Importante
The Legacy SDKs use outdated technology that limits your extension opportunities. We've built a new Platform SDK using Python and the latest open-source technology to deliver a vastly improved development experience. Go to Platform SDK to get started!
The YXI file format is an alternative to a .zip archive that displays an installer dialog, providing metainfo to the user about the tool being installed. Use .yxi packaging to package custom tools for distribution to other Alteryx users.
When installed, Designer extracts the YXI contents to one of two paths, based on the selection by the user:
To the user path
%APPDATA%\Alteryx
.For all users on the machine
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Alteryx
.
When installed for all users, the installation excludes files in the root of the YXI archive.
HTML tools and macros are found in several directories. If Designer detects the same macro installed in multiple places, the order of precedence for resolution is:
User Tools Path | |
Admin Tools Path | |
HTML Plugins Path | |
Runtime Macro Path | |
If Designer detects the same HTML tool installed in multiple places, the order of precedence is the same.
Paths in Config.xml files can be relative to any of these paths. If you reference the back end macro of an HTML tool as Supporting_Macros\MyMacro.yxmc, Designer attempts to use each of the paths in succession.
Each tool that is distributed via YXI must contain a Config.xml file in the root. This file provides the information needed to ensure the tool is correctly installed into Alteryx Designer. The file contains the metainfo for...
The Installer Icon
The Installer Name
The Category the Installed Tools Appear In
The Installer Version
The Tool's Author
The Description of the Installer Contents
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Configuration>
<Properties>
<MetaInfo>
<Icon>MyNiftyPlugin\MyNiftyPlugin.png</Icon>
<Name>My Nifty Plugin</Name>
<CategoryName>Parse</CategoryName>
<ToolVersion>1.0.0</ToolVersion>
<Author>Alteryx</Author>
<Description>This is my Nifty plugin, which appears in Parse.</Description>
</MetaInfo>
</Properties>
</Configuration>
Create a .zip file with this folder structure:
Tool folder: A folder that contains the custom tool assets. Include one folder per tool being installed. See Getting Started with Developer for information about the contained assets.
Tool Configuration .xml File
Tool Icon .png File
Tool Engine File or Supporting_Macros Folder
Tool .html GUI File
Optional: You can separate JavaScript from your .html file into a separate .js file.
Package Config.xml file: A file at the root of the .yxi used to configure the installer dialog.
Package icon.png file. This can also be the icon inside the tool folder.
Rename the .zip file to have a .yxi extension.
Create a folder with the name of your tool. See Build Custom Tools.
Create icon and save it inside the tool folder. See Build Custom Tools.
Create a GUI file and save it inside the folder. See HTML GUI SDK.
Create your back end and save it inside the folder. See C++ SDK, Macro, and Python SDK.
Create a configuration file and save it inside the folder. See Tool Configuration File.
Create a package configuration file and save it with the folder. Package a Tool.
Package the package configuration file and tool folder as a yxi. See Package a Tool.