dynamic configuration of multiple Filter Tools from single file

Question

Hi,

I'm not sure how to phrase what I want to accomplish correctly using words, so I'll use a drawing instead.

This is mockup drawn in Visio of what I want to accomplish:

* 1. A data file of thousands of records my team puts together for me each month.
* 2. A list of data points and the respective Filter Tool configurations needed to arrive at each data point.
* 3&5. A Select Tool which isolates the Filter values needed for a Filter Tool. This will drive an Action Tool.
* 4&6. A Filter Tool. It gets its parameter names and values from the connected Action Tool. 
* 7. The output file which has all the resulting data points.
* The green line is my fancy way of indicating 'loop until done'.

I envision an App where the user uploads the 1. data file, and 2. data points + filter configuration file, hits Run, and the App cycles through both files until there are no more data points to create. Also, the App will have possibly dozens of Filter Tools.

Is this kind of pipe-dream possible?

Thanks

Nick

joelmiller66 · Answer

@Nicholas_White great work!

Nicholas_White · Answer

Hi @joelmiller66 ,

I sat on your reply for a few days to think about it.

I finally got the Action Tool to work...not exactly how you proposed above, but your screenshots sent me down a path I wouldn't have even known to go down otherwise.

For the benefit of others:

1. I pre-made the entire formula with some other tools.

2. I pass that formula into Bach Macro which represents an updateable filter:

3. The Action Tool is set to 'Update Value with Formula', it's going to replace the variable [RECORD_ID] which it will look for in the Filter Tool.

4. Inside the Filter Tool, I put in the variable [RECORD_ID] (one of the available fields coming in from the data input), this is the field which eventually gets replaced by the entire formula.

I tried swapping out individual components of the formula, but I always managed to find new and frustrating ways to break it. Passing the entire formula seems to be the most reliable way to overcome this right now.

Thank you,

Nick

joelmiller66 · Answer

@Nicholas_White  It sounds like you need an Iterative Macro to accomplish the looping logic.

For the Filter Tool I would look at using the INCLUDE clause to create a list of items you are filtering for. The expression can be updated from the Action Tool.

You can also use a Dynamic Select Tool to select the fields you need with an INCLUDE clause again. Using the Via Formula option.