Workflow Meta Info as engine constant

[saubert]

I love Workflow Meta info, especially the ability to put the Author, the search tags,the version, the description, etc...

But why can't we use it as Engine Constant? It doesn't seem very hard to implement and it would change life for development.

[jpoz]

it would change life for development

What would you do with this information in the constants? Can you give me some examples?

[simonaubert_bd]

Hello @jpoz .. It was 6 month ago, I changed of projet and employer since. To be honest, I kind of forget the use cases (that was mainly highly technical alteryx macros such as in db table compare, create view, etc..)

But the idea was to use the meta info in some macro, calculation, etc...

Some use cases I just think about :
-I want to take the connection file linked to the author mentioned in the workflow (example MYSQL_ODBC_SAUBERT...)
-I want to use the author, the version, etc... in custom log

-I want to mail the author (who can be different than the person who scheduled the wf)

-I can also check if it's the good version who runs

-etc, etc.

Basically, it's kind of frustrating to have this data and to be unable to use it.

[cmartin01]

Hello JPoz

As someone who has used Alteryx Designer without the benefit of Server, my team has developed hundreds of Alteryx workflows stored in file folders.  Some are used for one-time ad hoc requests, other workflows are used regularly.  However, over time we have found that our ability to recall what has been already built, or to leverage what other authors have produced could be greatly assisted if we constructed a data library/dictionary.  

By being able to reference the input of the "Meta Info", along with the "Directory" tool, and being able to capture the input/output files recorded in the workflow messages would allow for the construction of this documentation in an automated fashion.  We imagine building a macro that could be dropped into every workflow that builds out the documentation, perhaps even appending some of this metadata to a .yxdb file that allow for us to look up past projects, understanding how changes to a workflows output effects downstream projects, etc.

[Felipe_Ribeir0]

This would be useful!

[padraigf]

I'd like the ability to include the text entered in the Meta Info - Description text-box in a comment on the canvas. Someone opening a workflow for the first time might not think to check the Meta Info section, so displaying description in a comment on the canvas would be very helpful.