Prevent phantom records with no data from being written

[adm510]

I have a simple macro that is pulling data from a cloud source, table by table, and stores the data in separate Excel file for every table.  As you can see in the screenshots, some tables have 0 records, but Alteryx still creates an Excel file. Is there any logic I can put in my macro to prevent this? The problem is, I don't know how to check for 0 records.

[MarkEugene9000]

Hello,

Could you put a filter tool (results in two streams, true and false). The filter criteria is to identify a set of data with blank/null row(s), if true, no further steps added to the 't' stream, if false, draw a connection to the 'f' stream to your output?

Mark

[adm510]

Thanks @MarkEugene9000 I tried this but but it didn't work. I think the action statement connected to the output component is forcing a new file, even when there is no data.

[MarkEugene9000]

I tried a local batch macro with approx. 40 files - read them in, spit them out in .csv. One of them I manually deleted all my data from. That file did not get output in my batch macro process, which I believe is the outcome you are looking for.

• When you output, how are you naming the file? Are you using the "take file/table name from field" checkbox on the output data configuration? If so, how is it possibly naming the file of blank data?
• In your input, do you have headers, or is the 'first row contains data' checked?
• I guess I'm wondering if you are able to name the files without using the action on the output.

Mark

[adm510]

@MarkEugene9000

I'm reading in data from a cloud SQL connection.

• I'm renaming the file to match the name of the table.  Look at the screenshot on the initial post, I know you can't see the details, but the control parameter updates both the table name in the SQL connection and the output writer
• This option isn't available for sql connections
• Without an action tool, there really isn't a way to dynamically name a file, is there?

[Joe_Mako · Accepted solution]

You can use the Message tool configured to "Error - and stop passing records through this tool" and a Parallel Block until done from the CReW Macro Set http://www.chaosreignswithin.com/p/macros.html as in the attached:

[adm510]

That worked like a charm, thanks!!!

I also added the control parameter to the message tool, now when it throws the error, it will tell me which file it skipped.