Create a Blank Column with no Data

[markalves]

Hello,

I want to create a blank column as a way to visually separate my data.  Is this possible?  I don't want any values for the header or rows. 

[atcodedog05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @markalves 

Create an empty column using the formula tool. Position it as required in select tool. Rename the blank column to spaces "   ". This way it looks empty.

Workflow:

Hope this helps : )

[Kenda]

Hello @markalves 

I believe you have to have some value for the header, but you could make it something small like just a single period. To create a blank column, just create a new field with a formula tool and put a set of double quotes as the value (which is an empty string).

Hope this helps!

[Emil_Kos]

Hi @atcodedog05,

You can improve your idea by making a column blank. When creating it just put this as a value "" you will not get information that you have an extra white space in your column(no red indicators on the top right corner of the cell).

[atcodedog05]

Agreed @Emil_Kos 🙂 had a similar thought 😅 updated the same.

Thanks 🙂

[markalves]

Thank you this worked well.  I guess my next question is now...when I have these blank columns, and I create a basic table, the table automatically hides the column or the width is so small as to look hidden.  I tried to change the column width manually with a fixed width and also a percentage width, but neither of them worked.  It still has a miniscule width.  I even tried to put around 20 white spaces as the column name but it is still super small. 

[Kenda]

@markalves Are you outputting to Excel or where are you seeing this not work?

[markalves]

I used a render tool to output to excel.  It also does the same thing with the browse tool. Here is what it looks like in the browse tool. 

[atcodedog05]

Hi @markalves 

Spaces doesnt support and maintain the width when table tool is used.

I usually use the workaround of changing them to seq of underscores like below.

Workflow:

Output:

Hope this helps : )

[cnicoll]

I just came across this example that seems to accomplish the same result. Using the summarize tool on the Basic Table to Combine horizontally. I had no idea this functionality existed for summarizing tables! https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/Split-data-based-on-column-val...