Action Interface tool

[jeffv]

Hi,

In help for Action Interface Tool an example is shown named "Update a data cell".  It shows a text box connecting to the action tool connecting to a text input tool.

A simple question...  instead of a text box can the action tool connect to a control parameter?  How then do I feed what is passed from a main workflow to a batch macro into the text input so I can use it in processing?   Seems simple but I'm stumbling on step of setting an action type to "Update Cell (Default)" and how I set the update row and column.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jeff

[AbhilashR]

@jeffv - action tools cannot pass value to control parameter, it works the other way around. Inside a macro, control parameter pass values to action tool, which in turn update the text input tool.

Referring to the attached example,

• my base workflow passes Field1 to batch macro
• Inside the batch macro the Control Parameter passes the value to Action tool
• which then in turn updates the Text Tool
• which is passed to some Formila Tool
• to which you connect a Macro Output tool
• which eventually passes data back to main workflow

Hope this helps you follow the order of operations that take place.

[jeffv]

@AbhilashR,

I really appreciate your reply but it's not making sense to me.  From your first sentence, I understand that info goes from main workflow through (in my case) to control parameter to action tool to input tool and eventually out the macro output tool back to main workflow.  The part I don't quite understand is... while currently I have data coming from main workflow to batch macro control tool to action tool to input data, I need additional data coming from main workflow to batch macro to control tool to action tool to text input table.  In this last part I believe I have things correct to go from main to batch macro to control tool but in action tool I see the following:

I'm not sure how I change the row & column drop down menus.  I must have something incorrect either prior or post this step.

From your example workflow, I see you changed them to 1 and 1a respectively but I'm missing how you changed them to these values.  I'm surely missing something... can you enlighten me?

Thanks,

Jeff

[AbhilashR]

@jeffv - in my example the 1 and 1(a) is basically telling Alteryx to take the user selected field from the main workflow, and update value row 1 and value a in the first column.

In other to pass additional columns into your macro, you have to bring in another control parameter, which passes data to a different action tool, which in-turn updates a different column in your text input. In the image below, I take Year from main workflow, and modify the action tool to update row1 and value 2020 in column 2.

I have also attached a modified workflow. Hope this helps.

[jeffv]

@AbhilashR,

I appreciate your reply but even with second example I don't see how you set the action tool settings.  Maybe because I'm on 2018.3 I can't set the fields.

Jeff

[jeffv · Accepted solution]

@AbhilashR,

After deleting control and action tool and reediting text input tool I believe it works.

Thanks!

Jeff

[AbhilashR]

Please mark this post as solution accepted if it resolved your query.