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Engine Works

Under the hood of Alteryx: tips, tricks and how-tos.
TheOC
15 - Aurora
15 - Aurora

Hi folks, I'm back again with something that I think is quite cool. Hopefully, you do too!

 

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"I'm scared. TheOC is creating something weird with Alteryx again. I've only just got my productivity back from the Snake Game.Bear with me - this one is more useful for learning Alteryx, I promise!

 

As you may know already by my obsession with collecting badges and certifications, I am always trying to keep on top of my #AlteryxAcademy. However, when it comes to the Weekly Challenges, I find myself spoilt for choice and spend far too long picking a challenge. This is, of course, one of those problems you want to have - an endless amount of learning material is a great thing. Despite this, I would like to remove this manual inefficiency, if only a platform came to mind that was perfect for automating manual tasks...

My original solution to this has been to use the Weekly Challenge Tracker Workflow by @Hannah_Lissaman@Alekh, and @mceleavey on the Weekly Challenge Index Page (Thanks guys).  This was useful to help me understand the challenges that I haven't done and their category/difficulty. This made it much easier to hone my learning and single out the more basic challenges before moving on to some of the more difficult ones. However, this had the same issue of presenting me with way too much choice, and I would struggle to pick a challenge actually to do - think Chihuahua in a grocery store.

 

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"Okay, so you're indecisive when it comes to the challenges, and it's a problem I can relate to. How are you going to help me?" Great question--I'm really glad you asked!

I have created the Random Weekly Challenge App. This is a really simple Alteryx app that will ask you what type of challenge you would like to do:

 

TheOC_0-1657549510896.png

 

As you can see, as part of the app, I get a choice of all of the possible labels:

 

TheOC_1-1657549544884.png

 

After filling it out:

 

TheOC_2-1657549569070.png


I can hit finish, and the app will check which weekly challenges I haven't done, in this case, basic weekly challenges with a priority of data cleansing. The tool will then download the start file, and open it within my Alteryx Designer, all from one app with and click of a button. This also includes if the start file is a packaged workflow:

 

TheOC_6-1654386686649.png


And the workflow is open and ready for me to solve:

 

TheOC_7-1654386705388.png

 

I had better go solve this workflow now... 

 

But hopefully, this is cool to at least some of you, too! I am hopeful that when I now have some time spare within my day, I can run my app, quickly get into a weekly challenge, and get it submitted. Much easier!

I have attached the app as a packaged workflow below. Please give it a try and let me know what you think. I haven't locked any of the macros, so feel free to open everything and have a look at how it works. A lot of it is built on the original weekly challenge tracker workflow, with a bit of 'fancy' Download Tool and Run Command Tool functionality to download a workflow and open it.

 

NOTE: in order for the app to open a workflow automatically, it needs to be run from Windows File Explorer (double click the .yxwz file). If you run it within Designer, it will still download the start file but not open the file. This is just an oddity of Alteryx Analytic Apps that I haven't found a solution to.

 

Comments
mceleavey
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

nerd.gif

MeganDibble
Alteryx Community Team
Alteryx Community Team

@mceleavey this is a safe space for nerds

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TheOC
15 - Aurora
15 - Aurora

Wow this 'TheOC' guy is pretty cool. Don't listen to the haters buddy 😎!

Jean-Balteryx
16 - Nebula
16 - Nebula

Everything makes sense now ! @mceleavey, the chihuahua you brought to Inspire was @TheOC !!!

 

Jokes aside, I really like this project ! I would have saved so much time ...

IraWatt
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

Just tried it out @TheOC 

IraWatt_1-1657645209106.gif

Luke_C
17 - Castor

Love it - this is very clever @TheOC!

TheOC
15 - Aurora
15 - Aurora

Thanks for the feedback @IraWatt !

Glad you enjoyed :) 

TheOC
15 - Aurora
15 - Aurora

@Luke_C Thank you!

The automatically opening of the workflow was a bit of a headache - as it turns out you cant open a new workflow in designer if you have an app interface open. Only a problem when you run the app inside designer.

 

All good fun!

atcodedog05
22 - Nova
22 - Nova

Hi @TheOC 

 

This is definitely an amazing and very helpful app.

 

My observation: Even when I ran it as an app from the designer, I could still get the import workflow options and open the downloaded workflow. I tried this on designer 2021.2.

 

atcodedog05_0-1657698333185.png

 

 

Suggestions:

1. It would be helpful if it had additional functionality like if it also opened the selected weekly challenge page on a browser. So that after solving the weekly challenge I have the page handy where I need to go back and post it. Because if we don't post our solutions it won't be counted.

2. Add the older functionalities like getting reports of weekly challenges completed count, pending, etc just like the original app. So that it becomes a single-stop multi-purpose app for weekly challenges.

 

This is an amazing App I will definitely be promoting this with people as much as possible 😀

atcodedog05
22 - Nova
22 - Nova

And also for others,

 

I faced this issue hence I am sharing this 🙂

 

If you are facing created in higher version issue like below while opening the attached packaged workflow/App/Macro.

atcodedog05_0-1657699715375.png

atcodedog05_1-1657699843920.png

 

Here is a guide on how you can downgrade the packaged workflow/App/Macro and use it https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Engine-Works/Making-Workflows-Apps-amp-Macros-Backwards-Compatible/...

 

Hope this helps 😀


Cheers and have a nice day!

TheOC
15 - Aurora
15 - Aurora

hey @atcodedog05 
Awesome suggestions, Thanks a lot!

Keep your eyes peeled, I love the idea of a 'one-stop shop' for weekly challenges.

 

Also, awesome that it works inside your Designer, that could be an issue with my environment or the latest version.

 

Cheers, buddy,

Owen

Qiu
20 - Arcturus
20 - Arcturus

nice one! 😀

geraldngugi
6 - Meteoroid

Hi @TheOC 

 

I really like this as I have had similar issues with trying to find relevant challenges on the Community.

 

However, I am following your instructions of opening it on my file explorer, but once the App runs, nothing opens in Designer.

 

Any chance you'd know what the issue is?