Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

EEdLoh · ‎11-16-2018

Sometimes formulas get pretty long. There are cases of deeply nested conditionals, concatenation of long strings, cases where multiple casts and parses are used, etc. where formulas get pretty large and unwieldy. The current system of wrapping lines and managing the size of the properties pane can be a hassle, especially if you are trying to use any sort of whitespace formatting to make the formulas more readable.

My solution is this is pretty simple, add a pop-out window for formulas. It could be a context menu option from right-clicking the formula box itself, a button on the bar at the top of each formula, or any number of other things.

A really good example of this is MS Access. You can right-click any text box that takes an expression and open it in the expression editor pop-up window. The current system is more like excel where you're stuck with whatever box size you're given.

KI5JEB · ‎11-16-2018

I would really like to see this as well. Currently, I copy the formula out to Notepad++ to make edits then copy it back. A popout editor with color coding would be nice.

byarsmc79 · ‎11-19-2018

I love this idea. Along the same lines would be to have the configuration font size variable so that all the options fit within the width that the user chooses (within reason of course).

EEdLoh · ‎01-25-2019

@KI5JEB I do the same thing! That's why I thought of posting this here. I actually made custom NPP language files to share with other users if they did the same. You can copy the below code into a .xml file and go to Language -> Define your language... -> Import then select that file.

Default NPP Theme

<NotepadPlus>
    <UserLang name="AYXFormula" ext="" udlVersion="2.1">
        <Settings>
            <Global caseIgnored="yes" allowFoldOfComments="yes" foldCompact="no" forcePureLC="0" decimalSeparator="0" />
            <Prefix Keywords1="no" Keywords2="no" Keywords3="no" Keywords4="no" Keywords5="no" Keywords6="no" Keywords7="no" Keywords8="no" />
        </Settings>
        <KeywordLists>
            <Keywords name="Comments">00// 01 02 03/* 04*/</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, prefix1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, prefix2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, extras1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, extras2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, suffix1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, suffix2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, range"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Operators1">== != ! + - * / || &amp;&amp; or and</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Operators2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, open"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, close"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, open"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, close"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, open">/*</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, close">*/</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords1">if&#x000D;&#x000A;then&#x000D;&#x000A;elseif&#x000D;&#x000A;endif</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords3"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords4"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords5"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords6"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords7"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords8"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Delimiters">00&apos; 01 02&apos; 03&quot; 04 05&quot; 06[ 07 08] 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23</Keywords>
        </KeywordLists>
        <Styles>
            <WordsStyle name="DEFAULT" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="COMMENTS" fgColor="008000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="LINE COMMENTS" fgColor="008000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="NUMBERS" fgColor="FF0000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS1" fgColor="0000FF" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS2" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS3" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS4" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS5" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS6" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS7" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS8" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="OPERATORS" fgColor="000080" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN CODE1" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN CODE2" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN COMMENT" fgColor="808080" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS1" fgColor="808080" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS2" fgColor="EC7600" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS3" fgColor="FF00FF" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS4" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS5" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS6" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS7" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS8" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
        </Styles>
    </UserLang>
</NotepadPlus>

This one is for my preferred theme, Obsidian:

<NotepadPlus>
    <UserLang name="AYXObsidian" ext="" udlVersion="2.1">
        <Settings>
            <Global caseIgnored="yes" allowFoldOfComments="yes" foldCompact="no" forcePureLC="0" decimalSeparator="0" />
            <Prefix Keywords1="no" Keywords2="no" Keywords3="no" Keywords4="no" Keywords5="no" Keywords6="no" Keywords7="no" Keywords8="no" />
        </Settings>
        <KeywordLists>
            <Keywords name="Comments">00// 01 02 03/* 04*/</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, prefix1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, prefix2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, extras1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, extras2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, suffix1"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, suffix2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Numbers, range"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Operators1">== != ! + - * / || &amp;&amp; or and</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Operators2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, open"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code1, close"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, open"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in code2, close"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, open">/*</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, middle"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Folders in comment, close">*/</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords1">if&#x000D;&#x000A;then&#x000D;&#x000A;elseif&#x000D;&#x000A;endif</Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords2"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords3"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords4"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords5"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords6"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords7"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Keywords8"></Keywords>
            <Keywords name="Delimiters">00&apos; 01 02&apos; 03&quot; 04 05&quot; 06[ 07 08] 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23</Keywords>
        </KeywordLists>
        <Styles>
            <WordsStyle name="DEFAULT" fgColor="E0E2E4" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="COMMENTS" fgColor="66747B" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="LINE COMMENTS" fgColor="66747B" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="NUMBERS" fgColor="FFCD22" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS1" fgColor="93C763" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS2" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS3" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS4" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS5" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS6" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS7" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="KEYWORDS8" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="OPERATORS" fgColor="E8E2B7" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN CODE1" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN CODE2" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="FOLDER IN COMMENT" fgColor="808080" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS1" fgColor="EC7600" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS2" fgColor="EC7600" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS3" fgColor="A082BD" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS4" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS5" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS6" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS7" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
            <WordsStyle name="DELIMITERS8" fgColor="000000" bgColor="FFFFFF" fontStyle="0" nesting="0" />
        </Styles>
    </UserLang>
</NotepadPlus>

RachelW · ‎04-05-2019

RachelW · ‎04-05-2019

It sounds like you are looking for more room in the expression editor. So I can understand what you are requesting, can you tell me how this request is different from expanding the configuration panel? You can float the configuration panel if you want it detached from the canvas.

Adaptable Expression Editor.png

EEdLoh · ‎05-29-2019

@RachelW Yes, that's a good point. I forgot about the ability to float panels. Thanks for reminding me. :)

joshuaburkhow · ‎01-26-2020

Yeah I think this probably is sort of addressed with the configuration panel no?

Gopinaath · ‎02-26-2020

@RachelW Floating the configuration panel still doesnt expand the space where you actually enter the formula.

I would like to see this implemented where you can pop the formula entry area out as a pop-out formula editor. E.g. I would still keep the formula tool configuration panel fixed and not floating. I only want the ability for each individual formula of a formula tool or tool with formula functionality to pop-out the formula section. There can be a icon next to each formula that allows that specific formula to pop-out a new editor window. I am thinking of the icon similar to how you can open the results window in a new window.

Joel_Jose · ‎06-30-2020

+1

Floating and expanding the width of the panel is what most do in the current scenario. A single click popout would make life easier in scenarios where people need a temporary increase in the screen real estate. Drag based resizing gets a bit annoying, I do get quite attached to the config I have in place.

This would also indirectly promote some level of standardized formatting from users to make formulas more readable.

SeanAdams · ‎03-06-2021

Agree with @Gopinaath - even if you do pop out the window - it's not obvious how to change the size of the formula entry section. Normally you'd expect drag-sliders to change the size of this formula entry section to make it bigger vertically. It may be that I'm doing it wrong, but on my copy of Alteryx I can't expand or reduce the height of a formula entry box.

It would also be valuable if Alteryx could implement auto-indenting, like many code editors do (as @Joel_Jose mentioned), to make these formulae more readable and maintainable.

Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

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