Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

I would like to propose an idea for the evolution of INPUT TOOLS and OUTPUT TOOLS in relation to their compatibility with DATA CONNECTIONS configured in Settings ALTERYX.

Indeed, it is now possible to create a Data Connection of SQL Bulk Loader (SSVB) type and to use this DATA CONNECTION in an Input Tool. The configuration is possible (Choose the table, the query ...), when you run the Workflows it works and you get the data well.

On the other hand, when we try to click again on the INPUT Tools, there is an error message and we cannot retrieve the contained request because the File Format is unknown.

After analysis with the support, there is a compatibility problem between SSVB and INPUT Tools in ALTERYX because there is no support for SSVB in INPUT in ALTERYX but it is supported in OUTPUT Tool.

My proposal would therefore be that there be a validation made during the configuration of the INPUT Tool and the Output Tool between the DATA Connection chosen and the type of tool used.

Thnaks for your return.

Regards,

Psyrio

I guess it's better if the current column filter feature would cover the entire data set not just the partial results. This would be useful especially if after you run the complicated workflow and you just want to test the data particular nodes in the canvass. 

Today the Autofield tool transforms the fields into byte by default when it considers that the content is suitable while we expect text in it and that it can simply be a field not filled in in the context current but which may be later.

The idea would be to be able to choose which type by default to implement on text or empty fields and not the default byte because a byte field is not recognized on a formula using an IN for example which can produce errors in the following workflows.

Hello,

My idea is that the current Download tool does not handle errors and continues its path even if it does not find for example a file in the transmitted URL or if it does not find the hostname it crashes.

In the case of a user with several URLs in a row, this is penalizing.

In the case of downloading files with recording, it still writes a file (thus overwriting the existing file) but which is not openable and is not in the correct format. (BLOCKED file!) Which then causes problems in workflows reading these files.

The idea would be to put a second output to this tool for all the URLs where there was a problem (non-existent hostname, file not found, HTTP KO) and one where it received the expected elements so as not to prejudice the processing. and allow better management of error cases.

Regards,

Bruno

When using Dynamic Input with databases, the Database may be returning errors or other information that the tool cannot parse into a dataset.

It would be great if we could see the 'raw' response from the database somehow, as this might provide insight into why we are not getting the expected results. 

If the tool could output an optional error column that has the unparsed response from the database server, it might allow us to debug the problem ourselves. 

If the returned data is actually a string response from the database, but one that is flawed in some way, we might still be able to parse data out of it to 'ride over' the error.

Configuration window - Add feature to zoom in or out of the configuration window similar to the canvas.  There is alot going on in the Configuration window and it would be helpful (especially for those of us with eyesight challenges) to be able to zoom in/out similar to the Canvas. 

Migrate old R based charts and create new statistical charts in the interactive chart tool to provide enhanced statistical charting and visual data exploration capabilities.

This includes:

• Error Bars
• Distribution Plots
• 2D Histograms
• Scatterplot Matrix
• Facet & Trellis Plots
• Tree Plots
• Violin Plots
• Heatmaps
• Log Plots
• Parallel Coordinates Plot

This these URLs for more examples:

https://plotly.com/python/statistical-charts/

https://plotly.com/python/scientific-charts/

For heavy workflows (e.g. reading massive amount of data, processing it and storing large datasets through in db tools in Cloudera), a random error is sometime generated:  'General error: Unexpected exception has been caught'

This seems due to Kerberos ticket expiration and the related setting may not be modifiable by the Alteryx developer 'especially when GPO). Suggestion is to enhance the indb tools in such a way that they are able to automatically renew the Kerberos ticket like other applications do.

Br, Lookman

Whenever I start something in Alteryx Designer which takes some time (e.g. opening a workflow), and I want to do something in another application in the meantime (e.g., Explorer), Alteryx Designer repeatedly catches the Windows focus back and brings Alteryx Designer to the front, interrupting my work in the other application. And Alteryx does this really multiple time during an action (often multi times per second), not even only when finished, causing me to  have to press Alt-Tab multiple times to get the other window in the front again).

First, this is annoying: If I purposely select a different tool to be in the front I want to work in that tool and not be disturbed by a different tool that catches the focus back.

Second: This cannot be good for performance. Sending the "I want the focus" signals to Windows also takes time.

Suggestion:

Switch off all requests for getting the focus in entire Alteryx Designer. Instead, the Alteryx entry in the task bar might blink once or twice in green when the background action is completed.

If there are people who like this catching focus thing, then please introduce a setting so that it's possible to switch it off.

When using "Find and Replace", the content of the search term field ("Find") is cleared when switching between workflow windows. From my perspective, there's no reason for that. Why does Alteryx Designer decide that I don't want to search for the same term in another workflow?

Please change that behaviour that content in "Find", "Search Locations", and "Replace:" are preserved when switching between Designer windows.

I have a sales column in my dataset that includes both a dollar sign and a period (e.g., '$320,000.00'). When I use the data cleaning tool and select 'Remove unwanted characters' with the punctuation checkbox, it removes both the dollar sign and the period. However, I only want to remove the dollar sign. It would be great if @Alteryx could allow users to specify which character they want to remove after selecting the punctuation checkbox. Thanks!

Hello team,

It would be really nice if user interface tool can be set with a default set up that will flow into the connected tool. Currently it will always been blank as no data flow in.

There are ways to bypass it as run the automation in Open Debug, but then if you want to amend the the automation you need to go back to the original WF and then run it again with Open Debug.

Of course you can set a static data for these fields however then you must remove them before saving it to the Gallery, which might create future errors if you are forgetting to delete the static data.

So if I added a Select Date, it will be nice if it will be possible to select a data in that tool and that date will reflected in the WF. It is less an issue at the development part as normally at that stage these tools will not be set up, however when you need to upgrade existing WF or amend one due to changes, that's were it will be very handy and will save a lot of time.

Improve the user experience by enable search filtering options in browse tool result just as in the canvas. See attached pics.

The management of connections, especially in a collaborative environment is not cohesive or intuitive.

1. When configuring an input tool for a server / gallery connection, hunting for the correct connection in a long list is quite frustrating.  There is no search, no sort and the list of connections does not sort in any logical order by default.
   SUGGEST:
   
   • List of Server Connections is sorted Alphabetically by default
   • Give the ability to search and sort
2. Add additional connection metadata
   • Primary Owner (add metadata element to Curator screen & surface in the connection list)
   • Secondary Owner (add metadata element to Curator screen & surface in the connection list)
   • Connection String (surface the server name and login name to the connections list, omitting the password)
3. Rethink the concepts of RCM, Gallery Connections and the external file method of storing credentials for In-DB connections.
   • Make one overarching, cohesive method of storing and sharing credentials across the platform.
   • Enable Artisans to create
   • Enable Artisans to share
   • Retire concept of external files to store credentials, as is used with In-DB connections

Few ideas for boosting the expression editor:

1) When writing expressions it can be hard to trace the matching brackets. Can we add some corresponding bracket colours to address this.

2) When I want to wrap an expression in brackets ([{or other symbols!}]) I have to manually add a bracket to the beginning and end of the expression. In Jupyter Notebooks (and many other softwares or IDEs), you can highlight a string, add a single bracket to it and it'll wrap the entire highlighted string with an opening and closing bracket. 

3) Multi-line cursor. This is a real gem of a feature if possible.

I will add a GIF that demonstrates all three together in action:

All the best,

BS

Would it be possible to Hide all annotations by default rather than each time a new workflow is created?   It's a simple thing but can save time.

Workflow configuration

Create a connector for Azure Cosmos DB, integrate it directly into their Alteryx workflows

Include a tool specific configuration to allow for the ability to turn off annotations on that specific tool instead of the global setting to turn them all off.

This would especially be useful for the SORT tool.

I find myself wasting multiple clicks in order to eliminate the annotations every time I insert a sort tool into my process flow, since it is rare when I actually need to include an annotation.

When creating a series of workflows, it is most common to run each tab in order from left to right. When saving them as workflow group, the order is not preserved and cannot be controlled. Recommendation: Always open workflow group tabs in the order at time of last Workflow Group save.