New to Shape Files

[gene_denny]

I'm looking for some basic info on the use of a few shape files and am not able to find that magic post that explains it to me.  I've been using Alteryx for quite some time but primarily for blending, so I could really use some help.  My questions are two-fold.

I have the attached three files which show the boundaries for each of 5 high schools.  I want to be able to do two things with them if possible:

1.  Through Alteryx, layer these polygons over a map of the city of Des Moines, IA, and

2.  Export that map, with the polygons, into a file which could be then used by Tableau as, perhaps, and background map.

I've tried several of the spatial tools in Alteryx and I'm getting nowhere.  I gotta be honest, I don't even know where to start.  Anyone want to have a little fun and show me what's possible?

[neilgallen]

I may be missing something here, and it could be semantics, but you’ve mentioned a background map in tableau a few times now.

Tableau can work with shape files, but that would be one axis (either your column or row) on your worksheet. You can create a dual axis map for additional data, but this can get complex.

If you actually want this shape as a background, then you would want to use the shape file in something like mapbox, and then have that as your worksheet map background. There is lots of documentation on that out there.

Just an FYI. happy to help if I can.

[gene_denny]

Thanks, Neil.  In addition to rendering the shapes properly, this is exactly what I needed to know.  Through this thread, I have now been able to render the shapes properly even though we didn't have the original projection data that was needed.  I have now created the 4 output files needed to use in Tableau.

With Tableau now supporting dual axis maps, I think we may be good to go.  It would be easier to actually have these shapes as a part of a single background map, but the newer dual axis functionality should work ok, too.

Thanks to everyone for the contributions!  I spend about 80% of my work day in Alteryx and it has totally become my Swiss Army Knife for data.

If anyone is interested, I also authored a Use Case which is published here 

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Use-Cases/Alteryx-Providing-the-Data-Source-Functionality-o...

which more fully explains what we use Alteryx for, in addition to simple blending.  Could NOT live without this tool and Community!

[carrianne_cusack]

Hi Charlie (and rest of Alteryx team)

I am having the same issue you describe - I created shapefiles in Esri, using WGS 1984, then when I brought them into Alteryx the map won't render, and the lat/lon's also appear as very large numbers (in the thousands) like yours do. 

Was there a solution found? 

[CharlieS]

Hi @carrianne_cusack 

It sounds like the file was saved with the lat/lon values as integers instead of floating points (-97.3 x1000000 = -97300000 as the integer form). The Create Points tool can work with integers, but more than likely, it would be easiest to see if you can save the file with floating point values instead.