Force data type in Alteryx App

Question

I am tree interface tool with an action tool to grab a key from a list file. When the multi-character key comes into the test input tool the data type is double. The key is something like 12X45Q8, so it needs to be a string of some sort. I can not use a select tool because the data is already transformed into the new value with errors for non numeric characters. We are using Alteryx 23.2, any recommendations?

apathetichell · Answer

@jxb240101something is wrong here. Share the configuration of your action tool - and what you have as template data in your text input. The field should be blank. The response from your tree tool to your action tool is an ARRAY (ie a list of strings) -> reformatted as a singe, comma separated value. You will parse it as a string. It should then tie into what your key/value map is.

BS_THE_ANALYST · Answer

@jxb240101 if you didn't know already, the text input automatically infers your datatypes. If you have a column with numbers in, it'll infer it as a numeric column (for instance).

Given that you want to overwrite values within the text input, I'll suggest a solution route with this in mind.

I would just stick a "dummy row" of data in your text input with words/text in the columns that you want to be inferred as a string. If you have a column, in a text input, consisting of strings & numbers, naturally it'll be inferred as a string. Then you'll just need to filter out this dummy row you created afterwards. Either sample, select records, filter etc.

Any questions, just shout.