Text/ Flat File as source with Alteryx Server

[goutdelete]

Hi,

Not sure why I can't seem to find a similar thread while I think this should be a rather common use case: we have a text file (flat file) output from a system that we would use Alteryx to parse and perform the data transformation. 

With designer all works fine with the template that we generated.  But unfortunately when we implement the Server, the server doesn't seem to recognize the template and basically no longer can truly be automate.  I'm wondering if it's because in Designer a window will pop up for users to pick how to proceed with the text file and Server just doesn't have that (as screenshot below).  And if so how other people solve similar problem?

I have a sample file here but really we have tons of "system generated text files" to process; some are internal systems some are from external vendors and there is just no way to change the file format or output and so we just need to deal with the status quo.  Traditionally solutions may involve IT's data team to do coding to parse out the flat file as per spec but I believe if this is solvable in Alteryx Server then business users and achieve more agile digital transformation and process improvement.

Thanks a million in advance!

[TimN]

Hi,

I believe you need to save the template to a place where the workflow can access it.  I have a few workflows where we parse fixed length files similar to your example implemented on the server and the template file is saved in a network drive mounted to the server.

X:\AlteryxApplications\FileSpecs\XXX099R02.flat

This approach runs without issue.

[caltang]

If it's specific to this file and the fixed width length is similar, what @TimN said is the best approach. You will need to keep a copy of the lengths (you can also see it via XML).

From the export you can reuse it if it's mapped on the server, or I believe you can add an interface to drop that file in.

It looks like this:

[caltang]

This is what the configuration of the input looks like:

Of course, the first effort is to make those lines and save it via Export, then use that as a base. 

Next, adding the interface (if you use it on Server and you mention usage by others, I presume they will need to feed in an input & a template (you can also fix it to a path stored on the Server as well - but I want to illustrate the idea here more):

[caltang]

From there, you can choose the flat file that has the lengths you want:

I made two (you can edit with Notepad++ or Notepad is fine too):

The original goes up to Field 16, and the COPY goes up to Field 15. If I use both, here are the results:

Hope this helps @goutdelete !

[goutdelete · Accepted solution]

Thanks @caltang the top part is exactly what we've done (exporting a template and then "Use Field Setting from File").  But that referencing somehow triggered some issue earlier once the team migrated the workflow into the server.  I believe they did upload the file as @TimN suggested too but yet whatever the reason it didn't work for them.  I'm not sure if there's anything to do with the path or those "include assets" options when they uploaded the workflow or not.

Nonetheless your screenshot of XML provided inspiration and I simply tried the other option of the radio button sets, namely "Embed Filed Settings in Workflow" directly and with that method the whole field definition inbrained directly (images below) so once I migrated/ uploaded into the server it works like a charm.  I've sent off the sample solution to the team for implementation.  Thanks both!

 

Hopefully this post helps future people that requires to process daily text files either received from external or internal systems with a scheduled automation task in the server.