Alteryx Designer Desktop Ideas

We have lots of tools that create new column(s) from the Inputs, e.g., Generate Rows. It'd be very nice if the new column(s) is/are highlighted in the Output. This makes it a lot easier for users when developing the workflow.

I often need to create a record ID that automatically increments but grouped by a specific field. I currently do it using the Multi-Row Formula tool doing [Field-1:ID]+1 because there is no group by option in the Record ID tool.

Also, sometimes I need to start at 0 but the Multi-Row Formula tool doesn't allow this so I have to use a Formula tool right after to subtract 1.

So adding a group by option to the Record ID tool would allow the user not to use the multi-row formula to do this and to start at any value wanted.

I'm not sure if this will ever be possible, but I know that it would greatly benefit me and I'm sure thousands of other users. In my work place I am constantly working in a conference room and at my desk. At my desk I am wired into an Ethernet connection while in the conference room I am wireless. When I start my workflows after working with my team in the conference room, I can't go back to my desk until the workflow is finished running because I am changing internet connections and I lose connection to the databases. With the pause button it would become possible to run a workflow and then change my internet without losing connection to the databases.

Another use for this would be while testing a workflow with a new tool. There are times I run a workflow that can take a few hours, but then I realize there is a mistake somewhere in my workflow, where the data hasn't reached yet. I think it would be very helpful to be able to pause the workflow and add the new tool in, while seeing results from tools it has already passed through.

But yet again this is just an idea that relates to me, I wonder what the rest of the community thinks.

Hello,

We use the pre-sql statement of the input to set some parameters of connections. Sadly, we cannot do that in a in-db workflow. This would be a total game-changing feature for us.

Best Regards,

Simon

Checkbox ability to ‘not’ output the original column on a text to columns tool

Hello all,

As of today, you can use the Dynamic Select Field with two options

-by types (you can dynamically select all, all date, etc..)
-by formula

I suggest 2 easy improvements

-from a list field. You connect a field list to a second entry with a "Field name" field
-from flow : You connect a flow to a second entry and the common fields are selected

Best regards,

Simon

How about a “Temporarily Disable Tool” feature where the tool is disabled?  Just the same as the "Disable All Tools that Write Output" but would only apply to the specific tool you select.   But, Instead of having to delete or cut the tool and connect around (as this can be tedious)!  The feature could be applied to various preparation tools (and potentially more) to help save time.

For example, there are occasions when I might have a filter applied and would want to temporarily disable the tool only to see all results.  This has been the case when I have wanted to include hospital wards (by temporarily disabling the tool) I was filtering out to review in the summarized totals.

The specific tool could have the same hashed marking as the "Disable All Tools that Write Output".   The "Temporarily Disable Tool" feature could be listed when the specific tool is right clicked on.   - The workflow could also prompt to show that the user has a tool "disabled" to highlight to the user.

Edit: Spelling

Here's a sample of what you get if no records are read into a python tool:

Error: CReW SHA256 (4): Tool #1: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "D:\Engine_10804_3513901e8d4d4ab48a13c314a18fd1f9_\2f1b1eb4701e445775092128efe77f76\workbook.py", line 7, in <module>
    df = Alteryx.read('#1')
  File "C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin\Miniconda3\envs\DesignerBaseTools_venv\lib\site-packages\ayx\export.py", line 35, in read
    return _CachedData_(debug=debug).read(incoming_connection_name, **kwargs)
  File "C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin\Miniconda3\envs\DesignerBaseTools_venv\lib\site-packages\ayx\CachedData.py", line 306, in read
    data = db.getData()
  File "C:\Program Files\Alteryx\bin\Miniconda3\envs\DesignerBaseTools_venv\lib\site-packages\ayx\Datafiles.py", line 500, in getData
    data = self.connection.read_nparrays()
RuntimeError: DataWrap2WrigleyDb::GoRecord: Attempt to seek past the end of the file

I've fixed this in my macro by forcing a DUMMY record into the python tool (deleting it on the back-end).  It would be much nicer to have error handling that prevents the issue.  Even as a configuration option, what to do with no input this would simplify things.  

This error condition potentially effects every python tool created.

Cheers,

Mark

I wasn't able to find an existing idea for this, so here goes...

We often put URLs in Comment boxes in order to direct workflow users to different resources, but users are then required to go into the Comment and copy the string (and then paste in their browser). It would be quite handy if the Comment tool simply turned text strings with a url format into clickable links (as seen in Word, Slack, etc).

It would be even more handy if it also had basic text formatting tools (bold, italic, underline, coloring, highlighting of specified characters/words) -- or if it could just render html (like this text tool I'm typing into right now) 😎

Hello,

I think the option Overwrite File (Remove) shouldn't throw an error if the file is not present

Or, I don't know, make 2 options : one with fail if file is missing, the other to not fail.

This idea is the same than https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Ideas/Overwrite-Table-for-output-write-indb-should... but for files.

Best regards,

Simon

This is a feature request based on my comment submitted here: Email Tool: Format "From" field to accommodate "Di... - Alteryx Community

It would be great to provide an option in the Designer Email Tool to allow us to specify a "Display Name" when sending emails.  The "Display Name" is a common part of the email specs listed here: RFC2822 - Section 3.4 (Address Specification) 

The email gateway/service that I'm using will send emails, but the "From" line will reflect only the email address.

For example, it will show an email as being from "john.smith@example.com" where I would love for it to show up as from "Smith, John".  This would make emails appear like other internal company emails in our company Outlook clients, and in general provides more useful flexibility for the Email tool. 

Many other email clients support using Display Name, but it appears that Alteryx currently doesn't.

The format of an email address with Display Name is something like "Smith, John" <john.smith@example.com> (with or without the quotes).

Alteryx gods,

It would make me even happier than I am now if it were possible to tailor the completion messaging in the Interface Designer when an analytic app completes.

Currently, we use rendering etc, but sometimes we simply want to be able to create a bespoke completion message.

My example is as follows:

In the app you have the option to download files, or have them emailed to you. If you choose download, the final display is the render tool with the documents listed, however, if you choose email I want nothing to show but the final window with the message "Please check your email" or something. There may be more than one option, and so being able to dynamically change these messages would be very useful.

Help me Alteryx gods, you're my only hope.

*beep boop boop*

The Edit menu allows you to see what your next undo/redo actions are. This is super helpful, however sometimes I decide to scrap an idea I was starting on and need to perform multiple undo's in a row. It would be great if we could see a list of actions like in the debug undo/redo stack menu then select how many steps we'd like to undo/redo.

For example, using the below actions, if I want to undo the Change Summarize Properties and also the Modify Summarize, currently I have to do that in two steps. I'd like to be able to click the Modify Summarize and have the workflow undo all commands up to and including that one.

Hi

The action of the 'tab' key in configuration window recently appears to have changed from indenting to a navigation function. 

The user should be able to select which action the tab key performs. 

Alternatively, tab should indent and shift-tab (or alternative) navigate. I'm not the only one who would appreciate the choice.

PuffinPanic

Hello all,

OLEDB is usually way faster than ODBC so that the way to connect we promote. However, the new DCM only works for ODBC connection, which is quite strange.

Best regards,

Simon

In the RecordID tool,  provide additional options for the creation of the ID, specifically allow for the ID to 'Intervals'. 

For example, Record ID every 10, meaning instead of creating an ID of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 .... you could create an interval of your choosing, the most obvious would by 10 or 100  thus your ID's would then be 10, 20, 30, 40 ....  or  100, 200, 300, 400, 500 ... etc. 

While the result window allows sorting and filtering, every time the user switches to another tool within the same run, the configuration is lost. It would be good if there was a 'Retain" button so that the user does not have to keep setting this each time the tool is switched or when the canvas is retriggered.

Ability to ‘name’ the point created in the “Create Points” tool.

Instead of sticking a select tool after it to rename it from ‘centroid’ to Starting Location or Store location or whatever.

When configuring a FILTER tool, the results of your formula are uncertain until you RUN/PLAY the workflow.  Compare that experience with the configuration of a FORMULA tool where you see a "Data Preview" of the first record results.

TRUE or FALSE could readily be added to the Filter Tool and save the execution time for the workflow.  

When you get to HTML tool versions, you could check many rows of data and potentially give back counts of TRUE and FALSE results as well.

I'll put this on my x-mas list and see if Santa has me on the naughty or nice list.

Cheers,

Mark