Input Data: Inconsistent results from Output File Name as Field

[jlefeaux]

I have two separate Alteryx workflows.  Each workflow begins with an Input Data tool that reads in an Excel file. Each of these Input tools has 'Output File Name as Field' configured as 'File Name Only'.

In Workflow A, the Input tool returns just the file name.

In Workflow B, the Input tool returns the filename, the .xlsx extension, the 3-pipe sheet delimiter |||, and the sheet name.

Workflow AWorkflow B

 What gives?

There are only minor other differences between the two -- none that I could see causing this behavior

• Workflow A was originally created in 10.6 but has been modified in 11.0.  Workflow B was created in 11.0.
• Workflow A starts data import on line 4 and workflow B starts on line 1.
• Workflow A has 'First Row Contains Data' checked (to stop Alteryx from naming the fields--maybe I don't need this anymore with 11.0; haven't checked)

 Any insight greatly appreciated.  Still fairly new to Alteryx.  Thanks!

[SophiaF · Accepted solution]

@jlefeaux - thanks for the detailed steps so I could reproduce; it looks like the issue is happening when you have a sheet name with a period (.) in it. As Excel does allow files to be named with a period, I expect this is not intended. 

I will have our development team get eyes on this and update the thread.

[jlefeaux]

Awesome, thank you very much!

I will avoid using periods in my sheet names for the time being :)

[rpaugh]

From a programming standpoint, file extensions are typically determined by pulling all text after the last period in a given filename (unless of course you've gone to the extreme of manually looking for every know file type).  On that note, I wouldn't consider this a bug in Alteryx.  Best practice would be to not use periods in sheet names, so you've got the right idea there.

[jlefeaux]

@rpaugh -- Thanks for the comment.  That makes sense.

Was trying to find a delimiter for time stamp in the sheet name since Excel doesn't allow colons, but I've given up and just gone with %H%M (no delimiter).  I'll keep this in mind as a general best practice for future work.