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Alteryx Designer Desktop Knowledge Base

Definitive answers from Designer Desktop experts.

Python Upgrade 20.4 - Tool Developers

TashaA
Alteryx Alumni (Retired)
Created

Alteryx is upgrading our embedded Python version shipped with our latest 2020.4 release. Read more to understand how this could impact you and the tools you’ve developed. 
 

Why is Python getting upgraded? 

Multiple security vulnerabilities exist in Python 3.6, the embedded version of Python used in Alteryx 2020.3, as well as versions preceding 2020.3. We are upgrading to Python 3.8 to resolve these vulnerabilities in 2020.4 and subsequent releases. 
 

How does this upgrade affect me? 

Due to the nature of Alteryx tool installers (.yxi packages), you may have incompatible Python references in the custom tools you have created and shared with Alteryx users.  

The steps outlined below will help you navigate how to resolve these issues so that your tools will continue to work for Alteryx users. In some cases, this may require you to repackage your tools. 


How does this upgrade affect someone who uses my tool?  

 If a custom tool that has been installed on a users’ machine begins to show issues, the user will be directed to re-install the .yxi for the impacted tool.   

  • This issue will manifest itself by throwing a workflow error and indicating the file directory of the tool that has incompatibilities. 

 

How do I make sure that my tool continues to work? 

The following steps are what we would advise a user of custom Python SDK tools to take to ensure that their workflows continue to run.  

  • Download and install the latest version of Alteryx 

  • Locate the .yxi package for the tool you have created 

  • If your tool is installed in a local Designer location, we advise you to back up the tool files, then delete the installed tool and its subfolders from the following directory locations:  

User tools path 

%APPDATA%\Alteryx\Tools 

Admin tools path 

%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Alteryx\Tools 

  • Some tools may continue to work without taking this step, but we strongly advise that you follow this approach 

  • Re-install the tool, this can be done by double clicking on the .yxi file package that you have created for the tool 

  • Run a workflow with the tool that you re-installed 

  • Ensure that the tool continues to work in a workflow 

  • If your tool does not work or throws errors, please see the section below 

 

How do I fix my tool so that others can continue to use it? 

If you have upgraded and reinstalled your tool with your local Designer instance, we recommend the following steps: 

  • Validate that the modules your tool uses are compatible with Python 3.8, upgrade modules if needed 

  • Validate that your tool is not using Python functionality that is no longer supported, upgrade code if needed 

  • If you are using .whl files to support offline installers, your tool may be packaged with incompatible .whl files. Repackage your tool with updated .whl files as needed.  

  • If you had to take any of the steps above for your tool to work within Alteryx 20.4, we strongly advise that you re-package your tool and publish it for users.  

  • In the description of the newly packaged tool, note that the tool is compatible with Alteryx 20.4 and beyond. 


We’re here to help. 

If you are a user of custom tools, read more on how to resolve any issues with the tools you have installed on your machine here. 

For any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to Alteryx Support