Macro control: Output fields change based on macro's configuration or data input ?

[flying008]

Hi, @binuacs & @alexnajm and dear all ,

There is have a option about macro in the Interface Designer Window, like that [Output fields change based on macro's configuration or data input:] , Because in the process of creating and using macros, I found that choosing or not choosing it had almost no effect on the output. What is the effect of choosing or not selecting this option on the output of the macro? I haven't been able to understand this explanation in Help, and I don't know what the difference between this option and the output is. You are all very proficient in macros, so if you can give you a simple macro example of what this option can do, I would be very grateful!

https://help.alteryx.com/current/en/designer/apps-and-macros/interface-designer-window.html 

[caltang]

@flying008 I believe you posted about this before here: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/Confused-of-Macro-control-s-op... 

I found this post as well: https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/Macro-output-option-Output-fie... 

[flying008]

Hi, @caltang 

Thank you for your reply.

1- In Standard macro, there is only 1 option [Output fields change based on macro's configuration or data input:].

2- In Batch macro, there are both 2 options  [Output fields change based on macro's configuration or data input:] and [Output mode:]

3- So, What exactly is the point of this option alone? Whether to choose it or not, and what exactly is the difference in the output of the macro?

[caltang]

I’ve tried a few examples myself and I don’t see it doing anything. I would love to be educated on this as well - the three buttons seems sufficient enough for it to work… odd.

[alexnajm]

If I understand the question correctly, it's asking about use cases on why you'd need to output with a different schema?

The best example is the batch macro to read in multiple files - some may have different columns, but you still want to read in that file without skipping over it - enter the batch macro (available here: The Ultimate Input Data Flowchart (alteryx.com)).

The long answer short is that it allows flexibility in the output!

[flying008]

Hi, @alexnajm 

My question is, what does this option do for standard macro? What difference does choosing or not choosing it make to the output?

[Qiu]

Agree with @alexnajm 

[alexnajm]

I don't have an example off hand, but one I could imagine is if you have a detour in your macro, meaning two different paths that could in theory have different schemas. But it's the same concept like with batch macros - if you have a use case that has different schemas, this is an option (although I am sure it is rarely used as I have not used it in 6.5 years of using Alteryx)