How to input nested zip files that does not contain similar formats?

Question

I have 3 zip files in a folder named "ZIP DATA". (I'm calling these 3 files "outer zips")

The 1st contains 1 xlsx file.

The 2nd contains 91 zip files, each containing 1 csv file.

The 3rd contains 64 zip files, each also containing 1 csv file.

The 2nd and 3rd ones are difficult to input into alteryx. I can't extract them all because their sizes are too big. This is what I've tried:

Method 1: trying to input them one by one

- use Input Data tool

- select the 2nd outer zip

- select the checkbox to select all the 91 inner zips

- in the 'Parse Other Files as' dropdown, select .csv

- click open

- add a Browse tool

Result 1:

When I run this workflow, it gives an error: "Error: Input Data (9): Error reading "Second_Outer_Data.zip": Too many fields in record #3"

Method 2: trying to input all 3 outer zips

- use Directory tool

- select the ZIP DATA folder as the directory

- in the File Specification field, write *.*

- select the checkbox for Include Subdirectories

- use Dynamic Input tool

- in the Input Data Source Template field, select the 2nd outer zip

- select the checkbox to select all the 91 inner zips

- in the 'Parse Other Files as' dropdown, select .csv

- click open

- in the Options window, select the checkbox for 'Allow Extraction of Files >2GB'

- change the Field Length from 254 to 25400000000

- click ok

- in the Field dropdown, select FullPath

- in the Action dropdown, select Change Entire File Path

- add a Browse tool

Result 2:

The Dynamic Input tool got an error: "Error: Dynamic Input (14): No file specified in zip archive: "computer path\ZIP DATA\First_Outer_Data.zip". Choose a file to read.

Idk what to do. I found someone linking this page, but it's archived and I can't see the contents. How do I input these nested zip files?

caltang · Answer

I've never done it as such a scale before. I've inputted zip files yes, but not a flurry of them - not to mention different schemas. You'll probably need a batch macro to do this - can you unzip one and then use a batch macro to unzip them all at one go, then union the data as is by name of field?

novalcia · Answer

For Result 1, what is the Delimiter you set? Have you tried \0? Change the size to 999999 too - see if that works.

Hey, this (kind of?) works. It runs without error, but the resulting data is nonsense. I know the file is not corrupted though:

I haven't gotten very far in my workflow because I'm stuck in the input. This is the Method 2 workflow so far:

This is the settings for the Directory input tool: (sorry I can't show details)

This is the settings for the Dynamic Input tool:

This is the Options window when I select the Second_Outer_Zip for the Dynamic Input:

(I've tried using \0 as delimiter and 9999999 as the length, but it still gives an error)

caltang · Answer

For Result 1, what is the Delimiter you set? Have you tried \0? Change the size to 999999 too - see if that works.

Can you provide some images or data or even workflow to showcase your work thus far?