Render Report only if records

Hi @JGHOLLAND , did you ever find a solution for this?

I am running into the same problem. I want the output generated into two different file types; an excel file and a pdf file. I want NO file being output at all if there are no records, so the same as you if I am not mistaken.

For the excel output I found the solution: in case there are no records I deliberately corrupt the file path so that no excel file is generated.

However, with the pdf file I cannot do the same, so when there are no records there is still a pdf file being generated.

(the solution from @OTrieger I could not figure out either, since the screen prints were not legible and from his explanation alone I could not figure it out)

All comments

Hello @JGHOLLAND

You can use the Detour tool to get that done.

Put a Count Tool and then a condition if count equal zero then 1 else 0 or something similar.

Then what you will need to do in a formula tool, update the XML attribute of the XML code and then connect it to a Batch Macro. Your Control Tool will be connected to a Detour Tool, one end will be connected to the email and then other end can be connected to a message tool getting a message that no data available. In that manager based on the data will flow to the email tool or to the message tool.

Another way, with the same concept will be to do the same but with a Radio Button Tool XML attribute. In the batch macro the control tool will be connected to the Radio Button Tool which will be connected to Condition tool and 2 Action tools to a Container that will be enable or disable based on the data. Obviously the email tool will be in that container.

Any of the above should work.

Thank you so much for the help- is there any way you could please post an example of this solution? Thanks!

alteryx don't generate report workflow.yxmd

This is how I was attempting to do this.... I also click "Cancel Running Workflow on Error" - having 0 records should make this give an error. It still seems to render the PDF (albeit blank) though...

Could you please post an example of what you describe?

Ok, this is an example, very similar.
The first thing is to see the XML code for the tool:

Now in your case you will need to set a condition True false based on the Count tool and then with a IF formula you can set the Detour variable to be True or False

I'll be honest, I'm not tracking this exactly.. I understand if you can't b/c you're busy, but if you could edit the .yxmd file I put above, I'd appreciate it. I'm not following the screen shots and how everything is connected in your solution.

Here is a snippet with the sequence, before the batch macro and in the batch macro. If you still find it hard go and do the training on macros and batch macros to fully understand the concept of it and how it works. I can guide you however you need to do it and that's requires understanding, something that I cannot do for you. I hope that the attached snippet will give you more mass on how it should be.

DataNath

Hey @JGHOLLAND, are you on a recent version of Designer (2023.1+)? If so, Control Containers will do exactly what you're after, as they're designed to orchestrate sections of a workflow sequentially/conditionally. I wrote a blog on their functionality - you're looking for the 'Running parts of your workflow conditionally' section: https://www.databasyx.com/blogs/using-control-containers-in-alteryx-designer

Hi Nathan! Thanks so much for the response and blog post. I looked it over and found it super easy to follow. However, I tried and I'm still not getting the desired effect- it renders the report regardless of how many records I have present (0, 4, 20). I just don't want a blank report being rendered, and thus sent out via email.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong here?

workflow image.png

DataNath

Hey @JGHOLLAND - I forgot that I'd come across this issue before and myself along with a couple of other colleagues couldn't find a solution with Control Containers not behaving as expected. We ended up doing what @OTrieger suggested iirc.

@DataNath - I'm not following the screenshots and how they say to connect things. Do you think you could *please* help flesh out his suggestion with an example workflow?

bump

Hi @JGHOLLAND , did you ever find a solution for this?

For the excel output I found the solution: in case there are no records I deliberately corrupt the file path so that no excel file is generated.

However, with the pdf file I cannot do the same, so when there are no records there is still a pdf file being generated.

(the solution from @OTrieger I could not figure out either, since the screen prints were not legible and from his explanation alone I could not figure it out)

Yes, it is working for me. I have a block until done which goes to render PDF and a sample tool. (screenshot). It makes the PDF but doesn't email it out unless it has some records.

okay, good to know that solution as well if your final step is to send the data by mail. Thnks.

But unfortunately in this case that does not work for me. I "simply" want a pdf file to be created when there are records of data and no pdf generated (also no blanc file) when there are no records, but so far it seems that when the render tool is used it ALWAYS creates an output, blanc or populated.

@JGHOLLAND I am happy to say that I finally found a solution, in a place I never truly looked well enough before.

The solution lies in the Render Tool itself, but for me in a kind of hidden place, because I always wanted one single report to be generated, or no report at all if there were no records. This is why I never dove into the "Group Data Into Separate Reports" options of the Render Tool, but there lies the solution nonetheless.

First I started of with a Count Records tool of course, followed by a select tool to turn the number into a string so that the following Formula tool could process it.

Then in that Formula tool I made a column with a condition that in case the value form the Count Records was zero.. otherwise if the value is NOT zero then a valid file path and file name is mentioned. When the value of the count records is indeed zero then you can make up any bogus file path.

Then use a join multiple tool to add this to your data and in your Render tool, make sure to "Field to Group on" your column created in your formula tool (Since I have only 1 value in that column only one output is always generated, so it gets always grouped into 1 output file).

But the most crucial part is the last option in the "Render Configuration": "Replacing Entire Path With Group", this replaces the filepath to a valid path in case there are records, but runs into a corrupt filepath if no records and no pdf file is generated, based on your formula tool.

Really happy with this :-)