Dynamic input - connecting to databases

[olimpio]

Hey everyone, had a question about connecting to databases.

we are seeing alot of scenarios where the connection string server details keep changing over 3-6 months. now since, the workflows have the connection details hardcoded in the dynamic input, we have to keep making the change to string manually.

is there a way to direct the workflow to a location and pick up the connection string from the mentioned location.

options tried:
we tried using the interface tools, text input but in that scenario the end user will have to manually update the string, is there any other way?

[DavidSkaife]

Hi @olimpio 

You can turn the input into a macro, and dynamically feed in the connection string as part of the control parameter - there is a community post here that has a similar use case (cycling through a list of connections, but the theory should be the same) which might be of help - https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Discussions/Dynamic-Data-Connections/td-p/506853

[FrederikE]

Like @DavidSkaife  explained it could work. A better idea might be to solve it with a normal App. You can use any regular Output of a tool to connect it to a dropdown Interface tool and feed the values in there. The user will end up with the selection options coming directly from the tool. 

See the attached approach. Changing a Filter based on a dropdown depending on the input. 

[olimpio]

Hey Thanks for responding, 

we used a different approach, using a drop down interface tool we connected an excel file which stores the connection string to the data base. and picks it up on running the workflow as an analytical applcation