Add a feature in Select Tool to replace Space (' ') with Underscore ('_') for all columns

[Beena]

Many times input files like csv / txt / excel comes with spaces ' ' in column names and we use rename feature of Select tool to either remove the space or replace the Space with Underscore. It will be very nice to have additional functionality on Select Tool as below - 1> A check box saying replace Space with underscore for all/selected columns. 2> Remove spaces from all/selected column names 3> Remove special characters from all/selected column names. It will be very helpful feature and will save a good amount of developer, where he keeps renaming each and every field to get rid of special characters or spaces in column names. Also many times to when in hurry we don't rename columns names and in Tables the column names appears very untidy like embedded in double quotes. e..g "ship-from dea/hin/customer id", "sum(ecs qty sold (eu))", "sum(ecs qty sold (pu))", "ship-from dea/hin/customer id" . Above mentioned examples are actual column names got created in Redshift tables when the rename was not done for column names.. I am sure it will be a very helpful feature for all the Alteryx developers.

[SeanAdams]

Hey @Beena

Have you tried the Dynamic Rename tool?   Reason for asking is that this may well meet your need for renaming columns based on a formula?

[Beena]

Sean,

I completely agree with you it can be done with Dynamic Rename Tool. Since
most of the files I am working with are CSV / Excel files and almost 70% of
column names are having Space ' ' or Parenthesis '(' or ')' for calculated
columns or any other special characters like ?, !, /, \ etc...

I fell if we can have an option in Select tool itself to replace space ' '
OR Special characters with '_' it would be great and it will save a lot of
time.

Thanks,
Beena

[Community_Admin]

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