Interface for Table or Query option under Input Data

[StephenR]

I am trying to turn one of my workflows into an analytic app and am having trouble with the folder browse tool.  I am connecting to an ESRI File Geodatabase and can choose the database easily enough, what I cannot do is choose a table from within that database.  I can't figure out which tool to use to access the dialogue box for choosing the table.  I would appreciate any help or comments.

[MarqueeCrew]

If I were to ASSUME that the tables are constant, then you can setup a dropdown tool and "hardcode" the options into the dropdown and then update the value in an action for the table.

Does that make sense?

[StephenR]

Unfortunately the tables will be different for every geodatabase. The root problem seems to be that there is no way to connect to the options within the tool, just the main tool inputs.



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[MarqueeCrew]

you can have one app that reads the database tables and writes their data to an output (e.g. XML tree) and then call a second workflow (app) that reads that file as the input to the application.

you might want to check for articles about chained applications, like this one:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Knowledge-Base/Chained-Alteryx-Analytic-Applications/ta-p/7...

[StephenR]

That's a great help!  However, I am having trouble figuring out how to read the database tables.  ESRI File Geodatabases use a proprietary format.  Alteryx has the API which is how it can read the table names in the geodatabase, but I can't figure out how to do it via a query as in this example.  The list of tables is stored in the highlighted file (I tried to attach it, but it didn't have a valid extension)  This file will appear in each geodatabase and contain all the tables (layers).  Here's a little overview of more of the folder structure.  The main problem is trying to work with the geodatabase outside of ArcGIS or ESRI's API, but I don't know another way to approach it.

[StephenR · Accepted solution]

Thank you MarqueeCrew for putting me on the right track, and Alteryx Support Engineer Wizard Ozzie for helping me work out the bugs.  

The workflow is a lot more convoluted than I expected, but it works.  The key to the workflow is that the a000000001.TablesByName.atx file is the index file for any ESRI File Geodatabase and the file name is the same for every geodatabase so only the path needs to be changed.  The first app in the workflow parses and cleans up the file into a list of layer names as well as outputting the path to the geodatabase.

The second step used a drop down that's populated by the first step and concatenates the file path with the layer name in order to open up the geodatabase and save it as an Alteryx database that can be used in any workflow.

I have attached the workflow for those that are interested in looking deeper.  If anyone can find a more elegant solution, I would be very interested.  If anyone wants a geodatabase to play around with and does not use them often here is a link to some sample geodatabases.