx-unzip-a-file-as-part-of-th...

If you started with Alteryx in the last 3 or so years, this article mentioned in this thread was written by the guy who built Alteryx. So its some fun stuff.

[nmitch]

Hi!

Thank you, this thread looks like the answer to my question. However, I am having a difficult time understanding where I need to make changes to fit my use case? I'm relatively new to using Alteryx and am pretty lost trying to understand the workflow.

Attached the workflow I'm referencing from the previous thread.

[Treyson]

@nmitch,

Since you have stated you are new, I am just going to start at the beginning, sorry if I am explaining anything you already know.

The file you have attached is a batch macro. Usually what happens with something like this is that you have it saved to a macro repository and then you can drop it in a workflow like you would any other tool. This one looks like it is built for downloading of the zip file first.  Do you already have your zip file? So if you already have a zip file in some sort of repository, you should be able to use chunks of this workflow to do the work. you are looking to do. pretty much the second half. Also it looks like it uses 7zip, so you will need that as well. 

Maybe we need to talk more specifically about your use case. Would you like to jump on call and go through it?

[nmitch]

No need to apologize, any and all help is greatly appreciated! I've just started using Alteryx about 6 months ago and there appears to be so much to learn about it. 

I think I'm following what you're saying. I do already have the zip file although, that in itself is a bit of a problem. Right now, the zip file is sent to me via email daily. I think use Power Automate to take that attachment from the email and drop it onto a shared drive. From there, I'd want Alteryx to pick up that zipped file in the workflow. I'm assuming the second half of the workflow does that for me. 

I'm not sure what a 7zip is. Happy to hop on a call although I am out on vacation currently so if we could revisit this upon my return (next Tuesday) - that'd be amazing.

[Treyson]

Let's revisit this when you get back. I am unfamiliar with power automate, but I did some quick searching and it seems you can unzip with that tool. If you are already familiar with how it works, maybe having the process that saves the zip file also unzip it, might be a worthy solution as well.

[nmitch]

Happy Tuesday! I'm back from much needed vacation and would be happy to revisit this topic. I did some initial research to unzip files through Power Automate but it struggled to push the file to a shared drive. 

[Treyson · Accepted solution]

To anyone still following this. There was a little more to the process that we had to go through. We were able to answer the original question, which was, "Can we unzip a file with Alteryx?" Yes you can. You need to utilize command line. The links above show how to do that. We also worked through using the directory tool to find the unzipped folder and extract the files from that.

[Siddhartha0207]

Hi guys,

I am also working on something similar to this. Can you help me to execute the process.

[Treyson]

@Siddhartha0207 where are you at in the process?