Challenge #13: HTML Table Parsing

The link to the solution for last challenge #12 is HERE.

For this challenge let’s look at creating a multi-level hierarchy from employee-manager data. As always there are several ways to do this challenge, I have designated it as an advanced challenge because some of the more complex functions like RegEx can be used, but it is not absolutely necessary.

The use case:

We have HTML data that is in a single field, the HTML contains an HTML Table.

The input contains a series of name/value pairs within the description field. The description field has a HTML table that contains 14 name/value contained within <td> tags. Each pairing can be found on a different row (designated by the <tr> tag).

The objective is to produce a table containing the 14 name/value pairs.

Good luck, I look forward to your feedback.

Update: As of 9/20/19, the start and solution files were updated. Your solution may not match those posted by Community members prior to this date.

challenge_13_solution.yxmd

challenge_13_start_file.yxmd

Parse

Preparation

Advanced

Data Analysis

Transform

Difficult

Accepted answers

All comments

The solution has been uploaded.

I'm not familiar with HTML so I'm not sure how well my solution would work on other HTML examples. My bonus was that I got to use one tools in the labratory menu!

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I added the second record to make sure the make columns would work with more than 1 record.

I have never seen the 'Make Columns" tool in use before. Nice Job!

Good work Alex!

Another proof that there are a lot of ways to accomplish a goal in Alteryx!

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I'm enjoying these weekly challenges. Applying quite a bit on my projects - one of which is parsing html tables.

First formula line does large part of the work then two more formula to identify rows/columns

REGEX_Replace(Description,'<[t][^>]*>\W{0,1}|<\/[^t][^>]*>\W{0,1}|Null>','') will remove all but /td and /tr

REGEX_Replace(Description,'</tr>','~')

REGEX_Replace(Description,'</td>','|')

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I made this alternative solution. Largely driven by trying to use the xml parse. This was quite a challenge as I'm new to Alteryx and don't know much about HTML so it took me a while to figure out. I explain each step in more detail in this blog post.

Numbered solution.png

I'm not overly proud of this one @JoeM 😞

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Kinda half-way between the provided solution from @GeneR, and the solution from @MarqueeCrew

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My solution. I might bookmark this one to practice again down the line when I feel a bit more comfortable with my XML Parsing & RegEx skills...

PS. @alex, the "Make Columns" tool has made my day. This will be SO useful for some of my work applications!! I went back & tested it out with my workflow on this challenge after I'd solved it with my original method, and it's so much cleaner, allows for fewer tools... Very cool tool!

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another fun regex challenge

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This was a fun one! I got to practice my Regex and use a new tool, Make Columns. Might not be the most efficient solution but I struggled to come up with a solution that involved fewer tools.

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Very slowly working my way through!

Here's my solution:

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Weekly Challenge 13.png

This was quite the challenge--not sure that it's a repeatable process but I reached the desired output:

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My third one is done. This time I'm uncertain that it's the best solution and if it's allowed to have empty cells instead of "[Null]".

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Screenshot - 2017-05-31 , 14_44_54.png

Workflow

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Here's my solution.

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Solution attached!

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Here's my solution to this one.

I think it should be future proofed in that it would work with multiple records.

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Looking at other's solutions now, I guess I really wanted to use HTML Parse tool...

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Strange this one is 'Advanced'... Seemed fairly straight forward but did involve some reasonably fiddly string calculations.

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You won't believe how long I struggled with the Regex parser only to use the text to columns for the solution

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don't give up on Regex @JoshKushner - try this one again, but use http://regex101.com and you'll work through this one really easily.

Next time will try to use the make columns tool

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Im glad regex still has not let me down. Could this have been done a better way? eh i wont worry about it.

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feels like its inelegant, but it works

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This one was a struggle! Solution a bit ugly, but it works.

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philipmannering

Love a bit of regex

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Solution attached

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This one was ugly and I think I committed a mortal sin by forcing regex on html :P

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Week 13.png

Solution attached - thanks!

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solution attached.

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philipmannering

Please see my workflow attached 🙂

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challenge_13 - Snip.PNG

challenge_13 - XML Parse using Regex.yxmd

My Solution.

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challenge_13_ntakeda.yxmd

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