Package a Tool
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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.
Installation Paths
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.
Nota
Designer doesn't attempt to resolve the macro path relative to the HTML tool path. If Supporting_Macros is a subdirectory within the HTML tool, reference the macro path relative to one of the listed paths.
Package Configuration File
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
Nota
Icons have a 171 x 171 pixel size limit. If your image is not rendering on the canvas, try adding a transparent border around the icon.
Example Config.xml
<?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>Package Creation
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.
Nota
You can package multiple tools in a single YXI. To do so, place multiple tool folders at the same level as the Config.xml and icon.png files. The file structure for multiple tools should look like this:
Tool Folder A
Tool Folder B
Config.xml
icon.png
Build Your Own Tool Checklist
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.