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Alteryx Designer Desktop Knowledge Base

Definitive answers from Designer Desktop experts.

File Open Error

PaulT
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)
Created

Question

What does this error mean?

There was an error opening "[filepath].yxdb": Data at the root level is invalid. Line 1, position 1.

Answer

This error occurs when a user attempts to open an Alteryx data file (yxdb) by going to File --> Open Workflow.

This option is specifically designed to open only workflows (yxmd), macros (yxmc), apps (yxwz), and packages (yxzp).

To read an Alteryx data file in to Alteryx please make sure to use an Input Data Tool and navigate to your .yxdb file accordingly. This will insert your data file in to your workflow and enable you to use subsequent Alteryx tools to blend, cleanse, parse, manipulate and augment your data until your heart is content!

Comments
KennyBlaine
5 - Atom

I constantly get this error on *.yxmd files that I have saved and try to open later. I've tried opening the files by just double clicking them, opening them from within Altreyx with the open workflow open, and even tried dragging the file to the program executable... nothing seems to work to open the file. It happens so often that I expect it now. Not sure what is happening.

AlteryxModelError.jpg

PaulT
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Greetings @KennyBlaine,

 

The key difference between your error and the error in the original article is the Position of the error. Your error indicates that the workflow has become corrupted at some point. You can verify that by right clicking on your YXMD and choosing to open it with Notepad instead of Alteryx designer. Scroll down through the XML code in the workflow and see if the XML seems to stop unexpectedly. This indicates an unsuccessful save or that something interrupted the workflow save. This can happen if a shutdown occurred while the Alteryx workflow was being saved. 

Archaeopteryx
10 - Fireball

Hi,

 

Following this thread, I'd like to ask what is the correct way to view the content of an Alteryx yxdb database? I can right-click the yxdb database and then tell the dialog box to open via Alteryx. When I do it this way, I do not get the error -- BUT, is this the proper way to view the database file?

 

Thanks,

Chris

PaulT
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)

Hi @Archaeopteryx,

 

The YXDB is Alteryx's proprietary highly indexed data storage file. The best way to view it is to either double click the file in a Windows File browse (it will open a table view window via Alteryx), or you can view your data in the Alteryx Designer without writing via an output tool through the use of the Browse tool. The Browse tool will let you see all the data that is coming out of the tool it is connected to. Hope that helps!

 

Cheers,

 

Paulteryx